Family Archives from Elephantine. The Evidence from the Ostraka

The majority of Greek ostraka from Egypt, and from Elephantine in particular, are tax receipts. The huge number of names which come up in these texts provide the opportunity to reconstruct family archives enhancing our knowledge of various aspects of the prosopography and sociology of Elephantine. Two small families are documented here through one already known, and three newly published ostraka from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo

Laparoscopic resection and repair of caesarean scar pregnancy

The presented work is case series over 2 years of caesarean scar pregnancy over 2 years from January 2020 to January 2022 in Zinat Alhayat hospital of maternity in Benha city Egypt. Cases recruited from those attending  Zeinat Alhayat maternity hospital in Benha and all case proved to have caesarean scar pregnancy  by ultrasonography and quantitative HCG the total number of cases were 15 over a period of two years, most of patients complained about abnormal uterine bleeding in the first trimester with abnormal abdominal pain, all cases prepared for laparoscopy in Zinat Alyayat hospital in Benha and a written consent taken then with general anesthesia pelvis and abdomen explored by laparoscopy and  the site of the scar opened with a hook with the aid of a traumatic grasper and then sac evacuated and the old scar resected by laparoscopic scissor. Regarding epidemiological data of patients there were no statistically significant difference in age body weight age or the amount of pain by facial analogue scale of pain. All patients saved and laparoscopy done with an average time of 45 min with no operative or postoperative complications, only one of the cases with severe bleeding required blood transfusion of 2 units of blood because HB was 7.8 g/dl, so laparoscopic treatment of caesarean scar pregnancies is a good option for patients with short operative time and good outcomes without complications.

Fresh leafy green vegetables associated with multidrug resistant E.coli

Background: Recent outbreaks of  E. coli diarrheal diseases linked to the consumption of  fresh green produce, has raised a global concern about bacterial pathogens that cause food borne diseases. While little attention have been devoted to contamination of fresh green food with drug resistance bacteria species. Objective: To detect the occurrence of contamination and antibiotic resistance in E. coli isolates from fresh leafy vegetables presented in Jordanian retail markets. Study design: A total 150 fresh leafy green vegetable samples were collected from different markets in Amman and Al-Zarqa in Jordan over the five months; June through October, 2010  . Results: A total of 61 (40.6%) E. coli isolates were found as contaminates of 150 fresh leafy green vegetable samples. The highest contamination with E. coli occurred in parsley and lowest in Lettuce.  A range of  3-41% of E. coli isolates were resistant to 7 common antibiotics used often in the treatment of urinary tract infection in Jordan. A total of 17 (27.8%) E. coli isolates were resistant to three or more antimicrobial agents and considered to be multidrug resistant. Of these, 14(82%) isolates were positive for class 1 integron, 17(100%) carry at least one plasmid with a common sizes (7.3 and 54.3 Kb), 12(70.6%),  and  2(11.8%) isolates were positive for Tet A and Tet B genes, respectively. A total of 15 (88.2%) isolates were positive for sul2 and 4 (23.5%) isolates for sul1 gene. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the widespread of antimicrobial resistance in E. coli contaminating fresh green produce and which may increase the reservoir of antimicrobial resistance in the intestinal tract of Jordanian population

Oxidant-antioxidant balance in childhood asthma

Background: Asthmatic patients generate reactive oxygen species impairing the antioxidant defense system and creating a state of oxidative stress in asthmatics. Objectives: Determination of the oxidant - antioxidant status in asthmatic children, by measuring the activities of antioxidant enzymes; superoxide dismutases (SOD) and glutathione peroxidases (Gpx) and estimating plasma level of malondialdehyde (MDA) as an index of lipid peroxidation, to find a relation between antioxidant levels and the severity of asthma and the early response to treatment. Methods: This study included 60 children; group (1): 40 asthmatic children and group (2): 20 apparently healthy children as a control group. The following were measured in all the children; plasma level of (MDA), erythrocytes (SOD) and (Gpx) (in asthmatic children two samples were taken; the first during acute attack and the second after 48 hours of treatment). Results: Significant lower erythrocyte antioxidant enzymes activities and higher malondialdehyde was found in asthmatic children compared to the control group, either before or after receiving treatment. In asthmatics, MDA was significantly decreasing and SOD was significantly increasing with treatment. MDA was significantly higher, while SOD was significantly lower with the severity of asthma either before or after receiving treatment. A significant negative correlation was observed between MDA with both of SOD and Gpx, in acute asthmatic attacks. A significant positive correlation was detected between the activities of SOD and Gpx enzymes. Conclusion: Acute asthma leads to a considerable oxidative stress that is indicated by the high level of malondialdehyde and low level of antioxidant enzymes.Keywords: bronchial asthma, superoxide dismutases (SOD), glutathione peroxidases (Gpx), malondialdehyde (MDA), antioxidantsEgypt J Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2013;11(1):35-4

GASTRORETENTIVE NIZATIDINE LOADING MICROBALLOONS FOR TREATMENT OF PEPTIC ULCER

Objective: The aim of the present work was to formulate a controlled release dosage form of water soluble drug such as Nizatidine to increase its gastric retention in the stomach and consequently, enhance its absorption and improve its bioavailability.Methods: Microballoons were prepared by emulsion non solvent evaporation method using ethyl cellulose 7 CP in different ratios. The prepared microballoons were evaluated for yield percentage, entrapment efficiency, in vitro buoyancy and in vitro dissolution.Results: Results showed that as drug to polymer ratio increased from 1:1 to 1:5 yield percentage, entrapment efficiency, in vitro buoyancy increased from 70.4+1.5 to87.2+1.8, from 71.5+2.1 to 90.2+2.6 and from 82.1+3.2 to 93.2+2.6, respectively, while the amount of drug released decreased from 88.1+2.1 to 68.9+1.8. When stirring rate increased from 800 rpm to 1600 rpm, the three parameters decreased from 93.2+2.7 to 81.5, from 96.4+3.5 to 82.6+1.7 and from 97+5.4 to 88.2+4.1, respectively, while the amount released increased from 63.1+2.6 to 73.8+1.2. When Span 80 concentrations increased from 0.1% to 2% the three parameters decreased from 95.2+2.6, to 81.6+3.2, from 97.6+1.8 to 82.4+1.8 and from 97.3+5.2 to 89.1+4.6, respectively, and the amount released percentage increased from 61.2+2.6 to 76.1+1.6. All drug release showed Higuchi diffusion models. The increase in the mean Tmax and the decrease in the mean Cmax of microballoons compared to the plain drug indicate a sustained release of microballoons and reflects a high improvement in its bioavailability.Conclusion: It is evident from this study that microballoons are promising gastric prolonging the delivery system for nizatidine and have good stability.Â