DSP-PML algorithm for open region DNG meta-material FDTD simulations

The digital signal processing (DSP) algorithms developed for digital filters and the perfectly matched layer (PML) formulations are incorporated with the finite difference time domain (FDTD) method to model open region double-negative (DNG) meta-material electromagnetic problems. In the proposed approach, the dielectric parameters of each FDTD unit cell are interpreted as an infinite impulse response digital filter which can be implemented efficiently using the transpose direct form II. A numerical example carried out in a two-dimensional domain is included to show the validity of the proposed formulation.     

Bioactive lipids and antioxidant properties of wild Egyptian Pulicaria incise, Diplotaxis harra, and Avicennia marina

Fatty acids, sterols and tocopherols profile of Pulicaria incise, Diplotaxis harra and Avicennia marina grown wild in Egypt were investigated. Linoleic acid followed by palmitic and oleic acids were the major fatty acids in P. incise. Oleic followed by stearic were the main acids in D. harra, while palmitic followed by oleic were the major fatty acids found in A. marina. Sterol markers of P. incise were campesterol followed by stigmasterol and β-sitosterol. In D. harra β-sitosterol followed by stigmasterol and ?5-avensterol were the major sterols, while campesterol followed by β-sitosterol and ?7-avensterol were main sterols of A. marina. Tocopherols were also estimated in high levels, wherein δ-tocopherol was the main tocopherol in all plants. Antioxidant properties of methanolic extracts of the plants were compared with methanolic solution of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and ascorbic acid during thiocyanate assay. Moreover, methanolic extracts of the whole plants exhibited strong antiradical potential against DPPH radicals. Information provided by the present study is of importance for further investigations of P. incise, D. harra and A. marina and utilization of these plants as a raw material of bioactive compounds.     

Variations in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) cultivars grown under heat stress

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) is considered as important and economic agricultural crop all over the world. For improving the yield and yield attributes, varieties are often produced and evaluated under different growth condition. In the study presented morphological (growth and yield parameters), biochemical (oil, moisture content and radical scavenging activity) and molecular diversity (RAPD and ISSR) of eleven freshmarket tomato (L. esculentum) cultivars (Aledo VF, Carmeuco 201M, Castle-rock, Falkon, Money Maker, Peto 86, Red Star, Super Marmande, Super Queen, Super Strain B, and UC97–3) were analyzed under heat stress in Egypt to assist breeders in selecting heat tolerant cultivars and nutritional quality. Cultivars Aledo, Peto86 and Red Star were found to have the most vigorous growth habit, while cv. Super Queen has the most significant average fruit weight, yield/plant and total yield/m² under heat stress. For nutritional quality cv. Super marmande and cv. Aledo showed the highest oil content while cv. Aledo and cv. Money Maker showed the highest radical scavenging activities (RSA). Molecular polymorphism among cultivars was detected using two molecular markers systems, RAPD (random amplified polymorphic DNA) and ISSR (inter-simple sequence repeat), providing further facilities for molecular comparison.     

Numerical simulation of a building with one transparently insulated wall

A numerical simulation model is developed to study the thermal performance of an outdoor test-room with one Transparently Insulated (TI) wall. The thermal behavior of the room is examined under different control strategies for the shading device. Simulation results indicate significant energy savings. However, appropriate control strategies are required to prevent overheating of the room and discomfort.     

Some characteristics of Egyptian balady bread as affected by partial substitution of maize flour

Corn flour prepared by stone milling was used as a partial substitute for wheat flour 82% extraction in traditional balady bread at 5 different levels, namely 2, 3, 5, 7 and 10%. Substitution of corn flour for wheat flour led to an increase in ash and fat contents while there was no significant change in protein content. A panel test was used to select the acceptable level of substitution. All the tested levels gave accepted bread.     

Coriander (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Coriandrum sativum</Emphasis> L.) seed oil improves plasma lipid profile in rats fed a diet containing cholesterol

Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) seed oil (COR) is a promising oil with high levels of bioactive compounds. Very little information, however, is available on the effect of administration of COR on different aspects of plasma lipid profile in experimental animals. In view of the important implications, the effect of administration of COR and oil blend [a mixture of soybean oil, coriander oil and sunflower oil (4:2:4, w/w/w; Blend)] on the profile of plasma lipids was investigated in 24 male albino rats placed on a cholesterol-rich (1%) basal diet as compared to rats on a cholesterol-free basal diet. Coriander seed oil and Blend were analyzed for composition of fatty acid, sterol and tocopherol. The levels of bioactive compounds (sterols and tocopherols) were higher in COR than in the Blend. In addition, the antiradical potential of COR and Blend was measured and the results showed that COR had stronger radical scavenging activity than Blend. In the biological experiment, rats were divided into four diet groups. The negative control group (control) consumed the basal diet (BD) only, which contained wheat starch, casein and cellulose, as well as mineral and vitamin mixtures. To the BD were added 1 g/100 g cholesterol (Chol/group), or both (Chol/COR group) and (Chol/Blend group). The groups did not differ before the experiment, which lasted 60 days. Plasma total lipids (TL), triacylglycerols (TAG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) were measured at day 15, 30, 45 and 60 during the experiment period. Generally, COR and Blend-supplemented diets decreased the levels of TL, TC, TAG and LDL-C in plasma. In addition, significant increase in the levels of HDL-C was observed for Chol/COR and Chol/Blend groups. The results demonstrated that COR, and to a relatively lesser degree Blend, have hypocholesterolemic properties in rats fed a cholesterol-rich diet.     

Analysis of frames containing cracks and resting on elastic foundations

A fracture mechanics model has been implemented in the stiffness matrix method to analyze skeletal structures resting on elastic foundations and containing cracks at superstructure and substructure elements. Stiffness matrices for cracked superstructure and substructure elements have been developed based on fracture mechanics techniques and the stiffness matrix method.The present model has been applied to investigate effects of crack size and location, type of loading, soil subgrade modulus, foundation rigidity, and geometry of the structure on the behaviour of cracked structures taking into consideration the soil-structure interaction effect.

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Résumé On a introduit dans la méthode des matrices de rigidité un modèle de mécanique de rupture en vue d'analyser des charpentes reposant sur des fondations élastiques et comportant des fissures dans les éléments de superstructure et de substructure.Des matrices de rigidité relatives à des éléments de substructure et de superstructure fissurés ont été développées en se basant sur les techniques de la mécanique de la rupture et sur la méthodologie de la matrice de rigidité.Le modèle actuel a été appliqué à l'étude des effets, sur le comportement de charpentes fissurées, de la taille et de la position d'une fissure, du type de sollicitation, du module caractéristique du sol, de la rigidité de la fondation et de la géométrie des charpentes, et ce en tenant compte de l'interaction entre le sol et la charpente.

     

Corrosion Inhibition of Novel Prepared Cationic Surfactants for API N80 Carbon Steel Pipelines in Oil Industries

The objective of this study is to investigate the corrosion inhibition of API N80 steel pipelines in 1M HCl solution by a synthesized compound (N-(3-(dimethyl octyl ammonio) propyl) palmitamide bromide, subjected to four different modes of measurements. Weight loss (WL) was investigated at five different temperatures: 25–60°C, while potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and electrochemical frequency modulation (EFM) were tested at 25°C. The result showed that the synthesized inhibitor was good and its protection efficiency (%η) significantly increased by increasing both the dose and the temperature. The polarization curve revealed that the studied inhibitor acts as mixed-type of inhibitor. Adsorption of the investigated inhibitor led to a reduction in the double layer capacitance and an increase in the charge transfer resistance. The adsorption of this inhibitor was found to obey the Langmuir adsorption model. The thermodynamic parameters were calculated and discussed. A clear correlation was found between corrosion protection efficiency and theoretical parameters obtained using density functional theory.     

Fat-Soluble Bioactives,Fatty Acid Profile and Radical Scavenging Activity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Semecarpus anacardium</Emphasis> Seed Oil

Semecarpus anacardium (family Anacardiaceae) has many applications in the Ayurvedic and Siddha systems of medicine in India. Detailed knowledge on the composition of S. anacardium oil, in consideration of potential utilization, is of major importance. In this investigation, column chromatography, gas chromatography, thin layer chromatography and liquid chromatography techniques were performed to analyze lipid classes, fatty acids and fat-soluble bioactives of S. anacardium crude seed oil. The amount of neutral lipids in the crude seed oil was the highest, followed by glycolipids and phospholipids, respectively. Linoleic followed by palmitic and oleic were the major fatty acids. The ratio of unsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids was higher in neutral lipid classes than in the polar lipids. The main sterol compounds were β-sitosterol, campesterol and stigmasterol. δ-Tocopherol followed by β-tocopherol were the main tocopherols. When S. anacardium seed oil and extra virgin olive oil were compared for their radical scavenging activity toward 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical and galvinoxyl radical (by electron spin resonance spectrometry), S. anacardium seed oil exhibited a stronger RSA.     

Design of a Compact Hexagonal Monopole Antenna for Ultra—Wideband Applications

This paper presents two design compact hexagonal monopole antennas for ultra-wideband applications. The two antennas are fed by a single microstrip line . The Zeland IE3D version 12 is employed for analysis at the frequency band of 4 to 14 GHz which has approved as a commercial UWB band. The experimental and simulation results exhibit good agreement together for antenna 1. The proposed antenna1 is able to achieve an impedance bandwidth about 111%. The proposed antenna2 is able to achieve an impedance bandwidth about (31.58%) for lower frequency and (62.54%) for upper frequency bandwidth. A simulated frequency notched band ranging from 6.05 GHz to 7.33 GHz and a measured frequency notched band ranging from 6.22 GHz to 8.99 GHz are achieved and gives one narrow band of axial ratio (1.43%). The proposed antennas can be used in wireless ultra-wideband (UWB) communications.