Egyptian weddings: happily ever after?

A 9.30-minute audio documentary about the Egyptian wedding ceremonies and how they\u27ve dramatically changed throughout the years, since the 1960s until now. This is done by contrasting the old and new wedding ceremonies and featuring a young bride-to-be and her grandmother. A 9.30-minute audio documentary about the Egyptian wedding ceremonies and how they\u27ve dramatically changed throughout the years, since the 1960s until now. This is done by contrasting the old and new wedding ceremonies and featuring a young bride-to-be and her grandmother

Nutritional value of some Egyptian sea cucumbers

Functional food that contains biologically-active compounds is an important source for prevention, management and treatment of chronic diseases in the modern age. The present work showed the quality of some Egyptian sea cucumbers to encourage Egyptian natives using them as an alternative food. The present work investigated the morphometric parameters, the proximate chemical composition, the amino acids and fatty acid profiles of Actinopyga mauritiana, Holothuria scarba, Bohadschia marmorata and Holothuria leucospilota. The results showed that Actinopyga mauritiana had the highest length, width, weight, and body wall thickness. All the investigated sea cucumbers had high content of protein (43.23 to 48.27%), carbohydrates (44.62 to 48.56%) and very low content of fats (4.6 to 5.66%). Among the investigated specimens A. mauritiana showed the highest percentage of total protein (48.27%), Holothuria leucospilota showed the lowest level of total lipids (4.6%), while Holothuria scarba showed the highest percentage of carbohydrates (48.65%). Glycine was the most abundant amino acids in all studied sea cucumbers (18.38 to 19.172 g/100 g) and constituted 37 to 39% of the total amino acids. Lycine: argignin ratio was low in H. scarba, H. leucospilota and B. marmorata (0.410, 0.428 and 0.9, respectively) while was higher in A. mauritiana (3.56). Myristic acid was the most abundant saturated fatty acid (SFA) in all studied sea cucumbers (19.789 to 37.036 %) followed by palmitic acid (16.93 to 16.926%). Among the unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) oleic and linoelaidic acids were the most abundant acids in all investigated cucumbers. On the other side linoleic acid (omega 6) was abundant in H. scarba and constituted 26% of the UFA. In conclusion, all investigated sea cucumbers had high protein and low fat contents and the bioactive compounds in the sea cucumbers describe its efficacy in tissue regeneration and inflammatory diseases.Keywords: Egyptian sea cucumbers, nutritional values, protein, inflammatory disease.African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(35), pp. 5466-547

Rapid chiral separation and impurity determination of ropivacaine and bupivacaine by Densitometry-HPTLC, using mucopolysaccharide as chiral mobile phase additive

Enantio separation of the local anesthetic drugs; ropivacaine (Rop), bupivacaine (Bup) and potential organic impurities (2,6-Dimethylaniline, 2,6-DMA) were accomplished on HPTLC using mucopolysaccharide selector (Chondroitin) as chiral mobile phase additive (CMPA). The enantioseparation was achieved in acetonitrile:water:methanol (16:3:1, v:v:v) containing 0.25% chondroitin as chiral mobile phase additive. The influence of separation conditions, including type and concentration of chiral selector, organic modifiers and temperatures on enantioseparation were evaluated. The enantioselective HPTLC method was validated to control the enantiomeric purity of the (S)-enantiomers (S-Rop and S-Bup); the active ingredients contained in drug products. In these conditions, linearity over the concentration range, 1.0-10.0 µg/spot for each (R)-enantiomer and 1.0-8.0 µg/spot for 2,6-DMA main organic impurity were obtained. The detection limits are less than 0.6 µg/spot of chiral and organic impurities. The intra and inter-day assay precision was less than 3.0% (RSD%)

Petrophysical Modelling For the Bahariya Formation, Egypt

AbstractLithologic laminations have great consequences on the Bahariya sandstone, which are distinguished by the calculated reservoir statistical parameters. The non-laminated Bahariya studied samples have the lowest mean bulk density and specific internal surface values, while they have the highest mean porosity, permeability and Spor values. On the other hand, the laminated samples exhibit high values. The non-laminated Bahariya samples have the lowest mean permeability anisotropy, due to its relative pore-framework homogeneity. Contrary, the laminated Bahariya samples have the highest mean permeability anisotropy. By the same behaviour, the non-laminated Bahariya samples have the highest mean electrical resistivity value, due to the lack of conductive minerals, while the laminated Bahariya samples have the highest mean electrical resistivity.The non-laminated Bahariya samples show the lowest mean magnetic susceptibility value, while the laminated samples reveal high values. Sonic wave velocities (Vp and Vs) are statistically treated, while the velocity anisotropy is calculated for all samples. Laminated samples display higher velocity in comparable to the non-laminated ones. Thin sections and SEM-micrographs were made for some selected samples in order to recognize the Bahariya sandstone forming minerals. Glauconite, micas, zircon, rutile and pyrite minerals are composing the laminas in the laminated samples, while some glauconitic sandstone are predominant in the non-laminated ones.A number of linear regression models were performed among some measured petrophysical parameters, in order to differentiate between the laminated and the non-laminated sandstones, and to obtain reliable relationships permitting reservoir characterization

Comparison between polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanofiber and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanofiber/hydroxyapatite (HA) for removal of Zn2+ ions from wastewater

AbstractNanocomposites in the form of continuous and aligned polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanofibers have been obtained by the electrospinning process. These fibers were used as matrix for hydroxyapatite (HA). PVA and PVA/HA nanofibers were fabricated and crosslinked with glutaraldehyde (GA). The hybrid of polymer with ceramics (HA) shows good properties of large surface area and good porosity that were demonstrated by different characterization techniques such as FTIR, SEM, XRD and EDX which illustrate the ratio of HA. The prepared nanofibrous membranes are used for removal of Zn2+ from simulated water. The potential of these synthesized sorbents to remove Zn2+ ions from aqueous solutions was investigated in batch experiments, where several parameters such as the sorbate/sorbent’s contact time, initial Zn2+ ions concentration and sorbent dosage were investigated. The equilibrium concentration of Zn2+ ions was identified by the atomic absorption spectrophotometry and the adsorption process was studied by the isotherm models such as Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin. The Zn2+ adsorption process for PVA and PVA/HA nanofibrous membranes was fitted to Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models respectively

Correlation between Body Mass Index and Gastrointestinal Symptoms among Hospitalized Patients

Background: Gastrointestinal problems are highly prevalent in all age groups .The literature and recent studies are inconsistent about the association between body mass index (BMI) and gastrointestinal symptoms. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between BMI and gastrointestinal symptoms among hospitalized patients. Research Design was descriptive exploratory correlational design. Research question: what is the relationship between body mass index and gastrointestinal symptoms? Setting: Different medical critical care units and medical wards at Cairo university hospitals. A sample of convenience of adult male and female patients who met the inclusion criteria was included. Tools: (a) the Structured Interview Questionnaire (SIQ). It covered personal data namely; age, sex, marital status, etc... and Medical history which included chief complaint, present history , past history.  (b)Gastrointestinal assessment questionnaire (GIAQ), it included bowel habit assessment,   common gastrointestinal symptoms and gastrointestinal diseases, and (c) body mass index (BMI). Patients were assigned into four groups based on the BMI using the classification of the World Health Organization. Results: A total of 489 patients were included (25.56%) were overweight (13.49%) were obese. Overall, in obese patients the prevalence of constipation (87.875) distention (83.33%) compared with normal weight; constipation (8.68%) , distention (6.94%)  and dyspepsia (4.51%)  Conclusion: there is a relationship between body mass index and some gastrointestinal symptoms such as constipation, dyspepsia, heart burn. A positive correlation was found between age and both constipation as well as heart burn and dyspepsia. Recommendation: Replicate the study on a large probability sample to realize generalizability and ensure consistency of results. Key words: Body Mass Index, Gastrointestinal symptoms, Hospitalized patient

World Wide Epidemiology of Helminths Infection

Helminths (from the Greek Helmins, meaning worm) include three groups of parasitic worm, large multicellular organisms with complex tissues and organs. Helminths do not replicate within the human host except Strongyloides stercoralis. Prevalence is commonly combined with worm burden (intensity of infection), which is commonly measured by the number of eggs per gram (EPGs) of faeces for intestinal helminths and schistosomes. Based on EPGs and their association with morbidity, individuals are classified into categories of light, moderate and heavy infection by the WHO. In the case of soil‐transmitted helminths, the WHO recommends use of both prevalence and intensity of infection to classify communities into transmission categories—category I (high), category II (medium), and category III (low). The neglected status of the helminthiasis should be addressed on community levels and globally all over the world

Intravenous versus perineural dexamethasone in interscalene nerve block with levobupivacaine for shoulder and upper arm surgeries

Background: Interscalene brachial plexus block (IBPB) has gained importance for surgical purposes and pain management. It provides effective postoperative pain relief essential for patient comfort and early ambulation.Objective: To evaluate the effect of dexamethasone as adjuvant to levobupivacaine in ultrasound-guided IBPB in shoulder and upper arm surgeries, and which route, the perineural or the intravenous was more effective.Patients and methods: Ninety patients randomly allocated into 3 equal groups: Group L: received IBPB with 20 ml of 0.5% levobupivacaine plus 2 ml normal saline (NS) with intravenous (iv) 10 ml NS. Group LDP: received IBPB with 20 ml of 0.5% levobupivacaine plus dexamethasone 4 mg diluted in 2 ml NS with iv 10 ml NS. Group LDIV: received IBPB with 20 ml of 0.5% levobupivacaine plus 2 ml NS with iv dexamethasone 4 mg diluted in 10 ml NS.Results: Patients in group LDP took prolonged time to ask for the first request for analgesia compared with patients in group L and group LDIV (15.57±3.89 vs 13.23±2.65 and 13.57±3.22, respectively) (p=0.007 and p=0.02, respectively), but no significant difference between group L and group LDIV (p=0.696). Pethidine consumption was significantly increased in patients of group L compared with patients in group LDP and group LDIV (p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively), but no significant difference in pethidine dose between group LDP and group LDIV (p=0.283).Conclusion: This study concluded that the addition of dexamethasone as an adjuvant to perineural levobupivacaine for IBPB prolonged the duration of analgesia, decreased the postoperative pain score, decreased pethidine consumption and improved patient satisfaction