The sustainability of community participation activities in pre-university education

The purpose of this research is to examine the sustainability level of community participation models, which seek to enhance the role of the Board of Trustees (BOT) after the conclusion of donor support. I focus on one of the major community participation models in Egypt as a case study to identify strengths and barriers that exist in this kind of projects in Egypt and to understand its level of sustainability. Applying both qualitative and quantitative methods, this study looks at the continuation of activities after the end of donor support and compares schools that have been part of donor-support to others that did not get any support. The findings indicate that the schools that witnessed donor support continue to have a stronger role for their BOT members compared to other schools. However, the activities that continue after donor withdrawal are much fewer compared to the time of donor support

Assessing the international criminal court with the organizational effectiveness approaches

The International Criminal Court (‘the ICC’), located in the Hague, Netherlands, the first permanent court tasked with prosecuting the most severe crimes happening internationally. It is critical to assess the effectiveness of the ICC while in reality, there is no consensus on the criteria that should be employed to that end. There are no standards that its stakeholders and observers can refer or agree to in order to assess the Court’s effectiveness. The purpose of this research is to develop a new approach to this issue. It proposes to use the approaches of Organizational Effectiveness Theory in order to gain a much firmer grasp of the issue. The research analyses the ICC through the prism of international governmental organizations, merely one monograph has attempted to use this theory in assessing the effectiveness of international courts. This research utilizes the four main approaches of Organizational Effectiveness Theory, namely the Goal Approach, the System Recourse Approach, the Strategic Consistency Approach and the Contradiction Approach. However, this is not an empirical study of the ICC, but rather an evaluation the relevance of each approach in assessing the effectiveness of the ICC. According to the current analysis, not all of the main organizational effectiveness theory approaches are sufficiently relevant. It concludes that the contradictions approach is the most relevant since it offers the possibility to overcome the main limitations of the other approaches. The research contends that observers can best assess the ICC by evaluating its ability to maintain the required balance among its contradicting interests that guarantees its survival. The conclusion that the contradictions approach should be employed in assessing the ICC as soon as there is an agreement in relation to the Court’s basic performance indicato

Regioselective lithiation of chiral 3-acylamino-2-alkylquinazolin-4(3H)ones: application in synthesis

Reaction of 3-amino-2-alkylquinazolin-4(3H)-ones with several chiral acid chlorides was found to be dependent on the molar proportions. When a 1:1 molar mixture was heated under reflux, the corresponding 3-(diacylamino)- derivatives were obtained in poor yields. However, when a 2:1 molar mixture was reacted in refluxing toluene, the 3-acylamino- derivatives were obtained in good yields based on the acid chloride. Lithiation of the 3-acylamino-2-alkyl­quinazolin-4(3H)-ones was achieved by the use of lithium diisopropylamide (LDA) in anhydrous THF at -78 °C and the reaction was regioselective at the carbon α to position 2 of the quinazolin-4(3H)-one moiety. The dilithio reagents thus obtained reacted with electrophiles to give the corresponding 2-substituted derivatives in very good yields. The NMR spectra of the products show the expected diastereotopism for all the CH2 groups and provide evidence for long-range asymmetric induction

Nanospider Technology for the Production of Nylon-6 Nanofibers for Biomedical Applications

Nylon-6 nanofiber mat incorporated with 5,5-dimethyl hydantoin (DMH) as an antimicrobial drug was electrospun from formic acid. The morphology of the nanofiber mat using scanning electron microscope (SEM) showed that the obtained fiber had an average diameter of around 15–328 nm. The nanofiber was characterized by FTIR spectra, TGA, and DSC. The nanofiber containing drug showed initial fast release. It released about 55% of its drug content within the first two hours. Moreover, the antimicrobial activity of the electrospun nylon-6 nanofiber containing drug was examined against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Aspergillus niger, and Aspergillus flavus. The nylon-6 nanofiber exhibited high inhibitory effects against the microbes. The results clearly indicate that the antimicrobial activity of the electrospun nylon-6 nanofiber containing drug varies with the species of the organisms used. Thus, the study ascertains the value of the use of electrospun nanofiber, which could be of considerable interest to the development of new antimicrobial materials. The microbes, examined by SEM, were totally deformed and exhibited severe destruction. Abnormal cell division was observed at high frequencies among cells that tried to divide in the presence of the nanofiber. Many cells were enlarged, elongated, empty ghosts, or fragmented, consistent with the extremely low viability

Genotoxicity assessment of amino zinc nanoparticles in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) as cytogenetical perspective

This is the final version. Available on open access from Elsevier via the DOI in this record. Nanoparticles have a positive impact in several subjects especially in agriculture, while their safety is still being debated. Numerous commercial nano pesticide, insecticides, and fertilizers products are found in the local markets without any intensely studies on the side effect of these products on plant, human as well as environmental effects. The present study aimed to evaluate the genotoxicity of commercial amino zinc nanoparticles (AZ NPs) on Triticum aestivum L. during seeds germination and root elongation using concentration ranges (50, 100, and 150 ppm) at different exposure times (8, 16 and 24 hrs). Long term exposure to AZ NPs, exhibited only slight variation in germination rates and the elongation of roots was affected by AZ NPs treatment ranged from 97.66 to 100%. Significant reduction in the mitotic index was 35.33% after 24 hrs and 150 ppm of AZ NPs, was also observed comparing with control which was 88.0%. Genotoxicity was evaluated at a cytological level in root meristems that revealed sever variations in mitotic activity, chromosomal aberrations, and micronuclei release. Results exhibited that nano amino zinc could enter effortlessly into the cells and inhibit the normal cellular function. The decrease in the emergence of chromosomal aberrations resulting from AZ NPs exposure in a dose-dependent manner was clearly indicated that AZ NPs has induced genotoxic effect on wheat root tips.King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabi

Studies on Antiretroviral Drug Concentrations in Breast Milk: Validation of a Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometric Method for the Determination of 7 Anti-Human Immunodeficiency Virus Medications

Studying the pharmacokinetics of antiretroviral drugs in breast milk has important implications for the health of both the mother and the infant, particularly in resource-poor countries. Breast milk is a highly complex biological matrix, yet it is necessary to develop and validate methods in this matrix, which simultaneously measure multiple analytes, as women may be taking any number of drug combinations to combat human immunodeficiency virus infection. Here, we report a novel extraction method coupled to high-performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry for the accurate, precise, and specific measurement of 7 antiretroviral drugs currently prescribed to infected mothers. Using 200 µL of human breast milk, simultaneous quantification of lamivudine (3TC), stavudine (d4T), zidovudine (ZDV), nevirapine (NVP), nelfinavir (NFV), ritonavir, and lopinavir was validated over the range of 10–10,000 ng/mL. Intraday accuracy and precision for all analytes were 99.3% and 5.0 %, respectively. Interday accuracy and precision were 99.4 % and 7.8%, respectively. Cross-assay validation with UV detection was performed using clinical breast milk samples, and the results of the 2 assays were in good agreement (P = 0.0001, r = 0.97). Breast milk to plasma concentration ratios for the different antiretroviral drugs were determined as follows: 3TC = 2.96, d4T = 1.73, ZDV = 1.17, NVP = 0.82, and NFV = 0.21

Ceftiofur Resistance in Salmonella enterica Serovar Heidelberg from Chicken Meat and Humans, Canada

Use of this drug in chickens may limit effectiveness of cephalosporins in treating human infections

Medical prospects of cryptosporidiosis in vivo control using biofabricated nanoparticles loaded with Cinnamomum camphora extracts by Ulva fasciata

Background and Aim: Global efforts are continuing to develop preparations against cryptosporidiosis. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of biosynthesized Ulva fasciata loading Cinnamomum camphora oil extract on new zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs shorten to ZnNPs) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) as alternative treatments for Cryptosporidium parvum experimental infection in rats. Materials and Methods: Oil extract was characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, loaded by U. fasciata on ionic-based ZnO and NPs, and then characterized by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Biosafety and toxicity were investigated by skin tests. A total of 105 C. parvum oocysts/rat were used (n = 81, 2–3 W, 80–120 g, 9 male rats/group). Oocysts shedding was counted for 21 d. Doses of each preparation in addition to reference drug were administered daily for 7 d, starting on post-infection (PI) day (3). Nitazoxanide (100 mg) was used as the reference drug. After 3 weeks, the rats were sacrificed for postmortem examination and histopathological examination. Two blood samples/rat/group were collected on the 21st day. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid blood samples were also used for analysis of biochemistry, hematology, immunology, micronucleus prevalence, and chromosomal abnormalities. Results: C. camphora leaves yielded 28.5 ± 0.3 g/kg oil and 20 phycocompounds were identified. Spherical and rod-shaped particles were detected at 10.47–30.98 nm and 18.83–38.39 nm, respectively. ZnNPs showed the earliest anti-cryptosporidiosis effect during 7–17 d PI. Other hematological, biochemical, immunological, histological, and genotoxicity parameters were significantly fruitful; hence, normalized pathological changes induced by infestation were observed in the NPs treatments groups against the infestation-free and Nitazoxanide treated group. Conclusion: C. camphora, U. fasciata, ZnNPs, and AgNPs have refluxed the pathological effects of infection as well as positively improved host physiological condition by its anticryptosporidial immunostimulant regenerative effects with sufficient ecofriendly properties to be proposed as an alternative to traditional drugs, especially in individuals with medical reactions against chemical commercial drugs