Mansoura

Egypt has great heritage assets including the heritage buildings that have high values, most of them, suffering from deterioration, negligence, non-investment, and non-periodic maintenance. Most of the conservation projects of heritage buildings in Egypt don't include any procedures that aim to make the building more compatible with the environment during the restoration works or be more efficient during the operation period, that's lead to a failure or a lack in achieving the goals of the comprehensive conservation strategy and sustainability.
Since the seventieth of the 20th century, many countries all over the world have faced several energy crises that had a great role to concentrate the studies on how they can reduce the energy consumption. That's lead to emergence of the practices of "green buildings" that became more widespread during the last two decades.Green building design and construction practices that meet specified standards will help resolve much of the negative impacts that buildings have on their occupants and on the environment. The green principles are applied on the new buildings and the existing building after making some modifications on the building to be green.
Most of the current green certified heritage buildings all over the world have been assessed under the rating systems of existing buildings umbrella, some of them have set minimum requirements for heritage building, and the others don't have any requirements related to heritage buildings, that could lead to loss the values of those building in the process of transforming them as green Buildings.
The research aims to produce a Green Heritage building Rating System tool which can assess the green heritage buildings in Egypt. This tool aims to merge the principles of the green building practices in the conservation strategies of the heritage buildings, that's mean achieving a comprehensive sustainability for heritage building to meet the current and future needs through conserving the building, maintaining it, and applying the green practices without harming or losing the heritage value of the building.

Abstract. We aim to evaluate the newly developed Reversed Dot Blot Hybridization (RDBH) technique against the established Amplification Refractory Mutation System (ARMS) in detection of most common Mediterranean mutations of â-thalassaemia in Egyptian cases from Nile Delta Regions.
Forty patients were enrolled from those presented to Genetic Laboratories in Mansoura University Children’s Hospital, Egypt, for molecular diagnosis of â-thalassaemia. They comprised 23 males and 17 females with age range 2.4-18 years (mean 7.8±0.6). They were subjected to a thorough history stressing on consanguinity and family history, blood sampling for standard haematological testing and
DNA extraction. Every DNA sample was tested for 8 common beta thalassaemia mutations using RDBH method (hybridization to 8 chemically-labelled probes fixed on membrane strips, one for mutant and another for normal probe sets) followed by colour detection and interpretation. Mutations were estimated and were compared to that determined via the use of ARMS technique through amplification using sequence specific primers (SSP); one for mutant and another for normal allele with internal
control primers. Sensitivity and specificity of RDBH against ARMS method was measured using ROC curve. Considering ARMS results were our gold standard ones, RDBH was found of average sensitivity and specificity in detection of the top three common mutations but when analyzing other
mutations it was associated with relatively higher false positive rates. Using both techniques, mutations of highest frequencies were intronic; within IVS I-110, IVS I-6 and IVS I-1 and on the other hand, the least frequent ones were exonic and promoter mutations. We can conclude that common â-thalassaemia mutations can be simply and reliably detected using ARMS technique rather than by using the ready made strips applied for RDBH.

Key words: Reversed dot blot hybridization • primer-specific amplification • beta-thalassemia
* Correspondence: Mohammad Al-Haggar, MD, Mansoura University Children’s Hospital, Mansoura,
Egypt, Tel.:+96638982022, Fax:+96638951196, e-mail: [email protected]

During the last decade, the researches mainly focused on the development of the huge cities- megalopolis. In the same time, the studies neglected intermediate and small cities, their development and the problems facing them. Despite these cities are inhabited by 62.5 % of the world population. Most of the intermediate cities are located in the developing countries and suffering from many problems. The UIA-CIMES program was established under the auspices of UNISCO and UIA , its main objective is establishing a co-operation network for exchanging the experiments and experiences among intermediate cities, presenting their problems and solving their problems.
The research problem : the deterioration of the urban heritage sites in intermediate cities which is one of many problems that are facing them as a result of neglecting the researches about these cities.
    The research aims to utilize the network of the program of intermediate cities for solving one of the problems of an intermediate city (Mansoura –Egypt) which its urban heritage sites are suffering  from problems, threats or risks. For achieving the main aim of the research " Achieve the sustainable development of urban heritage sites of intermediate cities as an approach to a massive development of the future of these cities".
From the network of intermediate cities program (CIMES), the research studies and analyzes the pioneer experiments of two intermediate cities (Izmir and Beirut) that success to develop their cities through their urban heritage sites development projects. Making the benefits of these experiences for the Sustainable of urban heritage in other intermediate cities in the developing countries by applying them through a sustainable development vision on one of the intermediate cities (Mansoura-Egypt) as a case study.
    The research concludes that the development of the urban heritage sites of Izmir and beirut especially, their heritage city center was an approach for a massive development of these cities, the projects had positive impacts for developing them in the tourism and economic sectors and attracting the investments and capital flows to the city. that has generated more income to the city and its citizens, and decreased the immigration of the citizens of those intermediate cities to large cities. - The application of the successful experiment of an intermediate city  in the field of the development of urban heritage sites cannot be completely applied on the other cities, due to the different circumstances and factors of each city. But the experiment can be partially applied by its concept, strategy, framework or tools.The research recommends that there is a need to make use of the CIMES's network in similar problems facing intermediate cities, by presenting them, exchanging the successful experiments, and finding solutions for their problems. -It is essential to support researches related to intermediate cities and resulted from CIMES's networks by supporting and publishing these researches. Finally,the research's sustainable vision of the heritage city center of Mansoura (that was concluded from the research) should be presented to the local authorities of Mansoura for invest the heritage city center and its urban heritage sites

We aim to evaluate the newly developed Reversed Dot Blot Hybridization (RDBH) technique against the established Amplification Refractory Mutation System (ARMS) in detection of most common Mediterranean mutations of â-thalassaemia in Egyptian cases from Nile Delta Regions. Forty patients were enrolled from those presented to Genetic Laboratories in Mansoura University Childrens Hospital, Egypt, for molecular diagnosis of â-thalassaemia. They comprised 23 males and 17 females with age range 2.4-18 years (mean 7.8±0.6). They were subjected to a thorough history stressing on consanguinity and family history, blood sampling for standard haematological testing and DNA extraction. Every DNA sample was tested for 8 common beta thalassaemia mutations using RDBH method (hybridization to 8 chemically-labelled probes fixed on membrane strips, one for mutant and another for normal probe sets) followed by colour detection and interpretation. Mutations were estimated and were compared to that determined via the use of ARMS technique through amplification using sequence specific primers (SSP); one for mutant and another for normal allele with internal control primers. Sensitivity and specificity of RDBH against ARMS method was measured using ROC curve. Considering ARMS results were our gold standard ones, RDBH was found of average sensitivity and specificity in detection of the top three common mutations but when analyzing other mutations it was associated with relatively higher false positive rates. Using both techniques, mutations of highest frequencies were intronic; within IVS I-110, IVS I-6 and IVS I-1 and on the other hand, the least frequent ones were exonic and promoter mutations. We can conclude that common âthalassaemia mutations can be simply and reliably detected using ARMS technique rather than by using the ready made strips applied for RDBH.

Abstract. Lymphadenopathy whether benign or malignant represents a diagnostic dilemma in childhood. We tried to evaluate flow cytometric analysis of DNA cycle and apoptotic parameters of fine needle aspiration of lymph node (FNA) or peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) samples to resolve
problematic diagnosis of childhood lymphadenopathy. Seventy nine children with lymphadenopathy were enrolled from Outpatient Clinics, Mansoura University Children’s Hospital; 46 FNA and 50 PBL samples were analyzed using FACS flow cytometer. DNA staining was done with propidium
iodide after at least 12 hours ethanol fixation. Apoptosis was measured using the sub-G1 peak analysis. Cases with malignant lymphadenopathy had significantly lower G0/G1 and G2/M peak channels compared to benign cases. Moreover, S-phase and apoptosis percentages were also lower but with statistical insignificant difference. Aneuploidy was significantly higher in PBL samples of malignant cases (P<0.05). Discriminant multivariate analysis showed that FNA samples with low G2/M channel peak (<100), PBL samples with low S-phase (<1.5) and high coefficient of variation (CV) percentages
(>3.5%) were the 3 most significant predictors of malignancy. We can conclude that apoptosis percentage and DNA cycle parameters of FNA and PBL samples in addition to other workup investigations can help in the differentiation of malignant from benign lymphadenopathy.

Key words: flow cytometry • ploidy • apoptosis • lymphadenopathy
* Correspondence: Mohammad S. Al-Haggar, MD, Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine,
Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt, Tel.:+96638982022, +96638982831, Fax:+96638951196, e-mail:
[email protected]

خلال السنوات الأخيرة ومع انتشار مفهوم الاستدامة وتركيز الدراسات البحثية على تطبيق قواعد الاستدامة بأبعادها المختلفة في مختلف المجالات الحياتية وخاصة تلك المرتبطة بمجالات التنمية , وتبني الحكومات في بعض البلدان للتنمية المستدامة وتضمينها ضمن سياسة الحفاظ العمراني لمعظم مدنها التي تحتوي على بيئات تراثية , باعتبار تلك البيئات جزءً من مواردها  الأساسية, مما يلزم الحفاظ عليها وتنميتها تنمية مستدامة .
وبإنشاء جهاز التنسيق الحضاري وإصدار قانون التنسيق الحضاري لسنة 2008 وتفعيل دوره بإصدارالدليل الإرشادي لأسس ومعايير اللافتات ودليل أسس ومعايير التنسيق الحضاري للمباني والمناطق التراثية وكلاهما ينظم أعمال التنمية والحفاظ والصيانة لتلك البيئات من خلال اشتراطات ومعايير عامة خاصة فيما يتعلق بتعدي المحال التجارية على واجهات المباني التراثية ونزع كافة اللافتات والإعلانات من على واجهات وأسطح المباني التراثية ووضع ضوابط لها بحيث لا تعيق المحاور البصرية والصورة العامة للفراغ العمراني التراثي, وإسناد تحديد المعايير التفصيلية للمدن والأحياء بما يتناسب وبيئة كل منطقة. وتهدف الورقة البحثية إلي التأكيد علي دور وأهمية البيئات التراثية الواقعة في مناطق تجارية كأنوية للتنمية يجب الاهتمام بها وتطويرها بصرياً لوضع حد لمشاكل التلوث البصري التي تواجهها تلك البيئات من خلال دراسة معايير تنظيمية تفصيلية وضعتها دول متقدمة لحماية بيئاتها التراثية الواقعة بقلب مدنها من بعض الاثار السلبية التي تؤثر على الصورة البصرية لتلك البيئات مثل التعدي على واجهات المباني التراثية وانتشار اللافتات, وذلك لمحاولة استنباط معاييرتنظيمية  تفصيلية تصلح للتطبيق في مدننا العربية .ويتم ذلك من خلال دراسة حالة لأحد أهم شوارع مدينة المنصورة وهو شارع الثورة أو السكة الجديدة (قلب المدينة القديم) باعتباره أحد البيئات التراثية للمدينة القائم على النشاط التجاري والإداري المتمثل بالعيادات والمكاتب وغيرها .

Abstract. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) aided by biofeedback in rehabilitating Egyptian adolescents who were suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Out of 298 screened individuals with chronic fatigue, only 159 adolescents were eligible for study; of them 63 cases lost follow up and four cases were further excluded because of switch leaving only 92 cases with complete database. Age range of enrolled cases was 10–14 years and male/female ratio (1/2.5). They were recruited from private schools and polyclinics in Eastern province, Saudi Arabia; some cases were referred by psychiatrists in private hospitals of the same area. All cases were diagnosed as CFS according to the recommendations of International CFS Study Group. Patients were randomly allocated to one of two groups; interventional group comprised 50 cases and underwent CBT aided with biofeedback over a period of 18 months applying two protocols according to patient’s activity pattern. Forty-two cases were followed and treated symptomatically and used as control group. Data were processed and analyzed using SPSS version 10.0. The most common symptoms were unrefreshing sleep, headache and myalgia (95.8%, 67.7% and 50%respectively). Patients of interventional group showed marked improvement manifested by decrement of checklist individual strength (decreased 23.1%; 95% confidence interval 19.2– 25.4%) and better school attendance (increased 31.5%; 95% confidence interval 29.8–36.6 hours/month) with the disappearance of some self-rated CFS symptoms. CBT aided by biofeedback could be very effective in treatment of adolescents suffering from CFS taking in consideration the stressors and precipitating factors during settings of psychotherapy.

Keywords: Biofeedback, cognitive behavioral therapy, chronic fatigue syndrome, adolescents

Although cancer therapies have experienced great success nowadays, yet the associated toxic response and free radicals formation have resulted in significant number of treatment-induced deaths rather than disease-induced fatalities. Complications of chemotherapy have forced physicians to study antioxidant use as adjunctive treatment in cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant role of vitamin E and N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) in overcoming treatment-induced toxicity in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) during the intensive period of chemo-/radiotherapy, almost the first two months of treatment. Forty children newly diagnosed with ALL were enrolled in this study. Twenty children (group I) have taken vitamin E and NAC supplementations with chemotherapy and the other twenty children (group II) have not taken any adjuvant antioxidant therapy. They were evaluated
clinically for the occurrence of complications and by the laboratory parameters (blood levels of glutathione peroxidase (Glu.PX) antioxidant enzyme,malondialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), liver enzymes, and bone marrow picture). Results revealed reduced chemotherapy and radiotherapy toxicity as evidenced by decreasing level ofMDA, increasing level of Glu.Px and decreased occurrence of toxic hepatitis, haematological complications, and need for blood and platelet transfusions in group I compared to group II. We can conclude that vitamin E and NAC have been shown to be effective as antioxidant adjuvant therapy in children with ALL to reduce chemo-/radiotherapy-related toxicities during the initial period of treatment.

Lymphadenopathy whether benign or malignant represents a diagnostic dilemma in childhood. We tried to evaluate flow cytometric analysis of DNA cycle and apoptotic parameters of fine needle aspiration of lymph node (FNA) or peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) samples to resolve problematic diagnosis of childhood lymphadenopathy. Seventy nine children with lymphadenopathy were enrolled from Outpatient Clinics, Mansoura University Childrens Hospital; 46 FNA and 50 PBL samples were analyzed using FACS flow cytometer. DNA staining was done with propidium iodide after at least 12 hours ethanol fixation. Apoptosis was measured using the sub-G 1 peak analysis. Cases with malignant lymphadenopathy had significantly lower G0/G1 and G2/M peak channels compared to benign cases. Moreover, S-phase and apoptosis percentages were also lower but with statistical insignificant difference. Aneuploidy was significantly higher in PBL samples of malignant cases (P<0.05). Discriminant multivariate analysis showed that FNA samples with low G2/M channel peak (<100), PBL samples with low S-phase (<1.5) and high coefficient of variation (CV) percentages (>3.5%) were the 3 most significant predictors of malignancy. We can conclude that apoptosis percentage and DNA cycle parameters of FNA and PBL samples in addition to other workup investigations can help in the differentiation of malignant from benign lymphadenopathy.