Individuals with covert severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection: Are they a critical booby-trap?

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The use of printing in the aesthetics of origami art highlighted for the design and implementation of children's clothing review using the configuration on the mannequin

Nowadays, there is a great interest in the art of origami and experimentation, because it requires innovation, creativity and the beauty in this art that unleashes the imagination of man to create, and does not require any other handcrafts great talent, but simple exercises can be refined with time, Availability of imagination and creativity and innovation of a simple material is paper. The art of origami from the plastic arts it works on flat paper formation, and turn it into a 3D shape of it by taking the art of origami as a source of inspiration can obtain a variety of effects are difficult to obtain using a 2D design. The experiment in plastic arts has been very important because of its association with the philosophy of this era. This has made the field of textile printing in the forefront of other artistic fields. This is evident in the developments in form and content such as the use of different types of fabrics and the free expression of various printing techniques. Because the art of origami is rich in the art of diverse forms when giving different effects printing gives forms more beautiful and realistic, this prompted researchers to take a 3D design (formation on the mannequin) way most favorable to highlight the aesthetics and techniques of the art of origami effects printing for new designs for children's clothing review. The problem of this research summarized in the following questions: 1)                  The possibility of using printing to enrich the aesthetic aspect of the art of origami? 2)                  The possibility of using origami art to enrich the aesthetic values of the children's clothing review? The objectives of the research were to use printing to enrich the origami art giving amore beautiful and realistic forms, The possibility of using the art of origami in the effects of printing in the work of designs of high artistic and aesthetic value at the same time in a manner of formation on the German and the development of new formulations of plastic in the field of clothing review for children to improve public taste. The main elements that highlight the importance of this research are to provide artistic and aesthetic solutions that enrich the creative process and produce works of aesthetic and cultural nature that enrich the artistic and technical review, enrich the clothes with innovative designs that help to compete locally and globally, open up new horizons for fashion designers and form the mannequin through the use of Origami art with print effects. The research followed the descriptive method applied to suit this research and to answer the research questions and achieve the goals. The most important results were as follows: 1-                  After the beauty of the new vision was achieved through the design of 16 models inspired by nature as a clothing show for children using the art of origami print effects using the formation of mannequin. 2-                  A questionnaire was conducted and a statistical analysis of this questionnaire resulted in the selection of the best of these designs. Seven designs were implemented according to the results of the statistical analysis and according to the responses of the arbitrators to all the axes of the questionnaire. The study recommends: 1-The establishments of fashion shows include in their designs everything that is new and different for the use of different arts in the field of clothing design. 2 -Interest in the art of origami by holding exhibitions that highlight the possibilities of plastic. 3-   Work courses in how to integrate origami and printing in different areas of clothing and textile. 4-   Interest in the training of students on the implementation of non-traditional materials using the method of design and design on the mannequin. 5-   Utilizing the results of research and applied study to create designs with high artistic sense

Prevalence of Legionella among pneumonia patients and environmental water samples in an Egyptian University Hospital

AbstractObjectives: to diagnose Legionella infection in community- acquired pneumonia (CAP) cases admitted to chest department of Zagazig University Hospital and in hospital- acquired pneumonia (HAP) patients hospitalized in the emergency and surgery ICU, to determine incidence of these disease condition and to identify risk factors. Another objective was to determine the occurrence of Legionella genus in the water of these departments.Subjects and methods: one hundred pneumonic patients; 50 patients with CAP and 50 with HAP were the subject of this laboratory-based, comparative cross sectional study. Full clinical history and lower respiratory tract specimens were collected from each patient. Water samples were taken from 25 water outlets. DNA was extracted by QIAamp DNA Mini Kit, and real time PCR amplification of 16s r-RNA gene was used for diagnosis of Legionella genus. Risk factors were analyzed by logistic regression analysis.Results: Legionella genus was identified in eight out of 50 patients of CAP (16%), and ten out of 50 patients with HAP (20%). As regards CAP, Legionella was prevalent in old- age, smoker males, with diabetes mellitus (DM) and/or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and neurological manifestations were the main presentations. Seventy-five percent needed ICU admission. Concerning HAP, hospitalization for more than ten days and having a stroke or head trauma were significant risk factors. Ten out of the 25 water samples tested were positive for Legionella genus; seven samples were from the chest department and three were from emergency ICU. No water-contamination with Legionella was found in the surgery ICU.Discussion: diagnosis of Legionella should be considered for both CAP and HAP in our locality. Periodic surveillance for detection of that genus with subsequent disinfection of water sources when indicated should be carried out

Platelets as a Possible Reservoir of HCV And Predictor of Response to Treatment

In the era of new Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) therapy, and the detection of extrahepatic HCV reservoirs such as peripheral blood mononuclear cells and platelets, it is important to understand the factors underlying resistance to treatment. Detection and quantitation of HCV-RNA in platelets or leucocytes from patients under antiviral therapy is poorly studied and the limited studies generated contradictory results. Aim: To detect and quantify HCV-RNA in platelets, and to evaluate the relation between HCV-RNA in the serum and the kinetics of HCV-RNA in platelets, in response to treatment. Method: Viral kinetic was tested in 20 chronic HCV genotype4, during the course of therapy. Results: HCV-RNA was detected in sera of all infected patients. The baseline platelet viral load was significantly lower in responders compared to non-responders. Platelet viral load was also related to serum viral load (t=3.39, p=0.001), but not related to platelet count (t=-0.56, p=0.58). ROC curve analysis revealed that in general, platelet viral load at different time points was a better predictor of SVR compared to serum viral load. Conclusion: HCV RNA analysis in whole blood may be more sensitive than platelet-poor plasma, which might underestimate circulating viral load. Early eradication of viremia from platelets is associated with higher rates of SVR. Our data, reconfirm higher HCV-RNA levels in serum compared to platelets. Thrombocytopenia occurring during interferon-based therapy might be a manifestation of viral eradication rather than adverse effects. Our findings warrant testing the sensitivity of platelet viral load as a predictor of poor response

Immune-based strategies for treatment and prevention of hepatitis C virus infection

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection affects about 3% of the world’s population. Currently, the gold standard therapy does not work in a high percentage of patients and with all genotypes. In addition, it is costly, is associated with many side-effects. So, more convenient therapeutic strategies have been sought. These include, direct acting antivirals (DAAs), and immune-based therapy. Four DAA molecules have recently been approved by FDA.  Immune-based therapy aims at augmenting host immunity, thus prevention of infection or clearance of the virus with subsequent recovery can occur. Boosting T cell responses and activating humoral immune reactions have been targeted in the development of novel combating tools. The most intensively studied immune-therapeutic strategies are: 1) vaccines; either therapeutic or prophylactic, 2) dendritic cell immunotherapy, 3) antagonists of T cell inhibitory factors, 4) anti-HCV neutralizing antibodies, 4) cytokines and chemokines, 5) agonists for TLRs, and 6) caspase inhibitors

Association analysis of vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms in North England population with Type 2 diabetes mellitus

Background: Numerous diabetes susceptibility loci, include a region consisting vitamin D receptor gene found in chromosome 12q, have been known using genome wide screens. Aim: The aim of present study is to probe the relationship between polymorphism of vitamin D receptor gene (single nucleotide polymorphisms) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Five hundred T2DM patients and 200 healthy subjects with normal HbA1c( 64 5.0 %), fasting blood sugar ( 64 120 mg/dL) and random blood sugar ( 64 140 mg/dL) were enrolled. Metholodgy: The genotypes were found by polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism and DNA sequencing. Results: revealed that no considerable differences in frequencies of genotype and allele of the Bsm I and Fok I polymorphisms between healthy and patients in the North England (For Fok I: OR = 1.11, 95% CI: 0.72\u20131.12; for Bsm I: OR = 1.35, 95% CI: 0.79\u20131.98). Conclusion: It is recommended that both following polymorphisms of vitamin D receptor gene may not considerably add to the progression of T2DM in the North England

Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis in the Medical Intensive Care Unit of a University Hospital in Egypt: Frequency, Bacteriological Profile, Risk Factors and Outcomes

Objectives: This work was carried out to assess the frequency of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) and its variants in the medical intensive care unit (ICU) of the Internal Medicine department, zagazig Faculty of Medicine, Egypt and to identify the causative organisms and their susceptibility to commonly used antimicrobials. Other objectives were to determine risk factors and clinical outcomes. Subjects and methods: One-hundred and eighty- nine patients having ascites due to liver cirrhosis were studied. Each patient was subjected to: history collection, physical examination, diagnostic paracentesis, radiological and laboratory investigations and assessment of disease severity. Organisms isolated were identified and their antibiotic susceptibility profiles were tested. MELD score was used for diseases assessment. Risk factors and clinical outcomes were concluded using statistical methods. Results: Frequency of SBP was 56.1%. Classic SBP accounted for 47.2% of cases, while the remaining 52.8% were culture negative neutrocytic ascites (CNNA). E-coli were the most frequently isolated bacteria. Piperacillin- tazobactam was the most effective antibiotic.  SBP cases were significantly associated with hepatocellular carcinoma and with use of beta blockers. Patients with SBP were more likely to present with fever and abdominal pain, whereas those with non- SBP were more likely to present with hypotension. Non- significant relationship was found between SBP and non-SBP cases regarding ICU stay. Meanwhile mortality was higher among SBP cases; age and MELD score were the independent risk factor

Self-reported antibiotic stewardship and infection control measures from 57 intensive care units: An international ID-IRI survey

Infection control; Multidrug resistance; StewardshipControl de infección; Resistencia a múltiples fármacos; AdministraciónControl d'infecció; Resistència a múltiples fàrmacs; AdministracióWe explored the self-reported antibiotic stewardship (AS), and infection prevention and control (IPC) activities in intensive care units (ICUs) of different income settings. A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire to collect data about IPC and AS measures in participating ICUs. The study participants were Infectious Diseases–International Research Initiative (IDI-IR) members, committed as per their institutional agreement form. We analyzed responses from 57 ICUs in 24 countries (Lower-middle income (LMI), n = 13; Upper-middle income (UMI), n = 33; High-income (HI), n = 11). This represented (~5%) of centers represented in the ID-IRI. Surveillance programs were implemented in (76.9%−90.9%) of ICUs with fewer contact precaution measures in LMI ones (p = 0.02); (LMI:69.2%, UMI:97%, HI:100%). Participation in regional antimicrobial resistance programs was more significantly applied in HI (p = 0.02) (LMI:38.4%,UMI:81.8%,HI:72.2%). AS programs are implemented in 77.2% of institutions with AS champions in 66.7%. Infectious diseases physicians and microbiologists are members of many AS teams (59%&50%) respectively. Unqualified healthcare professionals(42.1%), and deficient incentives(28.1%) are the main barriers to implementing AS. We underscore the existing differences in IPC and AS programs’ implementation, team composition, and faced barriers. Continuous collaboration and sharing best practices on APM is needed. The role of regional and international organizations should be encouraged. Global support for capacity building of healthcare practitioners is warranted