Laboratory Detection and Neutralizing Activity of Exocellular AmpC β-lactamases by Anti bla-CMY

Detection of AmpC β-lactamases (AmpC-bls) is important for infection control purposes and therapeutic options. Here, we provided a diagnostic anti β-lactamase neutralization test (bla-NT); modified from broth microdilution (BM) for the detection of bls-AmpC, CMY, in multidrug resistant Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Anti-bla neutralizing activity against these two bacteria was tested. Anti bla-CMY was prepared in rabbits and used in: bla-NT; investigating effect on bacterial colony forming unit (CFU); and in ELISA. In bla-NT, the anti-bla-CMY neutralized exocellular bls produced by the tested bacterial strains and resulted in an increase in the bacterial sensitivity to the tested antimicrobials and reduction in minimum inhibitory concentration. Interestingly, the anti-bla-CMY decreased the CFU and its morphology when added to the tested bacteria. ELISA-OD was significantly correlated with the drop in minimum inhibitory concentration and CFU counts at P-value ≤ 0.05 and 0.01, respectively. It could be concluded that, bla-NT could detect bls-AmpC and run parallel to BM in microbiology laboratory. Investigations are running to develop the test for quantitative detection of bls-AmpC

Knowledge, Attitude, and Behavior of Egyptian Medical Students Toward the Novel Coronavirus Disease-19: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND: People in times of pandemics, crave after any medical field member (including medical students) to gain their knowledge and correct their behaviors. AIM: We aimed to assess medical students’ coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 related knowledge, attitude, and behavior (KAB). METHODS: The study is an exploratory cross-sectional study, conducted among medical students using an online survey. Medical students were classified according to their current academic year into either early year’s group (first 3 years in the medical school) or final year’s group (past 3 years in the medical school). RESULTS: A total of 2255 students completed the questionnaire. Regarding their COVID-19 related knowledge; 63.4% gave unsatisfactory responses (answered <75% of the questionnaire items correctly). Most of males (62.9%) and females (64.1%) gave unsatisfactory responses. CONCLUSION: Most of students had unsatisfactory responses of the current pandemic; however, the final year’s group had a significantly higher score in nearly all questionnaire (KAB) subsections than the early year’s group. The majority of both groups significantly believed that there are undeclared numbers in Egypt. Facebook and other platforms were the most common sources of information

EFFECT OF HARVESTING DATES ON THE YIELD AND QUALITY OF SOME FLAX GENOTYPES

ABSTRACT   Two field experiments were conducted during the two successive seasons 2007/2008 and 2008/2009 at Sakha Agric. Res. Station, Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate to study the effect of four harvesting dates i.e. 135, 145, 155 and 165 days after sowing on yield and its quality of six flax genotypes namely, Sakha1, Sakha 2, Sakha 3 and Giza 9 varieties and two new promising strains (strain 16 and strain 22). This study was laid out in a split-plot design, with four replications, the main plots were allocated to the six flax genotypes, whereas, the sub-plots contained the harvesting dates. The obtained results could be summarized as follow:       Sakha 3 and Giza 9 varieties gave the highest means for technical length, fiber yield/plant as well as per fed., fiber length, fiber percentage, fiber strength, fiber fineness, germination % and crude protein %, whereas strain 22 (yellow seed) surpassed the other flax genotypes which produced the highest values for No. of seeds/plants, seed yield/fed., oil content and oil yield/fed.      The harvest date of 155 days after sowing showed significant increases in stem diameter, straw yield/plant as well as per fed. fiber yield and its quality and crude protein % compared to the other three dates (135, 145 and 165 days after sowing). However, delayed harvesting date to 165 days after sowing recorded significant increase in technical length, upper branching zone length, seed yield and its related characters, germination %, seedling vigour, seed index, volume of 1000-seed, oil content and oil yield/fed. The interactions among the studied factors had significant effects on straw yield/fed., No. of capsules/plants, fiber strength and germination % in the first season of study, while the characters of the upper branching zone length, seed yield/fed., oil yield/fed., fiber length and oil content in both seasons

Global economic burden of unmet surgical need for appendicitis

Background There is a substantial gap in provision of adequate surgical care in many low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to identify the economic burden of unmet surgical need for the common condition of appendicitis. Methods Data on the incidence of appendicitis from 170 countries and two different approaches were used to estimate numbers of patients who do not receive surgery: as a fixed proportion of the total unmet surgical need per country (approach 1); and based on country income status (approach 2). Indirect costs with current levels of access and local quality, and those if quality were at the standards of high-income countries, were estimated. A human capital approach was applied, focusing on the economic burden resulting from premature death and absenteeism. Results Excess mortality was 4185 per 100 000 cases of appendicitis using approach 1 and 3448 per 100 000 using approach 2. The economic burden of continuing current levels of access and local quality was US $92 492 million using approach 1 and$73 141 million using approach 2. The economic burden of not providing surgical care to the standards of high-income countries was $95 004 million using approach 1 and$75 666 million using approach 2. The largest share of these costs resulted from premature death (97.7 per cent) and lack of access (97.0 per cent) in contrast to lack of quality. Conclusion For a comparatively non-complex emergency condition such as appendicitis, increasing access to care should be prioritized. Although improving quality of care should not be neglected, increasing provision of care at current standards could reduce societal costs substantially

Global economic burden of unmet surgical need for appendicitis

Background There is a substantial gap in provision of adequate surgical care in many low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to identify the economic burden of unmet surgical need for the common condition of appendicitis. Methods Data on the incidence of appendicitis from 170 countries and two different approaches were used to estimate numbers of patients who do not receive surgery: as a fixed proportion of the total unmet surgical need per country (approach 1); and based on country income status (approach 2). Indirect costs with current levels of access and local quality, and those if quality were at the standards of high-income countries, were estimated. A human capital approach was applied, focusing on the economic burden resulting from premature death and absenteeism. Results Excess mortality was 4185 per 100 000 cases of appendicitis using approach 1 and 3448 per 100 000 using approach 2. The economic burden of continuing current levels of access and local quality was US $92 492 million using approach 1 and$73 141 million using approach 2. The economic burden of not providing surgical care to the standards of high-income countries was $95 004 million using approach 1 and$75 666 million using approach 2. The largest share of these costs resulted from premature death (97.7 per cent) and lack of access (97.0 per cent) in contrast to lack of quality. Conclusion For a comparatively non-complex emergency condition such as appendicitis, increasing access to care should be prioritized. Although improving quality of care should not be neglected, increasing provision of care at current standards could reduce societal costs substantially