The Ishraq Program for out-of-school girls: From pilot to scale-up

In response to the needs of adolescent girls in Egypt for improved schooling, health, and livelihood prospects, Ishraq (sunrise)—a multidimensional program for 12–15-year-old out-of-school girls—was launched in 2001 by the Population Council in collaboration with CEDPA, Save the Children, Caritas, and local nongovernmental organizations. The program combined traditional tested program elements (literacy, life skills, nutrition) with more innovative ones (sports, financial education). It focused on building a multilayered platform to support and institutionalize the program by educating and mobilizing communities around issues of importance to adolescent girls; forging partnerships between international NGOs, government institutions, and local NGOs; and building capacities of local facilitators and partners to implement the program. This report identifies ways to continue expanding Ishraq, for which community demand remains high, including a new generation of girls’ programs to support graduates in exercising their rights and becoming active members of the community; and notes many important lessons on recruitment strategy, program structure and implementation, capacity-building, and partnerships

The Ishraq Program for out-of-school girls: From pilot to scale-up [Arabic]

In response to the needs of adolescent girls in Egypt for improved schooling, health, and livelihood prospects, Ishraq (sunrise)—a multidimensional program for 12–15-year-old out-of-school girls—was launched in 2001 by the Population Council in collaboration with CEDPA, Save the Children, Caritas, and local nongovernmental organizations. The program combined traditional tested program elements (literacy, life skills, nutrition) with more innovative ones (sports, financial education). It focused on building a multilayered platform to support and institutionalize the program by educating and mobilizing communities around issues of importance to adolescent girls; forging partnerships between international NGOs, government institutions, and local NGOs; and building capacities of local facilitators and partners to implement the program. This report identifies ways to continue expanding Ishraq, for which community demand remains high, including a new generation of girls’ programs to support graduates in exercising their rights and becoming active members of the community; and notes many important lessons on recruitment strategy, program structure and implementation, capacity-building, and partnerships

Married adolescent girls in rural Assiut and Souhag: Limited choices and unfulfilled reproductive health needs

According to the Survey of Young People in Egypt 2014, a significant proportion of young women residing in rural Upper Egypt were reported to be married before 18. Early marriage deprives a girl of education and employment opportunities and places her at risk of early and repeat pregnancy, gender-based violence, and sexually transmitted infections. The present study examines the sexual and reproductive health needs of married adolescent girls (MAGs) in rural Upper Egypt and identifies key contextual and cognitive factors that could mitigate or exacerbate the effects of early marriage on their sexual and reproductive health. The report finds that MAGs in rural Assiut and Souhag are experiencing multiple social, economic, and health vulnerabilities. However, despite their dire situation, there are several windows of opportunity that could be capitalized on. The report includes a list of policy and program recommendations that could empower MAGs, address their health needs, and ultimately eliminate child marriage

Tunable polymeric mixed micellar nanoassemblies of Lutrol F127/Gelucire 44/14 for oral delivery of praziquantel: a promising nanovector against hymenolepis nana in experimentally-infected rats

Hymenolepiasis represents a parasitic infection of common prevalence in pediatrics with intimidating impacts, particularly amongst immunocompromised patients. The present work aimed to snowball the curative outcomes of the current mainstay of hymenolepiasis chemotherapy, praziquantel (PRZ), through assembly of polymeric mixed micelles (PMMs). Such innovative nano-cargo could consolidate PRZ hydrosolubility, extend its circulation time and eventually upraise its bioavailability, thus accomplishing a nanoparadigm for hymenolepiasis tackling at lower dose levels. For consummating this goal, PRZ-PMMs were tailored via thin-film hydration technique integrating a binary system of Lutrol F127 and Gelucire 44/14. Box-Behnken design was planned for optimizing the nanoformulation variables employing Design-Expert® software. Also, in Hymenolepis nana-infected rats, the pharmacodynamics of the optimal micellar formulation versus the analogous crude PRZ suspension were scrutinized on the 1st and 3rd days after administration of a single oral dose (12.5 or 25 mg/kg). Moreover, in vitro ovicidal activity of the monitored formulations was estimated utilizing Fuchsin vital stain. Furthermore, the in vivo pharmacokinetics were assessed in rats. The optimum PRZ-PMMs disclosed conciliation between thermodynamic and kinetic stability, high entrapment efficiency (86.29%), spherical nanosized morphology (15.18 nm), and controlled-release characteristics over 24 h (78.22%). 1H NMR studies verified PRZ assimilation within the micellar core. Additionally, the in vivo results highlighted a significant boosted efficacy of PRZ-PMMs manifested by fecal eggs output and worm burden reduction, which was clearly evident at the lesser PRZ dose, besides a reversed effect for the intestinal histological disruptions. At 50 µg/mL, PRZ-PMMs increased the percent of non-viable eggs to 100% versus 47% for crude PRZ, whilst shell destruction and loss of embryo were only clear with the applied nano-cargo. Moreover, superior bioavailability by 3.43-fold with elongated residence time was measured for PRZ-PMMs compared to PRZ suspension. Practically, our results unravel the potential of PRZ-PMMs as an oral promising tolerable lower dose nanoplatform for more competent PRZ mass chemotherapy

Administration of Ethanolic Extract of <i>Spinacia oleracea</i> Rich in Omega-3 Improves Oxidative Stress and Goblet Cells in Broiler Chickens Infected with <i>Eimeria tenella</i>

This study investigated the anticoccidial activity of spinach (Spinacia oleracea) whole-plant extract against Eimeria tenella, both in vitro and in vivo. For this purpose, one hundred 8-day-old broiler chicks of both sexes were divided into four groups (n = 25 in each group). Chicks in the first group served as the negative control (non-treated–non-infected). Chicks in the second group were challenged at 18 days old with 5 × 104 E. tenella sporulated oocysts. The third group was challenged with 5 × 104 sporulated E. tenella oocysts at 18 days old after receiving spinach extract at a dose of 50 mg/kg at 8 days old. The fourth group received 0.2 mg/kg diclazuril (Coxiril® 0.2%) in their diet two days before being orally infected with 5 × 104 sporulated E. tenella oocysts and this continued till day 10 post-infection (PI). The growth performance, clinical symptoms, oocyst shedding, histological findings, and biochemical parameters were used to evaluate the efficacy on day 8 PI when the infection was at its peak. A gas chromatography examination revealed that omega-3 fatty acids were the main constituents of the spinach extract, followed by oleic acid, palmitic acid, and phytol, with amounts of 23.37%, 17.53%, 11.26%, and 7.97%, respectively. The in vitro investigation revealed that the spinach extract at concentrations of 10% and 5% inhibited the oocyst sporulation by 52.1% and 45.1%, respectively. The 5% concentration was selected for the in vivo trial based on the results of the in vitro study. The infected–untreated group showed high levels of OPG; lower body weight; a greater number of parasite stages; few goblet cells; decreased SOD, CAT, and GPX levels; and increased MDA and NO levels. The spinach-treated group, on the other hand, showed a significant decrease in oocyst output per gram of feces (OPG), increased body weight, decreased parasitic stages, and a nearly normal number of goblet cells. Additionally, it reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO), while increasing superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX). In conclusion, spinach produced significant antioxidant effects, increased body weight, reduced the number of oocysts and parasite stages in the caecum, and restored the number of goblet cells relative to those of an uninfected control. Furthermore, spinach extract inhibits the sporulation percentage of E. tenella oocysts. The ethanolic extract of S. oleracea (whole plant) contained high concentrations of fatty acids, palmitic acid, Phytol, betulin, and ursolic aldehyde, all of which are known to regulate the antioxidant pathway and modulate inflammatory processes and may be the main reason for its anticoccidial activity

The effect of structural composion on self _ cleaning property of hand tuft carpet.

Here in we present a self cleaning properties of carpet. TiO2 NPs is used to impart carpet material self-cleaning characteristics. When TiO2NPs is coated on carpet polymers, its inherent photo-catalytic activity decomposes the polymeric carpet materials, as well as the contaminants. Fabric material and its weaving construction are expected factors that able to mitigate the deterioration of mechanical strength of the treated fabrics under the photocatalytic activity of TiO2NPs. The present work aims at investigating the effect of self-cleaning treatment on some physico-mechanical properties of woven carpet by hand tuft method we were chosen three kind of woven constructions were namely, wool 3/1,polyester 1600 and wool/polyester blend. All this constructions have different intensity, hight of pile and number of line pile /cm. The three kinde of carpet were treated with TiO2 NPs in presences of sodium hypophsifite as cross liking agent and citric acid as activating agent the studies appear that the best results: The polyester samples is the best one and when the number of line /cm increase the self cleaning increase but the reverse happen with intensity of carpets.Statement problem:Woven floor furnishings, especially lintels, are a suitable place for dust accumulation and adhesion to stains, and this may cause the urgent need for frequent washing and cleaning of these furnishings, which affects the appearance of the rug and reduces its consumption life, so it is a scientific study to adjust the elements of the structural composition of the carpet and treat it using technology Nanoscale to achieve self- cleaning of carpets is an important study, the impact of which is reflected on the audience of carpets and rugs.Significance:1. Providing the carpet with the self-cleaning feature, in order to increase the carpet life and maintain its elegance.2. Finding the most appropriate structural elements that achieve the highest cleaning with the best functional and mechanical properties

Therapeutic efficacy of geranium-thymol combination against murine eimeriosis with reference to its apoptotic activity

Eimeria is among the most harmful parasites that affect domestic animals. The development resistance in Eimeria to the majority of regularly used anticoccidials necessitates development of an effective alternative strategy. This study was therefore aimed to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of essential oils combination, Pelargonium graveolens (geranium) with thymol (PGT) against Eimeria papillata murine model. Three doses of 50, 100, and 150 mg/kg were tested in Eimeria experimentally infected mice to determine the combination's highest effective dose. The results showed that the 150 mg/kg dose was the most effective, reducing the oocyst output by 56.92 % (P ≤ 0.001). This result has been associated with a 66.19 % (P ≤ 0.001) reduction in the jejunal developmental stages. The antioxidant effect of PGT decreased lipid peroxidation (P ≤ 0.05) and increasing reduced glutathione (GSH) (P ≤ 0.001). Moreover, PGT decreased the jejunum's apoptotic cell count (P ≤ 0.001). The in vitro results showed that PGT significantly inhibited oocysts sporulation and destructed 96.33 % of treated oocysts. In conclusion, PGT has therapeutic effect as an anticoccidial alternative to control murine eimeriosis