Effect of An Educational Intervention on Pregnant Women’s Knowledge and Self-Care Practices Regarding Urinary Tract Infection

Contents: The most prevalent type of infection during pregnancy is urinary tract infections (UTIs). It affects up to ten percent of pregnant women and may cause serious adverse pregnancy outcomes for both mother and fetus.Aim: The research aimed to evaluate the effect of an educational intervention on pregnant women’s knowledge and self-care practices regarding urinary tract infection. Methods: A quasi-experimental (pre/post-test) design was adopted to fulfill this study's aim. The study was conducted at the Obstetrics and Gynaecological outpatient clinic in Benha university hospital on a purposive sample of 68 pregnant women among those attending the setting mentioned above. Two key instruments were used to collect data: A structured interviewing questionnaire, self-care practices checklist. Results: revealed a highly statistically significant difference in pregnant women's knowledge and self-care practices related to urinary tract infection at post-intervention compared to their pre-intervention phase (p-values < 0.001). A highly significant positive correlation was illustrated between studied women's total knowledge and total practice scores at pre (p=0.04) and post-intervention (p=0.000) phases. Conclusion: The study concluded that the research hypothesis is supported, and pregnant women exhibited better knowledge and self-care practices regarding (UTI) during pregnancy after implementing an educational intervention than before. The study recommended that knowledge and self-care concepts regarding UTI through antenatal screening programs in early pregnancy should be empowered as an essential part of all women's health care levels and strategies

Localization and field-periodic conductance fluctuations in trilayer graphene

This is an author-created, un-copyedited version of an article accepted for publication/published in Semiconductor Science and Technology. IOP Publishing Ltd is not responsible for any errors or omissions in this version of the manuscript or any version derived from it. The Version of Record is available online at DOI 10.1088/0268-1242/29/11/115010.We have systematically studied quantum transport in a short trilayer-graphene field-effect transistor. Close to the charge neutrality point, our magnetoconductance data are well described by the theory of weak localization in monolayer graphene. However, as the carrier density is increased we find a complex evolution of the low field magnetoconductance that originates from a combination of the monolayer-like and bilayer-like band structures. The increased phase coherence length at high hole densities takes our shortest devices into the mesoscopic regime with the appearance of significant conductance fluctuations on top of the localization effects. Although these are aperiodic in gate voltage, they exhibit a quasi-periodic behaviour as a function of magnetic field. We show that this is consistent with the interference of discrete trajectories in open quantum dots and discuss the possible origin of these in our devices.Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Counci

The potential gonadoprotective effects of grape seed extract against the histopathological alterations elicited in an animal model of cadmium-induced testicular toxicity

Background: Grape seed extract (GSE) is a powerful antioxidant containing high levels of bioflavonoids, vitamin C and vitamin E. The aim of the work is to study the possible protective and ameliorative effects of grape seed extract in an animal model of cadmium (Cd)-induced testicular toxicity in rats.Materials and methods: A thirty-day oral gavage study in adult male albino rats was performed using 32 animals, randomly divided into four equal groups; negative control, Cd (5 mg/k/day), GSE (100 mg/k/day), and Cd + GSE. Testicular weights were measured. Haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and proliferating nuclear cell antigen (PCNA) immunohistochemistry, as a marker for proliferation were done. Morphometric parameters were assessed and subjected to statistical analysis.Results: The H&E results showed atrophy and distortion of the seminiferous tubules (STs) with sloughing of the spermatogenic epithelium in cadmium group. The interstitial spaces were widened and showed oedema and mononuclear cell infiltrations. No remarkable changes were observed in the GSE-only group when compared to the control group. In Cd + GSE group, maintaining of the STs and their lining cells was evident. The immunohistochemical results showed marked positive PCNA immunoreactivity in both control and GSE groups, while negative immunoreaction was noticed in Cd group. Limited positive PCNA immunoreactivity was ameliorated in Cd + GSE group.Conclusions: Grape seed extract protected against cadmium-induced testicular toxicity in rats, reducing induced histopathological changes, and maintaining testicular histoarchitecture

Molecular structure and optical attributes of (Na-CMC/SA) natural polymer blend

ABSTRACT. Biopolymers are referred to the bio-degradable polymer that is derived from living organisms in nature or synthesized from renewable materials but needs polymerization. There are consisting of monomeric units that bond together through a covalent bond to obtain large molecules. A biopolymeric blend of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose/sodium alginate (Na-CMC/SA) film was prepared by the casting/solvent evaporation method. In addition to the molecular structure, the optical and molecular geometry of the collected films were characterized. XRD of binary blend investigated the interaction and miscibility among two biopolymers. FTIR of the blend spectrum explicated the conferring of the two polymer group’s vibrations. UV/Vis and optical studies appeared a peak in the binary at the wavelength (227 nm) which explained the high combination between two polymers. Molecular geometry clarifies the assignment of vibrational spectra of pure polymers which implied the important role of the (C=O) group as eventful regions for the two polymers.   KEY WORDS: Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, Sodium alginate, Na-CMC/SA, FTIR, XRD, UV/Vis   Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2022, 36(3), 707-716.                                                                DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v36i3.19                                                     &nbsp

Stem cells and metformin synergistically promote healing in experimentally induced cutaneous wound injury in diabetic rats

Introduction. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a serious, chronic metabolic disorder commonly complicated by diabetic foot ulcers with delayed healing. Metformin was found to have a wound healing effect through several mechanisms. The current study investigated the effect of both bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) and metformin, considered alone or combined, on the healing of an experimentally induced cutaneous wound injury in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.Material and methods. Forty adult male albino rats were used. Diabetes was induced by single intravenous (IV) injection of streptozotocin (STZ). Next, two circular full thickness skin wounds were created on the back of the animals, then randomly assigned into 4 groups, ten rats each. BM-MSCs were isolated from albino rats, 8 weeks of age and labeled by PKH26 before intradermal injection into rats of Group III and IV. Groups I (diabetic positive control), II (metformin-treated, 250 mg/kg/d), III (treated with 2×106 BM-MSCs), and IV (wounded rats treated both with metformin and BM-MSCs cells). Healing was assessed 3, 7, 14, and 21 days post wound induction through frequent measuring of wound diameters. Skin biopsies were obtained at the end of the experiment.Results. Gross evaluation of the physical healing of the wounds was done. Skin biopsies from the wound areas were processed for hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), Masson’s trichrome staining and immunohistochemical staining for CD31. The results showed better wound healing in the combined therapy group (IV) as compared to monotherapy groups.Conclusions. Although both metformin and BM-MSCs were effective in the healing of experimentally induced skin wounds in diabetic rats, the combination of both agents appears to be a better synergistic option for the treatment of diabetic wound injuries

An Analytical Study of the Role of Organic Agriculture in Achieving Food Security in Egypt: Using Path Analysis Approach

This research aimed to assess the ability of organic agriculture in improve the state of food security, and the stability of agricultural production compared to the current levels of production. To achieve this objective, we followed a practical method in terms of purpose, and non-experimental in terms of data collection, the research tool was a questionnaire whose validity was confirmed by experts in this field, and its reliability by the Alpha Cronbach criterion, and the results showed that there is a positive effect of organic farming on enhancing economic return and increasing profitability. Moreover, enhanced the economic impact of the producers as a result of using local inputs by about 0.95 with the possibility of opening new markets for organic products by about 0.90 which is hindered by raising the efficiency of agricultural production in the cultivated areas with low productive inputs, by about 0.55 following an environmental impact through the production of safe and healthy food of high quality and value that reflects the effects of Improve the health of consumers and individuals by about 0.83. Which means the ability of organic agriculture to achieve food security requirements with the same values referred to, and finally, the study recommended in its conclusion the need to develop policies for organic agriculture adopted by government institutions to support them, to reduce the obstacles that prevent the transition from traditional to organic agriculture

Role of nucleated red blood cells in diagnosis of neonatal asphyxia in neonate with meconium stained and clear amniotic fluid

Background: Perinatal asphyxia has been defined as the lack of oxygen that occurs either before, during, or after birth. Many studies in recent past have suggested that an increased number of nucleated red blood cells (NRBC) in umbilical cord blood may be a useful marker to identify birth asphyxia.Objective: To find out the relationship between meconium-stained amniotic fluid and NRBC in umbilical cord blood.Patients and Methods: This was a comparative cross-section study, which was carried out at Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Zagazig University Hospitals on 54 cases divided into 2 groups: (Group 1): included 27 pregnant females with meconium-stained amniotic fluid who gave birth to neonates (male 15 and female12) showing criteria of perinatal asphyxia, (Group 2): included 27 pregnant females with clear amniotic fluid who gave birth to neonate's apparently healthy full-term (male17 and female10) as control group with no obstetrical problems.Results: There was no statistically significant difference between case and control groups in basic characteristics or obstetric history. NRBC’s/100 WBCs and lactate were highly significantly increased in group 1. The mean value of lactate was increasing in relation to stage of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).Conclusion: There was a strong correlation between markers of acute asphyxia (i.e., umbilical artery blood nucleated red blood cells and lactate,) and meconium-stained liquor cases. These markers were significantly elevated in newborns with meconium-stained amniotic fluid

ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE OF ESCHERICHIA COLI ISOLATES FROM SHEEP IN THE DEPARTMENT OF DJELFA, ALGERIA

In order to estimate the rate of antimicrobial resistance in sheep, a total of 25 Escherichia coli isolated from feces of diarrheic and non diarrheic sheep presented to a veterinary practitioner excreting in the locality of Hassi Bahbah in the Department of Djelfa, Algeria were assessed and tested for their resistance to 12 antimicrobial agents by disk diffusion plates. Results showed that E coli have a High antibiotic resistance for ampicillin (100%) and amoxicillin (96%) and a moderate rate for tetracycline (36%). A low multidrug resistance rate was also reported. Results showed also that E coli strains have low resistance rates for the other antibiotics that dont exceed 12%. Furthermore, all the strains are sensitive to colistin and gentamycin. Low multi-drug resistance rate was also reported. This study has reported for the first time the rate of resistance of E coli from sheep which seems to be lower than other farm animals but suggest the need for the prudent use of antimicrobial agents in livestock

Combined trans-arterial chemoembolization with microwave ablation for single large hepatocellular carcinoma

Background: Hepato-cellular carcinoma (HCC) is considered to be one of the most common malignancies worldwide. In Egypt a high incidence rate of HCC has been reported with a strong association between chronic HCV infection, cirrhosis and HCC. Therapeutic strategies in HCC should concentrate on early detection and screening in individuals at risk. There are multiple strategies in the treatment of HCC including: transplantation, resection, ablation, and embolization. Objective: This study aimed to use combined trans-arterial chemoembolization (TACE) and microwave ablation (MWA) in the management of large HCC for better outcome.Patients and Methods: In our study, we used TACE combined with MWA for group of patients having single large HCC more than 5 cm. TACE was done first followed by MWA after one month then doing Triphasic CT to evaluate the effect of treatment and assessment of the response according to mRECIST criteria.Results: TACE combined with MWA had good effect in managing large HCC and reduced recurrence rate and thus reduced the need for multiple sessions of TACE. Conclusion: Combined TACE/MWA technique is a simple, effective, and less expensive with a low morbidity rate compared to surgical or other combined treatments