Life after divorce is not a bed of roses: experience of upper middle class Egyptians

Around the world, in both developed and developing countries equally, divorce rates have increased tremendously during the twentieth century, regardless of the world\u27s diversified cultures, religions, value systems, etc, making divorce a universal modern phenomenon. With older generations, women would have rather maintained a miserable marriage than endure the tragedies of dissolving one. This thesis investigates the changing attitudes towards divorce along with the underlying causes for its skyrocketing rates in the world generally and in Egypt, specifically. I frame a comparison between older and younger generations who have experienced both marriage and divorce. I used two theoretical approaches to explain that generational gap in divorce rates: modernization theory and feminism theory. In light of Modernization theory, those changes are due to change in certain social variables from the past until now. These are the changes in family values and gender roles, the rise of the level of education for women, the increase in employment opportunities for women and hence economic independence, sexual openness versus sexual repression, the exposure to the West and its media, and the wide expansion and use of the internet. Feminism emphasizes the change in women\u27s perception to themselves due to economic empowerment and the reduced stigma associated with divorce as the main factors for the increasing divorce rates. Qualitative research methods are what I used mainly, interviewing sixty respondents on the subjects, who were mostly divorcees, and hearing their narratives. I initiated this research with mainly one question on my mind about the causes of the generational gap in divorce and it ended with many more questions; some I explored in my thesis and some are still left for future research. My findings shed light on the role of changing gender roles and partners expectations of marriage, women new empowered status due to education and employment, the double standards in marriage choices, marrying for all the wrong reasons including to just have sexual relations, sexual dissatisfaction resulting, and exposure to the internet and the media, with the internet being responsible for over 60% of the demise of the marital union. With a divorce taking place in Egypt every six minutes, the incompatible marriage choices and using the internet later on as a quick fix to problems resulting from that incompatibility are major contributions of my research. The role of education, counseling, NGOs and positively using the media are my suggestions to reduce divorce rates

Effect of Coping Strategies Program on Quality of Life among Emergency Clinic Nurses Working at Night Shift

Context: The night shift work can have a negative impact on job performance, sleep, physical and emotional health, social life, family life, and level of job-related stress for nurses.Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of coping strategies program on quality of life among emergency clinic nurses working at night shift. Methods: A quasi-experimental design was utilized to fulfill the aim of this study. The study was conducted at Emergency Clinic affiliated to Benha University Hospital. A convenience sample was used to achieve the aim of this study. It includes all nurses (60 nurses) who worked at night shift at Emergency Clinic. Three tools utilized in this study: Three tools were utilized in this study: Structured interviewing questionnaire to assess nurses' data, ways of coping scale for measuring coping abilities of nurses working at night shift. It included 45 items comprising eight subscales. The quality of life scale, which was designed for measuring the quality of life for nurses, consisted of 34 items categorized based on the quality of life in three domains. Results: A result reveals a significant difference between nurses' quality of life and their coping abilities post-program implementation (P= 0.001) compared to the pre-intervention level. A positive significant correlation coefficient between nurses coping strategies and their quality-of-life post-program implementation (r= 0.40, p=<0.05).Conclusion: This study concluded that the coping strategies program was effective, and its results had a drastic improvement in coping abilities and quality of life for nurses working at night shift. The study suggested establishing continuous educational programs for nurses working on the night shift at the emergency clinic unit about coping strategies & their effect on their quality of life

Sleep disordered breathing in patients with chronic kidney diseases: How far the problem?

AbstractBackgroundSleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is highly prevalent in patients with advanced chronic kidney diseases (CKDs).ObjectiveTo describe and compare the prevalence, severity, and patterns of SDB and associated nocturnal hypoxia among patients with advanced CKD, hemodialysis (HD) patients, and control group.MethodsForty patients were recruited from outpatient nephrology clinics and hemodialysis units. Patients were stratified into two groups: conservative (n=25), and HD (n=15). 30 healthy individual enrolled as the control group. All participants completed polysomnography (PSG).ResultsCase control study of forty CKD patients (15 HD and 25 conservative) [13(86.7%) and 20 (80%) men, mean age 62.73±5.43 and 55.76±9.03year, BMI 40.83±8.75 and 36.12±16.53kg/m, mean ESS 18.46±3.20 and 17.84±2.79), respectively, and 30 healthy participants served as the control. The prevalence of SDB in CKD was 33/40(82.5%). In the conservative group, AHI was 148.84±147/h, [80% obstructive, 13% central, and 5% mixed apnea]. Among these conservative groups with OSA patients, 56% had severe, 31% moderate, and 12.5% mild OSA. While in the HD group, AHI 133.26±111/h, [84.6% obstructive, 7.7% central, and 7.7% mixed apnea]. Among these HD groups with OSA, 63% had severe, 27% moderate, and 9% mild OSA. GFR was significantly correlated with AHI and ODI (r=−0.315, P<0.05, r=−0.506, P<0.001) respectively. AHI correlated with urea concentration (r=−0.094, P<0.05). Increased creatinine, and decreased eGFR were significant risk factors of severe OSA. Predictors that reduced renal function were, decreased TST, delayed latency to REM sleep, and increased AHI.ConclusionsSevere OSA was highly prevalent among CKD. Urea was the stronger predictor of increased AHI

Seminavis aegyptiaca sp. Nov., a new amphoroid diatom species from estuary epilithon of the river–nile damietta branch, Egypt

During a recent floristic–taxonomic study on the algal flora, including diatoms, from the estuary of the Damietta Branch of the Nile in Egypt, an interesting epilithic diatom species belonging to the genus Seminavis (Naviculaceae) was collected and investigated using both light and scanning electron microscopy. This new diatom species shares morphologically some taxonomic diagnostic features with other related taxa such as S. insignis, S. robusta, and S. ventricosa. However, it still differs by having ventral central striae that are shorter and more or less straight in the middle of the smaller frustules to be clearly radiate in the larger ones and then become geniculate and only radiate near the poles, the central raphe endings are externally more distantly spaced than in the similar species, the elongate central nodule is internally less prominent, and the areola density is much denser. Therefore, we here describe it as Seminavis aegyptiaca sp. nov. Hydrochemical analyses revealed that S. aegyptiaca commonly inhabits typical marine, with a weak tendency towards brackish water, habitats. It was found to be tolerant to meso–eutrophic, nutrient–enriched conditions, based on the data available on seasonal concentrations of N and P compounds. These findings not only contribute to the inventory of Egyptian diatoms, but also increase our understanding of the autecology and distribution of this relatively poorly–known diatom genus

Serum interferon-alpha level in first degree relatives of systemic lupus erythematosus patients: Correlation with autoantibodies titers

AbstractBackground and objectivesInterferon-α (IFN-α), a cytokine with both antiviral and immune-regulatory functions, was suggested as a useful tool which can evaluate current systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) disease activity and identify patients who are at risk of future disease flares. In the current study, serum IFN-α levels and associated demographic, and serological features in Egyptian SLE patients and their first degree relatives (FDRs) in comparison to unrelated healthy controls (UHCs) were examined, in order to identify individuals at the greatest risk for clinical illness.MethodsIn a cross-sectional study, blood samples were drawn from 54 SLE patients, 93 of their FDRs who consented to enroll into the study and 76 UHCs. Measurement of serum IFN-α by a modified ELISA was carried out. Data were analyzed for associations of serum IFN-α levels with autoantibodies titer.ResultsMean serum IFN-α in FDRs was statistically higher than the UHCs and lower than in SLE patients (P<0.0001) and it was correlated with ANA titer (r=0.6, P<0.0001) and anti ds DNA titer (r=0.62, P<0.0001).ConclusionIFN-α is a crucial player in the complicated autoimmune changes that occur in SLE and serum IFN-α can be a useful marker identifying persons who are at risk of future disease development

The reporting of methods for reducing and detecting bias: an example from the WHO Misoprostol Third Stage of Labour equivalence randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND: The aim of this article is to explore ways in which selection bias and ascertainment bias can be reduced and investigated in trials, by using the example of a drug trial carried out in both developed and developing countries in hospital delivery wards. METHODS: We describe an innovative and practical design for the boxes for packing the drugs as a way of increasing the security of allocation concealment and blinding. We also assess ascertainment bias using sensitivity analyses, as some unblinding could have occurred due to a potential side effect of one of the drugs. RESULTS: The sensitivity analyses indicated that the conclusions about the relative effects of the treatments could be maintained even in the unlikely worst-case scenarios. CONCLUSIONS: Detailed description of the procedures protecting against common biases and of the assessment of ascertainment bias in this trial should allow readers to confidently appraise and interpret the results obtained. In addition, our experiences will assist others in planning trials in the future