Between family and market: the decline of professional employment among Egyptian female university graduates

It is noticeable that the female professional employment is declining among graduate students in Egypt. The patriarchal gendered attitudes permeate family, labor market and state to form a powerful obstacle to women\u27s equal participation in the labor market. The young women struggle to position themselves in the labor market without institutional or structural coverage. On one hand the patriarchal family reinforces the gender norms that dictate the secondary status of women whether at the household or in the labor market and moreover, preaches the male dominance ideology. On the other hand the state\u27s legislation deepens this secondary status of women be reinforcing that women\u27s first responsibility is their families\u27. Furthermore, the employers as producers and bearers of gender norms apply firing and hiring practices and procedures that strengthen the male dominance ideology in the labor market. Young women in their trial to join the labor market struggle the gendered societal norms and the neoliberal economic system and the Structured Adjusted Programs adopted since the 1990s. These programs failed to create suitable jobs for the skilled, qualified female to compensate the freezing of the public sector as the previous main employer of women in Egypt in Nasser\u27s era and before Sadat\u27s â Open doorâ policy. Moreover, neoliberal programs are non gender sensitive as they failed to accommodate women\u27s production activity with their reproduction activities. The study adopted feminist perspective to frame the question of the decline of the professional employment among young women university graduates with case studies of students and graduates of Computer Science and Engineering at the American University in Cairo. Such a perspective allows access the barriers between subjectivity and objectivity; guarantees diversity and enables studying the articulation between neopartriarchy and neoliberalism in causing the phenomenon. The findings of the research indicated the importance of the private life over the business careers of the young women and the identification of women with domestic activities as natural and moral assignment. It also asserted the stagnation of the gender relations due to the failure of the economic development and the articulation between the gendered state and neopatriarchal Islamists. The research also remarks the failure of bargaining ability among the young women that extends to the labor market. The research calls for social transformation rather than just improving public services. My research aspires to contribute to a positive social change in the position of women in Egypt and to adopt social policy that promotes gender equality and advocates work as a human right

Forecasting Emissions of Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Methane (CH4) and Energy Consumption in Egypt Using VECM and ARIMAX Models

Greenhouse gas emissions are one of the important environmental problems in Egypt that do not harm only humans, but also contribute to climate changes all over the world. The emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) are the most important of these emissions. The decision makers seek to use renewable energies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, this paper aims to measure the factors affecting CO2 and CH4 emissions in Egypt during the period from 1980 to 2019 and to predict of these emissions and energy sources from 2020 to 2030. The study applied the Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) and Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average with Exogenous variables (ARIMAX) models. The study results found that the most influential variables on CO2 gas emissions are energy consumption, gross domestic product, and international trade. It was also found that livestock production, energy consumption and agricultural fertilizers are the most influential variables on CH4 emissions. It was also found that the predictability of VECM is better than the ARIMAX model, so we can use it to predict emissions of CO2 and CH4

ASSESSMENT OF COMMUNITY PHARMACISTS’ INVOLVEMENT IN PUBLIC HEALTH PROMOTION SERVICES IN BEIRUT, LEBANON

Background: The role of pharmacists is growing globally; the shift from the traditional role of preparing and dispensing medications, to a role in medication therapy management and public health services is started to be acceptable worldwide. Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the participation level of community pharmacists’ in certain public health services promotion as well as the barriers that hindered such provision. Method: A questionnaire based study has been carried targeting Lebanese community pharmacists working in Beirut, Lebanon. Socio-demographic information, types of public health consultations offered in the pharmacy, and the barriers confronted by the community pharmacists were collected and analyzed using SPSS version 24. Results: The level of involvement of community pharmacists in the provision of public health services accounted for 72.6, 72.2, 65, 46.2, 46.2, and 45.3% in counseling on hypertension, weight management, diabetes, contraceptive use, smoking cessation, and drug abuse, respectively. The Level of education, as well as years of experience, affected the pharmacist’s involvement in most of the services. Sixty-one percent from the participants offer drug treatment options to help their patients in smoking cessation. Nutrition and diet showed the highest ranked in terms of percentage (82.9%) in weight management. Eighty-three percent of the respondents counseled their patients when to start their combined hormonal contraceptives pills. Fifty-eight percent from the respondents offer psychological support when counseling on drug abuse. The highest percentage is seen when counseling regarding lifestyle modifications in both diabetes and hypertension management. Lack of time was one of the most common barriers to practice health promotion encountered by pharmacists. Conclusion: Even though the community pharmacists are playing a vital role in public health promotion, this role should be strengthen by implementing rules that impose this service and the necessary skills needed to achieve better outcomes

KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE TOWARD COMMON COLD IN BEIRUT, LEBANON

Background Common cold is a self- limiting condition targeting the upper respiratory tract. Even though it resolves on its own yet it accounts for 40% of absentees from work and a large number of visits to the physician clinic. The most common sign and symptoms include sore throat, coryza, runny nose or congestion, muscle pain, and sometimes cough. Symptomatic treatment of this minor ailment can be either by herbal products or over the counter drugs. Nevertheless, it is always mistaken for Influenza or bacterial infection. The proper knowledge of this condition could prevent mistreatment and would keep the country’s resources intact. Accordingly, the aim of the current study is to assess the knowledge and attitude of a sample of the Lebanese population on the common cold. Method A cross-sectional descriptive questionnaire-based study was performed in Beirut area. The questionnaire was divided into three parts that included demographic information, as well as knowledge and attitude questions. Results were considered significant when P-value was ≤ 0.05 with a confidence interval of 95%. Results Three hundred eighty-five adult Lebanese participants were enrolled in the study. The youngest age group was more knowledgeable on common cold than the elderly. Moreover, Ph.D. holders scored the highest on the knowledge score (6.71/10). Alarmingly, 14.8% of the tested sample still use antibiotics as soon as their cold symptoms start. Around 88% of the participants believed that the Ministry of Public Health should be involved to ensure the understanding of this condition in Lebanon. Conclusion The role of all health care providers as well as their orders and the Ministry of Public Health is to ensure proper education on the common cold by conducting awareness campaigns

GENUS MICROMERIA: A REVIEW ARTICLE

Micromeria (Family Lamiaceae) is widespread across Europe, Asia, Africa and North America, with a center of diversity in the Mediterranean region and the Canary Islands. More than 78 species of Micromeria have been known, famous examples is: M. fruticose.Genus Micromeria comprises plants of different chemical nature. Based on previous studies, Micromeria species is considered as a rich source of essential oils, mainly; monoterpene hydrocarbons, oxygenated monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes hydrocarbons, and oxygenated sesquiterpenes. About ten species of Micromeria have been identified to grow widely in Lebanon, of which Micromeria fruticosa is the most common and abundant. Several pharmacological activities were reported including antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticancer, and antidepressant effect. This is a review article where we thoroughly discuss the chemical nature and classes of all isolated metabolites from Micomeria plant especially Micromeria fruticosa and their reported biological activities in an attempt to inspire the researchers to isolate and structural elucidate the compounds that could have valuable use in drug discovery and medical application

ASSESSMENT OF THE LEBANESE COMMUNITY PHARMACIST KNOWLEDGE, PRACTICE AND BARRIERS REGARDING THE PREVENTION OF OSTEOPOROSIS

Osteoporosis is a silent skeletal disease that is often recognized when fractures occur as a result of minimal trauma. Limited studies have assessed the degree of pharmacists’ involvement in osteoporosis prevention, risk-assessment/screening and physician referrals. To assess the Lebanese community pharmacists’ knowledge, practice and barriers regarding osteoporosis prevention. Secondary aim is to assess the pharmacists’ ability to identify high-risk patients who should be referred for bone mineral density (BMD) testing. A cross-sectional study was carried out in Beirut, Lebanon between September and October 2020 using self-administered questionnaire. Pharmacists completed a multi-component questionnaire that consisted of socio-demographic characteristics, practices, knowledge and barriers in relation to osteoporosis prevention and high-risk identification. Frequencies and proportions were used to describe the data. Simple and multiple linear regression analysis were used to examine the determinants of knowledge in the study population. The majority of pharmacists were rarely/never involved in counseling patients on osteoporosis risk factors (57.5%) and healthy lifestyle habits (62.5%) as well as engaging in risk-assessment (63.1%), screening using Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX) (0%) and physician referrals (sometimes-55.6%). In addition, pharmacists were also scarcely involved in reducing the risk of falls (55.1-59.4%). Pharmacists were knowledgeable about osteoporosis prevention however had important gaps in the diseases that increase osteoporosis risk as well as in FRAX tool, indications that require BMD testing and increased risk of fall medications. Significant predictors of knowledge were receiving postgraduate training on osteoporosis and earning the pharmacy degree from a university in Lebanon. Barriers to providing osteoporosis services included lack of time, staff, space, patients’ interest in prevention activities and limited inter-professional collaboration. The study findings provided important insights on the practices, knowledge and barriers of pharmacists regarding osteoporosis prevention and high-risk identification. Concerted efforts of multiple stakeholders are needed to promote the active role of community pharmacists in order to reduce the risk of morbidity, mortality and health-care costs associated with osteoporosis and related fractures