Developmental assessment is an important facility for early detection and intervention of developmental delay in children. Objective: to assess the performance of a sample of middle social class ...Egyptian infants and toddlers on Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-third edition (Bayley III), and to compare their cognitive, motor, and communication scores with that of the reference norms.
It was a cross-sectional pilot study, included 270 children aged 18-42 months. Mothers filled a questionnaire including questions about family socioeconomic background, perinatal history, and family history. Physical examination and growth assessment of children were performed. Developmental assessment of cognitive, language and motor skills was performed using the Bayley III scales and compared the American norm scores with the Egyptian mean scores.
The mean cognitive, language and motor composite scores were 92.5+18.5, 91.76+ 15.6, and 95.67+18.9 respectively. All were lower than the American mean (100+ 15) with highly significant differences. About one-fourth of the enrolled Egyptian children had below-average composite scores according to the US cutoff point. The ranks of Egyptian children on the American versus the Egyptian percentile curves were significantly different.
Mean values of all assessed developmental domains of Egyptian children are within the norm-referenced average of Bayley III, but lower than the recorded American mean. Assessing Egyptian children according to the American norms may result in overestimating developmental delay. This pilot study raised the question about using different cutoff points suitable for the developmental trajectory of Egyptian children. Answering this question needs further studies on Bayley-III after cultural adaptation and standardization, using a larger, more diverse, and representative sample of the Egyptian population.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Background
Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are a significant workplace problem leading to loss of productivity and disability. Administrative workers perform computer-based tasks for ...long periods. Consequently, they are at risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders. The objective of this study was to explore the frequency and risk factors of work-related musculoskeletal complaints and their impact on work productivity among administrative employees of Suez Canal University, Egypt.
Methods
This cross-sectional study was conducted on 300 administrative employees through simple random sampling. Data were collected by an interview questionnaire including sociodemographic, work-related data, ergonomic and psychological risk factors, the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ), and the World Health Organization Health and Work Performance Questionnaire (HPQ).
Results
The frequency of work-related musculoskeletal complaints in at least one anatomical region over the past year was 74.7%. Neck (47.1%), lower back (40.7%), and shoulder (36.3%) were the most reported sites of complaints. Risk factors significantly associated with work-related musculoskeletal complaints were gender, age, physical activity, work experience, workplace stress, sustained body position, awkward posture, and inadequate rest breaks. Logistic regression revealed that older age (OR = 1.039,
p
= 0.023), being female (OR = 2.175,
p
= 0.011), and not having adequate rest breaks (OR = 1.979,
p
= 0.019) were significant predictors for the occurrence of WMSDs. The risk factors of absenteeism include gender, age, marital status, educational level, physical activity, BMI, work experience, and musculoskeletal complaints.
Conclusion
Musculoskeletal problems were highly prevalent among administrative employees. Being female and not having adequate rest breaks were significant predictors for the occurrence of WMSDs. Ergonomic interventions and improvement of working conditions are recommended to reduce WMSDs.
The present study was conducted to generate data on awareness and incidence of sickle cell disease (SCD) and also to adduce the widespread myths peddled about SCD.
Students studying in the Department ...of Nursing were recruited. A pretested, self-administered sickle cell assessment questionnaire was distributed electronically through WhatsApp group to collect necessary data. Participants were screened for malaria by thin blood smear analyses, and their hemoglobin (Hb) contents (g/dL) were determined by Sahli's haemoglobinometer. Statistical analyses were done using Origin (version 8.1, USA). A reliability study was performed for the validity of questionnaire data.
Study participants had significantly high awareness regarding SCDs (89.9%,
< 0.001). Most participants (96.3%) were aware about government policy regarding premarital screening for genetic disorders and replied that the government has strict health policies backed by equally robust laboratory diagnostics. Moreover, none of the participants had SCDs, although their parents had a consanguineous marriage. Thin blood smear analyses of participants did not reveal any cases of
. However, significant percentages (33.1%) were found to be anemic, probably due to their dietary habits and lifestyles, as has been reflected by questionnaire analyses. Furthermore, a very less number of students had knowledge about genetic variations that might occur in malaria-endemic regions after long exposure to offer protection from malaria. Knowledge about management practices was also lacking among study participants (29%).
This research points to the necessity that the nursing study plan should focus on providing specific training on management skills and preventive measures for SCDs, which is of paramount importance.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
The great ability of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to cause chronic infection is attributed to several virulence factors, biofilm formation, intrinsic and acquired resistance to many antibiotics. ...Anti-quorum sensing (QS) and anti-virulence therapy are promising alternatives to the existing antibiotic therapy. In this study, the effect of chitosan and the prepared chitosan-zinc oxide (CH/ZnO) nanocomposite on QS-dependent virulence factors and acyl homoserine lactone “AHL” production was studied. The chemical structure of the prepared CH/ZnO nanocomposite was characterized by FT-IR spectrum and XRD. The thermal stability and particle size were determined. Chitosan causes a significant decrease in AHL, biofilm, pyocyanin production and motility of P. aeruginosa. CH/ZnO nanocomposite augments the inhibitory activity of chitosan in both phenotypic and genotypic levels. Both chitosan and CH/ZnO nanocomposite downregulate the expression of LasI and RhlI genes using quantitative real-time PCR. The expression of RhlI gene in PAO1 is reduced by 1240 folds after treatment with CH/ZnO nanocomposite. The expression of LasI and RhlI genes in clinical isolates is reduced by 1778.07 and 627.29 folds upon treatment with CH/ZnO. These promising results may find a rescue in the battle of fighting P. aeruginosa by repressing its QS-dependent virulence factors.
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In the current experiment the effects of brown seaweeds (
Sargassum aquifolium
, SA) on blood biochemical, antioxidant, innate immune, and mRNA gene expression responses of Tilapia (
Oreochromis ...niloticus
) under high stocking rate were examined. The fish were allocated into equal six experimental groups: low stocking density (LSD) (the fish reared at 10 g L
−1
and fed an un-supplemented diet), High stocking density (HSD) (the fish reared at 20 g L
−1
and fed an un-supplemented diet), HSD + SA50, HSD + SA100, HSD + SA150, and HSD + SA200 (the fish reared at 20 g L
−1
and fed
Sargassum
-supplemented diet at level 50, 100, 150, 200 g kg
−1
, respectively). After 56 days of the feeding trial, the fish at the HSD treatment revealed remarkedly reduced growth and feed efficiency compared to those at the LSD treatment, but the HSD + SA50 and HSD + SA100 fish groups showed a marked enhancement in performance and efficiency of consumed diets comparable to the LSD treatment. Under overcrowded stress, the fish fed diets enriched with
Sargassum
significantly diminished ammonia releasing levels within the entire environment. Serum total protein, albumin, liver enzymes, and lipase levels had significantly improved in HSD + SA150 and HSD + SA200 fish groups compared to those in the HSD treatment. Superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase exhibited high values at HSD + SA200- and LSD-treated groups than the HSD-treated group. However, HSD suppressed all plasma antioxidant activity. The high stocking rate remarkedly recorded higher plasma malondialdehyde levels, and
Sargassum
treatments significantly alleviated such increases. The HSD and HSD + SA50 fish groups significantly reduced plasma lysozyme, complement C3, IgA, and IgM levels and revealed higher intestinal aerobic and anaerobic bacterial counts than those at the LSD treatment; however, enriched tilapia diets with a high level of
Sargassum
diminished these negative effects. The HSD fish group significantly upregulated the expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (
TNF-a
), and downregulated interleukin 10 (
IL10
), catalase (
CAT
), and glutathione (
GST
) genes.
Sargassum
dietary administration, specifically at 50 g kg
−1
level notably alleviated the adverse effects of high stocking rate on the cytokines. In conclusion, enriched tilapia diets with
Sargassum
treatment at levels ranging from 50 up to 100 g kg
−1
alleviated overcrowded stress, oxidative stress, and immunosuppression caused by high stocking rate in Tilapia (
O. niloticus
).
Quorum sensing (QS) controls the virulence of
This study aims to determine the anti-QS activity of aspirin alone and in combination with chitosan to reach maximum inhibition. We tested ten virulent
(
....
) isolates and screened for N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) production using
as a biosensor.
isolates were treated with sub-minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of aspirin and chitosan-aspirin. We used broth microdilution and checkerboard titration methods to determine the MICs and the synergistic effect of these two compounds, respectively. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to estimate the anti-QS activity of the aspirin-chitosan combination on the expression of
and
genes.
Aspirin decreased the motility and production of AHLs, pyocyanin, and biofilm. Chitosan potentiated the inhibitory effect of aspirin. The chitosan-aspirin combination inhibited
and
gene expression in PAO1 (ATCC 15692) by 7.12- and 0.92-fold, respectively. In clinical isolates, the expression of
and
was decreased by 1.76 × 10
- and 1.63 × 10
-fold, respectively. Molecular docking analysis revealed that aspirin could fit into the active sites of the QS synthases
and
with a high binding affinity, causing conformational changes that resulted in their inhibition.
The chitosan-aspirin combination provides new insights into treating virulent and resistant
Objective. To assess the level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D status among a sample of Egyptian schoolchildren and to evaluate predictors of deficiency and insufficiency. Subjects and Methods. A ...cross-sectional study comprising 200 prepubescent schoolchildren aged from 9 to 11 years was performed. A questionnaire including frequency of midday sun exposure, milk intake, physical activity, and level of maternal education was taken. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated; serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D 25(OH)D, serum calcium, phosphorus, and parathyroid hormone were measured. Results. Vitamin D deficiency serum 25(OH)D < 20 ng/mL was detected in 11.5% of subjects while its insufficiency (serum 25(OH)D is between 20 and 29.9 ng/mL) was detected in 15%. Results revealed that obesity, low physical activity, low sun exposure, and low maternal education level are significant predictors of insufficiency, though female gender, low maternal education level, and low milk intake are significant predictors of deficiency. Lower serum phosphorus and higher serum parathyroid hormone were significantly associated with both deficiency and insufficiency (p<0.05). Conclusion. Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency are common among schoolchildren in Egypt. Food fortification, vitamin D supplementation, and increasing maternal awareness about the importance of physical activity and exposure of their children to ultraviolet light may help to overcome this problem.
Objectives:
Palliative care (PC) includes a varied range of medical and ethical aspects that should be considered. The role of physicians in PC is crucial so this work explores physicians’ knowledge, ...attitude and practice toward PC in Suez Canal University hospital in Egypt.
Material and Methods:
A questionnaire survey investigating physician’s knowledge, attitude and practice in PC in 30 questions besides their personal and professional data.
Results:
Nearly 31% of participants received education in PC. Only 5.5% realised that PC should be introduced to patients at all health-care levels. Most participants (70.9%) were not aware about the WHO three-step analgesic ladder. About 57.7% and 43.6% of participants preferred informing terminal patients about their diagnosis and prognosis, respectively. More than half of participants (58.6%) agreed that the medical intervention decision is the patient’s right and 63.2% agreed that do not resuscitate choice is the patient or his family right if he is incompetent. Participants who do not have advance care plans discussions with their terminal patients represented 53.6%.
Conclusion:
This study indicated lack of knowledge and insufficient professionalism during management of terminal patients regarding some medical and ethical issues of PC. Formal education and training are urgently needed to improve the holistic vision and practice of PC in Egypt.
The existing study was designed to assess the influences of dietary activated charcoal (AC) on the growth performance, immune responses, antioxidative status, and its mitigating roles against the ...physiological responses of Nile tilapia exposed a sub-lethal dose of a neonicotinoid agriculture pesticide, namely, as imidacloprid (IMID). Nile tilapia juveniles were fed on diets supplemented with graded AC levels as 0 (control), 5, 10, 15, and 20 g/kg diet for eight weeks. Growth, hemato-biochemical indices, and antioxidant and immune responses of fish in all groups were evaluated at the end of the feeding experiment. Afterward, fish in all experimental groups were subjected to a sub-lethal dose of IMID (0.0109 μg/L) for two weeks. Then, fish mortalities, stress indicators, and IMID residual levels in liver and flesh were examined. Results of the feeding experiment showed that total feed intake, weight gain, final body weights, and feed efficiency ratio were significantly increased in all AC groups compared with the control group. The survival rate was 100% in all experimental groups. No statistical differences were observed in the hematological picture of all experimental groups except the lymphocyte count, which was significantly increased in all AC groups compared to the control group. Total protein, albumin, globulin, nitric oxide levels, lysozyme, and respiratory burst activities were significantly increased in all AC groups. Serum alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase activities, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were significantly decreased in all AC groups compared with the AC0 group. After exposure to a sub-lethal dose of IMID, survival rates were significantly elevated, and IMID residual levels in liver and flesh were significantly decreased in all AC groups than in the control group. Moreover, second-order polynomial regression showed that dietary supplementation with 14.30 g AC/kg diet resulted in the lowest blood glucose and serum MDA levels. Conclusively, we suggest dietary supplementation with 14.30 g AC/kg diet to modulate physiological responses of Nile tilapia to sub-lethal IMID toxicity.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Coronary heart disease is a leading cause of death. Tissue remodeling and fibrosis results in cardiac pump dysfunction and ischemic heart failure. Cardiac fibroblasts may rebuild damaged tissues when ...prompted by suitable environmental cues. Here, we use acellular biologic extracellular matrix scaffolds (bioscaffolds) to stimulate pathways of muscle repair and restore tissue function. We show that acellular bioscaffolds with bioinductive properties can redirect cardiac fibroblasts to rebuild microvascular networks and avoid tissue fibrosis. Specifically, when human cardiac fibroblasts are combined with bioactive scaffolds, gene expression is upregulated and paracrine mediators are released that promote vasculogenesis and prevent scarring. We assess these properties in rodents with myocardial infarction and observe bioscaffolds to redirect fibroblasts, reduce tissue fibrosis and prevent maladaptive structural remodeling. Our preclinical data confirms that acellular bioscaffold therapy provides an appropriate microenvironment to stimulate pathways of functional repair. We translate our observations to patients with coronary heart disease by conducting a first-in-human observational cohort study. We show that bioscaffold therapy is associated with improved perfusion of infarcted myocardium, reduced myocardial scar burden, and reverse structural remodeling. We establish that clinical use of acellular bioscaffolds is feasible and offers a new frontier to enhance surgical revascularization of ischemic heart muscle.
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