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Maryam El-Awadi is an oil painter and a student. She grew up in Ruston, Louisiana and is now studying studio art at Louisiana Tech. She loves creating content about daydreaming and the subconscious. She aspires to be someone who creates art and teaches about art for a living

Investigations of Growth Promoting Activity of Some Phenolic Acids

The effect of phenolic acids as caffeic, ferulic or salicylic acids at low concentrations (up to 30 ppm) were investigated on faba bean growth, yield and some physiological processes. The experiments were carried out during the two growing seasons of 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 at the Research and Production Station, National  Research  Centre,  Nubaria  Province,  Behaira  Governorate,  Egypt. Caffeic, ferulic or salicylic acids increased growth of faba bean plant over the untreated control. Caffeic acid at 20 ppm. showed observable significant increase in dry weight of shoot. Regarding the effect of phenolic acids on some chemical compounds, caffeic acid is seemed to be having the greatest promotive effect on total photosynthetic pigments in fresh leaf tissues. The results also reveal that caffeic acid up to 30 ppm was superior concerning the total free amino acids. The increase in growth and photosynthetic pigments of faba bean plant was accompanied by increase in seed yield/plant and seed yield/feddan. Data also showed that all the tested phenolic acids increased seed yield and yield components specially caffeic acid at 20 ppm. Moreover, all applied treatments caused marked increases in carbohydrate, protein and phenolic contents in the yielded seeds. The most optimum treatment was caffeic acid at 20 ppm. On the other hand, vicine content in yielded seeds was significantly decreased by all treatments than that of the untreated plants (control). The results suggested the possibility of using caffeic, ferulic or salicylic acids at low concentrations as growth promoters of faba bean plant.

Congenital Blood Cyst of a Child: A Case Report and Review of Literature

Blood-filled cysts of the heart valves are frequently reported at postpartum autopsies of infants. They are seen as round nodules mostly in the paediatric age group in infants less than two months of age and disappear spontaneously within six months of life. We present a unique case of an 11-month-old girl with a blood-filled cyst on the posterior leaflet of the pulmonary valve that was successfully treated. This case report highlights the characteristics and course of a paediatric patient with blood-filled cysts. Further studies are yet needed to better understand the diagnostic approaches to blood-filled cysts as well as treatment modalities to fill the gap in clinical settings. Keywords: Blood filled cysts; Pulmonary valve; Pulmonary artery; Paediatrics; Cardiac tumor; Cardiology

The effect of dispersing agent on the dyeing of polyester fabrics with disperse dyes derived from 1,4-diethyl-2,6-dioxo-1,2,5,6-tetrahydropyridine-3-carbonitrile

1,4-Diethyl-2,6-dioxo-1,2,5,6-tetrahydropyridine-3-carbonitrile (8), is synthesized by reacting ethyl cyanoacetate with ethyl amine to produce the amide 4, which when reacted with methyl propionylacetate, afforded compound 8. Compound 8 is then coupled with aromatic diazonium salts to give the corresponding arylhydrazono-1,4-diethyl-2,6-dioxo-1,2,5,6-tetrahydropyridine-3-carbonitrile disperse dyes, 11a-d, whose structures were elucidated by using X-ray crystal structure determinations. A high temperature dyeing method was employed to apply these dyes for polyester fabrics. The relationship between dyeing properties and the concentration of dispersing agent present in a dye bath is evaluated

Synthesis, characterization and antimicrobial activity, and applications of new azo pyridone disperse dyes on polyester fabric

Three components; ethyl cyanoacetate, ethyl amines, and methyl propionylacetate were condensed using solid supports in microwave to give 1,4-diethyl-2,6-dioxo-1,2,5,6-tetrahydropyridine-3-carbonitrile (9) that was then coupled with aromatic diazonium salts to give the corresponding arylhydrazono-1,4-diethyl-2,6-dioxo-1,2,5,6-tetrahydropyridine-3-carbonitrile disperse dyes, 10a-g. Structures of the afforded compounds were confirmed by (IR, NMR, EI/MS) and one of them was further confirmed by X-ray crystallography (10g). Fastness properties of the reported dyes were intensively examined against light, perspiration and washing fastness, exhibiting moderate, very good and excellent fastness levels, respectively. The antimicrobial activity of the dyes were tested against different bacterial strains of Gram positive and Gram negative characteristics, and yeast, at where most of them showed promising activities against such test organisms

Interleukin 6 (IL6) as a predictor outcome in patients with compensated cirrhosis and symptomatic gall stones after cholecystectomy

Compensated cirrhosis means that the liver is heavily scarred but can still perform many important functions; many peoples with compensated cirrhosis have gall bladder stones. The advantages of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) for most patients have been extensively published. However its benefits and successful use in patients with cirrhosis are less documented. The study compromised 50 patients with symptomatic gallstone in compensated liver disease and undergone either open cholecystectomy (OC) or laparoscopic cholecystectomy. These patients were randomized into two groups: Group I included 24 patients who underwent OC, and group II included 26 patients who underwent LC. Patient’s age, sex, clinical presentation and Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) class were documented. No patients in this study had CTP class c cirrhosis. IL-6 was measured by ELISA, postoperative pain (measured by Visual analog scale), hospital stay, blood loss, recovery time (return to work), and liver function tests were documented. IL-6 was significantly lowered at 6th hour and 12th hour post operative in LC group. Mean surgical time was significantly longer in OC than LC group, (mean ±SD, 96.6 ±32 vs 58.7 ± 23.8 min, P = 0.037). No patients in group II required any blood replacement in contrast to 9 patients (37.5%) in group I. Intraoperative bleeding remained significantly higher in group I (P = 0.043). No patients in group II had wound complications compared with 5 patients (29.14%) in group I. Group I had significantly longer hospital stay than group II, mean 9.0+ 1.3 days (median 7) vs 2.3 days + 1.9 (median 2.5); P = 0.001. Our results were demonstrated that laparoscopic cholecystectomy can be performed safely in patients with CTP class A and B cirrhosis. IL-6 was more significantly, increased post operatively in open cholecystectomy than laparoscopic one and it correlated well with intensity of operative trauma. Keywords: Interleukin 6; Liver cirrhosis; Cholecystectom

Synthesis, Characterization, and Biological Activity of N1-Methyl-2-(1H-1,2,3-Benzotriazol-1-y1)-3-Oxobutan- ethioamide Complexes with Some Divalent Metal (II) Ions

A new series of Zn2+, Cu2+, Ni2+, and Co2+ complexes of N1-methyl-2-(1H-1,2,3-benzotriazol-1-yl)-3-oxobutanethioamide (MBOBT), HL, has been synthesized and characterized by different spectral and magnetic measurements and elemental analysis. IR spectral data indicates that (MBOBT) exists only in the thione form in the solid state while 13C NMR spectrum indicates its existence in thione and thiole tautomeric forms. The IR spectra of all complexes indicate that (MBOBT) acts as a monobasic bidentate ligand coordinating to the metal(II) ions via the keto-oxygen and thiolato-sulphur atoms. The electronic spectral studies showed that (MBOBT) bonded to all metal ions through sulphur and nitrogen atoms based on the positions and intensity of their charge transfer bands. Furthermore, the spectra reflect four coordinate tetrahedral zinc(II), tetragonally distorted copper(II), square planar nickel(II), and cobalt(II) complexes. Thermal decomposition study of the complexes was monitored by TG and DTG analyses under N2 atmosphere. The decomposition course and steps were analyzed and the activation parameters of the nonisothermal decomposition are determined. The isolated metal chelates have been screened for their antimicrobial activities and the findings have been reported and discussed in relation to their structures

NOSOCOMIAL INFECTION IN SURGICAL HOSPITAL IN ZAGAZIG UNIVERSITY

Surgical site infection (SSI) remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality among hospitalized patients. A total of 254 bacterial isolates were collected from 303 surgical specimens which were isolated from 92 males (53.2%) and 81 females (46.8%), their mean ages were 39.6±16.05 years (ranged from 1 month to 74 years). These isolates were identified as Staphylococcus aureus,Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus vulgaris, Pseudomonasaeruginosa and commensal Gram+ve and Gram-ve bacteria. The most effective antibiotics were imipenem while ampicillin and penicillin G (First and second generation of b-Lactam) showed much lower activity against all types of bacterial strains. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of  imipenem determined by E-test were 0.047- 0.064 , 0.125, 0.19, 0.25 and 0.75mg/ml against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia  coli, Proteus vulgaris, Klebsiellapneumoniae  and Pseudomonas aeruginosa  respectively

Pyrolysis of azetidinone derivatives: a versatile route towards electron-rich alkenes, C-1 allylation and/or homologation of aldehydes

Pyrolysis of beta-lactams and beta-thiolactams led essentially to stereoselective synthesis of the high energy electron-rich Z-alkenes. Extension of this methodology to the pyrolysis of 3-allyloxy derivatives gave a simple direct route to the synthetically important 4-pentenal. These pyrolytic transformations convert aldehydes to aryloxyalkenes (a protected homologation) and 4-pentenal (a C-1 allylation and homologation). The starting 3-aryloxy and 3-allyloxy-beta-lactams were synthesized by the standard Staudinger ketene-imine [2 + 2] cycloaddition. The corresponding beta-thiolactams have readily been obtained in good yields by thiation of beta-lactams with Lawesson's reagent.University of Kuwait/SC 02/11GF-S/GS01/01, GS02/01, GS01/03, GS01/0

Predictors of breastfeeding duration among women in Kuwait: results of a prospective cohort study

The purposes of this paper are to report the prevalence of breastfeeding to six months among women in Kuwait and to determine the factors that are associated with the duration of breastfeeding. A cohort of 373 women recruited from maternity wards in four hospitals in Kuwait city were followed from birth to 26 weeks postpartum. The association of any and full breastfeeding duration and predictor variables were explored using multivariate Cox’s proportional hazards models. At six months, 39% of all infants were receiving some breast milk and only 2% of infants had been fully breastfed to 26 weeks. Women born in other Arab countries were less likely to discontinue breastfeeding than women born in Kuwait. Other factors positively associated with breastfeeding duration were level of maternal education, higher parity, infant being demand fed in hospital and a preference for breastfeeding on the part of the infant’s father and maternal grandmother. The introduction of a pacifier before four weeks of age and the mother intending to return to work by six months were negatively associated with duration. These findings present a number of opportunities for prolonging breastfeeding duration in Kuwait