Abstract Background Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy among the most frequently performed elective daycare surgeries. After laparoscopic cholecystectomy shoulder and abdominal pain causes considerable distress, to determine the efficacy of intraperitoneal bupivacaine instillation on management of early postoperative pain in patient undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Aim of the Work To determined the efficacy of intraperitoneal bupivacaine instillation on management early postoperative pain in patient with laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Patients and Methods This is a prospective randomized study with sample size of 50 patients underwent elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy. We recruited patients from surgery department at Agouza Hospital. We randomly assigned patients to undergo laparoscopic cholecystectomy with bupivacaine and 25 ml of physiological saline (0.9% normal saline) on liver bed or without bupivacaine. Results Fifty patients finally met our inclusion criteria. In bupivacaine group, mean age was 35 (± 6.6), 64% were females and 36% were males. While in non-bupivacaine group mean age was 37.6 (± 6.6), 68% were females and 32% were males with no statistically significant difference between both groups; age (P value=0.22) and age (P value=0.77), In bupivacaine group there was significant pain reduction compared to non-bupivacaine group in terms of VAS at 2 h (p value=0.04), 12 h (p value=0.02), 24 h (, p value=0.01) and VRS at 2 h (p value<0.01), 12 h (p value<0.01), 24 h (p value<0.01). Hospital stay was lower hospital stay in bupivacaine group 0.94 (± 0.16) than nonbupivacaine group 1.21 (± 0.41) (p value<0.01). Need for additional analgesia was lower in bupivacaine group (P value <0.01). Conclusion Intraperitoneal route for administration of local anaesthetic is a safe and effective approach. Bupivacaine is an effective treatment option to achieve postoperative analgesic, limit the duration of hospital stay and the need for additional analgesia. But it did not significantly lower the incidence of nausea and vomiting.

Six weight percentages (0, 2, 5, 10, 15, and 20 wt(%)) of barium titanate BaTiO3 were doped as a nanoparticle in poly(methyl methacrylate) PMMA and their optical and nuclear radiation shielding properties were investigated. The XRD patterns, FTIR spectra and SEM images confirmed that the nanocomposite films were successfully prepared. The pure PMMA sample demonstrated a significant degree of transparency, approximately 90%. The inclusion of BaTiO3 resulted in a significant reduction in the optical bandgap while maintaining a moderate transmittance level of approximately 40% at a concentration of 10 wt (%). The direct and indirect band gap energy of PMMA were decreased from 4.81 eV to 4.62 eV-1.64 eV and 1.09 eV, respectively, after doping with 20 wt(%) BaTiO3 nanoparticles. The refractive index of the investigated samples was determined using various approaches and seen to increase after nanofiller addition. Seven energy lines, from Eu-152, Cs-137, Na-22 and Ra-226 radioactive gamma ray sources, were used to deduce the gamma ray shielding parameters of the prepared samples. Also, three neutron energy ranges were used to measure the macroscopic cross-sections for the investigated samples. The results showed good agreement between measured values of mass attenuation coefficients and those calculated by WinXCOM computer program. Furthermore, the optimal weight percentage of BaTiO3 in PMMA for attenuation of all examined gamma ray energies was 10 wt (%), whereas it was 15 wt (%) for the investigated three neutron energy ranges. In other words, a novel flexible, transparent and non-toxic polymer nanocomposite shielding material is presented and the samples containing 10-15 wt(%), demonstrates improved radiation attenuation.

The present work was conducted to determine Th/U ratios in different types of natural rock samples (sedimentary, conglomerate, igneous and sediments) using high-purity germanium detector, solid state nuclear track detectors and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometers.A thin source approach method for alpha tracks measurements was used.A new method was introduced for forming a thin layer of the rock sample.The track densities were obtained using an optical microscope coupled with a digital camera and spark counter.Even though the measurements were carried out using very different techniques, they showed comparable values of Th/U ratio for most of the rock samples.

Reduced graphene oxide (RGO) doped polyvinyl alcohol/ Polyethylene glycol (PVA/PEG) films were prepared by solution casting technique and exposed to 100 kGy gamma radiation. The structural modifications in the samples before and after irradiation were studied using X-ray diffraction XRD, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopyFTIR anddifferential scanning calorimetry DSC. The free volume holes Vf determined from the o-Ps lifetime τ3measured by the positron annihilation spectroscopy (PALS) is found to decrease from (84.52 to 67.24A3) and from (85.67 to 78.21 A3) for nonirradiated and irradiated samples respectively with increasing the nanoscale RGO fillercontentto the polymer matrix. The resulting decrease of the free volume holes size due to this incorporation could be explained byboth the formation of hydrogen-bonding and crosslinking between RGO and PVA/PEG blend as confirmed byXRD and FTIR measurements. This also caused a decrease in the concentration of free volumes Fr for both nonirradiated and irradiated samples. The increased D.C. electrical conductivity with increasing RGOvolume fraction(0–0.265) suggests a conductivity chain formation through the nanoparticle aggregation. The deduced Ln σis found to be positively correlated with the probability of free annihilation of positrons I2, trapped at crystalline-amorphous interfaces. The D.C. conductivity results could be successfully fitted using the model suggested by Miyamoto and Shibayama. The critical free volumes for the charge carriers’ transport has been deduced to be 80.34 and 82.16A3 for nonirradiated and irradiated samples respectively.

The dependence of radon adsorption on the temperature up to 35 °C was studied for 4" open face (OF) charcoal canister at different values of relative humidity using a radon calibration chamber with variable and controlled radon concentration, humidity, and temperature which was previously constructed. Sets of calibration factor (CF) and adjusting factor (AF) curves were established at 20, 25, 30, and 35 °C and,different humidity (RH%). These curves are used to extend the use of open-faced charcoal canisters for higher temperature and humidity applications. The optimum expo­sure time to achieve the best detection accuracy was estimated between 2 and 4 days depending on relative humidity. The open-faced canisters havehigher efficiency of radon absorption at low temperature.

Positron annihilation lifetime (PAL) spectroscopy, Doppler broadening of annihilation radiation (DBAR) spectroscopy and Vickers microhardness (Hv) measurements were performed to study the micro- and macro-structure variations during isochronal annealing from room temperature (RT) to 500°C of commercial pure Al (1100), Al–Mn–Mg (3004) and Al–Mg–Si (6201) alloys. Three annealing stages of microstructures have been identified as recovery, partial recrystallization and complete recrystallization followed by grain growth. A positive correlation between the macroscopic mechanical properties (Hv) and positron annihilation parameters has been achieved for the three samples under investigation.

Positron annihilation lifetime (PAL) spectroscopy has been used to investigate microstructural properties of carbon black–silica–styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) composites. The positron annihilation lifetime shows a direct dependence on the carbon black type as well as the silica content added to the rubber compound. The effect of the tensile strain (ε=0–150%) on the positron annihilation parameters has been investigated by constructing a small load frame to permit the measurement of positron lifetime in situ. The variations in the o-Ps lifetime τ3 and its intensity I3 with deformation are discussed in the framework of free volume theories. A simple illustrative sketch for the rubber–filler matrix is proposed.

A simple formula is given which allows to calculate the contribution of the total neutron cross-section including the Bragg scattering from different (hkl) planes to the neutron transmission through a solid crystalline silicon. The formula takes into account the silicon form of poly or mono crystals and its parameters. A computer program DSIC was developed to provide the required calculations. The calculated values of the total neutron cross-section of perfect silicon crystal at room and liquid nitrogen temperatures were compared with the experimental ones. The obtained agreement shows that the simple formula fits the experimental data with sufficient accuracy. A good agreement was also obtained between the calculated and measured values of polycrystalline silicon in the energy range from 5 eV to 500 μeV. The feasibility study on using a poly-crystalline silicon as a cold neutron filter and mono-crystalline as a thermal neutron one is given. The optimum crystal thickness, mosaic spread, temperature and cutting plane for efficiently transmitting the thermal reactor neutrons, while rejecting both fast neutrons and gamma rays accompanying the thermal ones for the mono crystalline silicon are also given.

The indoor radon concentration in a typical Egyptian village in Delta was measured in 50 houses during summer 1999 and winter 2000. This survey was done using three different types of charcoal canisters: 4" open-faced, 2.75" open-faced, and 2.75" diffusion barrier. The average winter to summer ratio was 2.1 and 1.2 for open rooms and closed rooms, respectively, in clay buildings, while it was 0.8 and 1.0, respectively, in concrete buildings. The seasonal variations of radon concentration as well as the effect of building materials were discussed.

A generalized formula is given which allows to calculate the contribution of the total neutron cross-section including the Bragg scattering from different (hkl) planes to the neutron transmission through a solid crystalline material. The formula takes into account the crystalline form of the material (poly- or mono-crystal) and crystal parameters. A computer program ISCANF-II was developed to provide the required calculations. The calculated values of the neutron transmission through a lead single crystal cut along the (311) plane were compared with the previously measured ones in the wavelength range 0.03 to 0.52 nm. The measured and calculated values were found to be in reasonable agreement within the statistical accuracy. The feasibility study on using a poly-crystalline lead as a cold neutron filter and mono-crystalline as a thermal neutron one is given. The optimum crystal thickness, temperature and characteristics for efficiently transmitting the thermal reactor neutrons, while removing simultaneously fast neutrons and gamma rays accompanying the thermal ones for the both cases are given.

Positron lifetime technique have been applied to study lattice defects in industrial aluminium samples. Isochronal annealing up to 550 degreesC reveals recovery in three stages after plastic deformation. Quenching from 400 degreesC to -196 degreesC results in a different annealing behavior compared to the one after plastic deformation indicating the formation, indicating the formation of vacancy clusters between room temperature (RT) and 100 degreesC followed by their annealing between 100 and 400 degreesC. The results are discussed in the frame of the two state trapping model and the positron affinity calculations for different impurities.

A phased double rotor facility is used at ET-RR-1 to produce a pulsed thermal neutron polyenergetic beam. The rotors an suspended in magnetic fields and rotating at speeds up to 16000 rpm. A 16 Mc/s quartz timer along with four signal generated by four optical devices, fixed around the rotors, were used to maintain the stability of both their rotating rates as well as the constancy of phase between them (jitter phase). The fluctuation of the the rotor's periods at any rotation rate was found not to exceed +/- 0.3 mu s while the jitter phase between the +/- 1 mu s. An improved method for precise time scale calibration of the double rotor facility is applied. The experimental check-up of its main parameters are given.

The design principle of a Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) spectrometer is based on producing monochromatic neutron bursts using two phased rotors with curved slots. An optimization study of their number and shape to achieve the highly available intensity of monoenergetic neutrons at the required resolution is given. The study was applied to the improvement of the performance of the pulsed monochromatic double rotor system at ET-RR-1 to operate as SANS spectrometer. It is shown that for rotors having 19 slots each with radius of curvature 96.8 cm, the intensity gain factor is 13. The proposed SANS spectrometer could cover the neutron wavelength range from 2 Angstrom up to 6 Angstrom through small angles of scattering from 5 x 10(-3) rad to 0.1 rad, i.e., the scattering wavevector transfer between 0.6 Angstrom(-1) and 0.01 Angstrom(-1). The maximum neutron intensity on the specimen is 2 x 106 n s(-1).

The method is based on measuring the neutron cross-section of a powdered sample at neutron wavelengths beyond its Bragg cutoff. The effect of the neutron beam broadening due to its transmission through the powder sample on cross-section was treated as small angle neutron scattering (SANS) cross-section. The SANS cross-section was determined as the difference between its measured cross-section in powder form and in bulk metal. At certain conditions the SANS cross-section values of powdered samples were found to be inversely proportional to the particle size. The method was applied for particle size determination of iron powders. The accuracy in particle size was found to be 8%.

A multilevel shape fit analysis of neutron transmission data is presented. A multilevel computer code SHAPE is used to analyse clean transmission data obtained from time-of-flight (TOF) measurements. The shape analysis deduces the parameters of the observed resonances in the energy region considered in the measurements. The shape code is based upon a least square fit of a multilevel Briet-Wigner formula and includes both instrumental resolution and Doppler broadenings. Operating the SHAPE code on a test example of a measured transmission data of 151 Eu, 153 Eu and natural Eu in the energy range 0.025-1 eV accquired a good result for the used technique of analysis.

The total neutron cross-section measurements of polycrystalline graphite have been carried out in a neutron wavelength from 0.04 to 0.78 nm. This work also presents the neutron transmission measurements of pyrolytic graphite (PG) crystal in a neutron wavelength band from 0.03 to 0.50 nm, at different orientations of the PG crystal with regard to the beam direction. The measurements were performed using three time-of-flight (TOF) spectrometers installed in front of three of the ET-RR-1 reactor horizontal channels. The average value of the coherent scattering amplitude for polycrystalline graphite was calculated and found to be bcoh = (6.61 ± 0.07) fm.

Neutron transmission measurements of zinc and lead single crystals have been carried out in a neutron wavelength band from 0.03 to 0.55 nm at different orientations of the crystal with regard to the beam direction. The measurements were performed using both time-of-flight and fixed-angle scattering spectrometers installed in front of the ET-RR-1 reactor horizontal channels. It was found that the position of the observed dips in the neutron transmission measurements corresponded to the reflections from the (hkl) planes of the hexagonal zinc single crystal which was cut along the (002) plane, while in the case of lead, the single crystal was cut perpendicular to the (311) plane. The reflectivity from the (002) plane of zinc was determined using both transmission and reflection methods. The maximum reflectivity was found to be 55% when the zinc crystal was orientated at 45° to the beam direction. The wavelength spread of the observed reflectivity curve was found to be in agreement with the calculated one, taking into consideration the spectrometer's resolution and the crystal mosaic spread.

The sintering behaviour of two differently produced Al2O3 powders is studied by positron annihilation. The positron lifetime in the perfect lattice is found to be τc = (149 ± 2) ps, whereas for dislocations τd = (166 ± 5) ps and for structural vacancies (γ-Al2O3), τv = (223 ± 8) ps. Das Sinterverhalten von zwei unterschiedlich hergestellten Al2O3 Pulvern wird mittels Positronen-annihilation untersucht. Fur die Positronenlebensdauer im perfekten Gitter findet man τc = (149 ± 2) ps, während sich für Versetzungen τd = (166 ± 5) ps und für strukturelle Leerstellen (γ-Al2O3) τv = (223 ± 8) ps ergibt.