EFFECT OF NITROGEN FERTIGATION LEVELS AND CHELATED CAL-CIUM FOLIAR APPLICATION ON THE PRODUCTIVITY OF SWEET CORN

This study was conducted in a sandy soil at Ali Mubarak Village Research Farm, South Tahrir Horticulture Research Station, Behaira Gover-norate, during the two successive seasons of 2002/2003 and 2003/2004 on sweet corn Jubilee hybrid. The study aimed to determine the best treatments of nitrogen fertigation level and chelat-ed calcium foliar application on the productivity and quality of sweet corn. The obtained results indicated that increasing nitrogen fertigation level (100, 120, 140 to 160) kg N/fed. and (or) chelated calcium (12% Ca++) concentration (500 and 1000 ppm Ca EDTA) led to increasing the vegetative growth (leaf area, plant height, fresh and dry weight), chemical composition (total chlorophyll, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and calcium in leaves) and yield characters (ear length, ear diame-ter, weight of 1000 seed, unhusked ear, husked ear and total yield) The promising treatment was 160 kg N/Fed. combined with 1000 ppm Ca EDTA under similar prevailing conditions of the present studying in a sandy soi

Convalescent plasma in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 (RECOVERY): a randomised controlled, open-label, platform trial

Background: Many patients with COVID-19 have been treated with plasma containing anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of convalescent plasma therapy in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19. Methods: This randomised, controlled, open-label, platform trial (Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy [RECOVERY]) is assessing several possible treatments in patients hospitalised with COVID-19 in the UK. The trial is underway at 177 NHS hospitals from across the UK. Eligible and consenting patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either usual care alone (usual care group) or usual care plus high-titre convalescent plasma (convalescent plasma group). The primary outcome was 28-day mortality, analysed on an intention-to-treat basis. The trial is registered with ISRCTN, 50189673, and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04381936. Findings: Between May 28, 2020, and Jan 15, 2021, 11558 (71%) of 16287 patients enrolled in RECOVERY were eligible to receive convalescent plasma and were assigned to either the convalescent plasma group or the usual care group. There was no significant difference in 28-day mortality between the two groups: 1399 (24%) of 5795 patients in the convalescent plasma group and 1408 (24%) of 5763 patients in the usual care group died within 28 days (rate ratio 1·00, 95% CI 0·93–1·07; p=0·95). The 28-day mortality rate ratio was similar in all prespecified subgroups of patients, including in those patients without detectable SARS-CoV-2 antibodies at randomisation. Allocation to convalescent plasma had no significant effect on the proportion of patients discharged from hospital within 28 days (3832 [66%] patients in the convalescent plasma group vs 3822 [66%] patients in the usual care group; rate ratio 0·99, 95% CI 0·94–1·03; p=0·57). Among those not on invasive mechanical ventilation at randomisation, there was no significant difference in the proportion of patients meeting the composite endpoint of progression to invasive mechanical ventilation or death (1568 [29%] of 5493 patients in the convalescent plasma group vs 1568 [29%] of 5448 patients in the usual care group; rate ratio 0·99, 95% CI 0·93–1·05; p=0·79). Interpretation: In patients hospitalised with COVID-19, high-titre convalescent plasma did not improve survival or other prespecified clinical outcomes. Funding: UK Research and Innovation (Medical Research Council) and National Institute of Health Research

Tocilizumab in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 (RECOVERY): a randomised, controlled, open-label, platform trial

Background: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of tocilizumab in adult patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 with both hypoxia and systemic inflammation. Methods: This randomised, controlled, open-label, platform trial (Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy [RECOVERY]), is assessing several possible treatments in patients hospitalised with COVID-19 in the UK. Those trial participants with hypoxia (oxygen saturation <92% on air or requiring oxygen therapy) and evidence of systemic inflammation (C-reactive protein ≥75 mg/L) were eligible for random assignment in a 1:1 ratio to usual standard of care alone versus usual standard of care plus tocilizumab at a dose of 400 mg–800 mg (depending on weight) given intravenously. A second dose could be given 12–24 h later if the patient's condition had not improved. The primary outcome was 28-day mortality, assessed in the intention-to-treat population. The trial is registered with ISRCTN (50189673) and ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04381936). Findings: Between April 23, 2020, and Jan 24, 2021, 4116 adults of 21 550 patients enrolled into the RECOVERY trial were included in the assessment of tocilizumab, including 3385 (82%) patients receiving systemic corticosteroids. Overall, 621 (31%) of the 2022 patients allocated tocilizumab and 729 (35%) of the 2094 patients allocated to usual care died within 28 days (rate ratio 0·85; 95% CI 0·76–0·94; p=0·0028). Consistent results were seen in all prespecified subgroups of patients, including those receiving systemic corticosteroids. Patients allocated to tocilizumab were more likely to be discharged from hospital within 28 days (57% vs 50%; rate ratio 1·22; 1·12–1·33; p<0·0001). Among those not receiving invasive mechanical ventilation at baseline, patients allocated tocilizumab were less likely to reach the composite endpoint of invasive mechanical ventilation or death (35% vs 42%; risk ratio 0·84; 95% CI 0·77–0·92; p<0·0001). Interpretation: In hospitalised COVID-19 patients with hypoxia and systemic inflammation, tocilizumab improved survival and other clinical outcomes. These benefits were seen regardless of the amount of respiratory support and were additional to the benefits of systemic corticosteroids. Funding: UK Research and Innovation (Medical Research Council) and National Institute of Health Research

High Performance Liquid Chromatographic Separations of Some Bis(ethylenediamine)cobalt (III) Complexes

1060-106

An Arabic version of Barkley Deficits in Executive Functioning Scale - Children and Adolescents (BDEFS-CA): translation and validation study

Abstract Background While executive dysfunctions are present abundantly in children with psychiatric and developmental disorders, unfortunately, it is significantly underdiagnosed in Arab countries due to the lack of Arabic executive functions diagnostic scales. To our knowledge, there is no available Arabic rating scale for assessing executive functions in children and adolescents till this moment except for BRIEF-2 which excluded anyone with a mental, learning, developmental, or medical disorder constituting unfortunately 25% of the general population. Our paper describes the translation and validation of an Arabic version of the Barkley Deficits in Executive Functioning Scale - Children and Adolescents (BDEFS-CA) (long form). The translation was done using the forward-backward method and the study population for validation included 60 parents of children of age 6–13 years. Results Reliability of the scale domains was evident in Arabic showing high internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha from 0.93 to 0.97 scores over the five domains). These values were close to the original English version which is 0.95 to 0.97. Conclusion The reliability of the Arabic version of BDEFS-CA was adequate making it a valuable instrument for executive function assessment in Arabic children and adolescents