IMPROVEMENT OF YIELD AND QUALITY OF ROSELLE (HIBISCUS SABDARIFFA L.) PLANT BY USING NATURAL SOURCES OF PHOSPHORUS AND POTASSIUM IN CALCAREOUS SANDY SOILS

Two separate field experiments were conducted during 2013 and 2014 to study the effects of natural sources of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers as rock phosphate (RP) and feldspar (F) with or without biofertilizers comparing with chemical fertilizer (PK) on growth, yield and quality characteristics of roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) plant. The first experiment included phosphorus treatments (at different levels of rock phosphate; 150, 200 and 250 kg/fed) and the second one included potassium treatments (at different levels of feldspar; 250, 350 and 450 kg/fed), each comparing with recommended dose of chemical PK. The obtained results revealed that co-inoculation of PDB (Bacillus megaterium var. phosphaticum) and KDB (Bacillus mucilaginosus) in conjunction with direct application of rock phosphate at rates of 200 and 250 kg/fed and feldspar at rates of 350 and 450 kg/fed respectively, into the soil significantly increased the growth characteristics under the study (plant height, number of branches/plant, fresh and dry weight/plant,) along with yield (number of fruits/plant, fresh weight of fruit/plant, fresh and dry weight of sepals/plant, weight of seeds g/plant and weight of dry sepals kg/fed) comparing to chemical PK and other treatments. The highest growth and yield were obtained from plants treated with 200 kg/fed rock phosphate plus PDB in the first experiment and 350 kg/fed feldspar plus KDB in the second experiment. While PK treatment resulted in the highest acidity % and total anthocyanin content of dry sepals as compared to all the other treatments in the first and second seasons. Generally, the results suggest that the use of biofertilizer with rock phosphate or with feldspar are economical, environmental friendly and have potential to improve roselle yield and quality

STUDIES ON SWEET BASIL MOSAIC VIRUS DISEASE AND ITS CONTROL BY USING SOME ESSENTIAL OILS

The current study, the mosaic virus disease of Ocimum basilicum L. (sweet basil) was identified and the different effects of three essential oils on growth, oil content and composition as well as reducing CMV disease symptoms of sweet basil plants in vivo. During 2012 season, natural occurrence of mosaic virus disease was observed on sweet basil in Assiut, Egypt. The causal agent of basil mosaic disease was detected as cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) by PCR product that revealed presence of approximately expected size (~ 781 bp) in naturally infected basil. Therefore, a field experiment was carried out during two successive seasons 2013 and 2014 on sweet basil plants at the Experimental Farm of Arab El Awamer Agricultural Research Station, Assiut Governorate, Egypt. Ten treatments of three essential oils extracted from lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus), rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis) and peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) plants were applied as foliar spray at 1% concentration before and after inoculation with isolated virus and two controls (healthy and infected plants) were arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replicates. Results revealed that application of essential oils under field condition improved growth and yield (branches, weight of fresh and dry plant (g/plant) as well as essential oil percentage), reduced the CMV disease symptoms compared to untreated infected control. As well as significant increase in total identified of essential oil composition of basil plant. Whereas the treatment with rosemary oil before and after inoculation respectively, was increased in myrcene, linalool when applied before inoculation and with a great increase in 1, 8-cineole when applied after inoculation. Also a great increase was related to peppermint oil treatment for eugenol, myrcene and 1, 8-cineole % before inoculation comparable to untreated infected plants. While, using of peppermint oil significantlyincreased number of branches, fresh and dry weights, essential oil content and composition when applied before inoculation with virus compared to infected and healthy controls. Lemongrass essential oils exhibited a moderate protective effects. Generally, applying of rosemary essential oil as curative seemed to be superior for improving branches, weight of fresh and dry plant (g/plant), and essential oil percentage and composition comparing to other treatments

Protection induced by external Ca +2 application on proline accumulation, ion balance, photosynthetic pigments, protein and ABA concentration of mustard seedlings (Sinapis alba L.) under salinity stress

ABSTRACT The effect of external Ca 2+ application of different concentration to salinity-treated (100 mM NaCl) mustard plant (Sinapis alba L.) was investigated in relation to ion uptake, proline, chlorophyll a&b, protein and ABA concentrations. Salinity treatment (100 mM NaCl) led to significant decreases in Ca 2+ & K + uptake and Chl. a&b contents, accompanied by significant increases in Na + uptake, proline and ABA concentrations. Salinity treatment also induced the appearance of new protein bands. The most effective concentrations of CaCl 2 treatment in protecting mustard plants against the adverse effect of NaCl salinity were 5, 10, and 15 mM CaCl 2 . This could be attributed to the effect of CaCl 2 in decreasing ABA concentration, the synthesis of new polypeptides and increasing K + and Ca 2+ uptake

IMPACT OF CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT ON FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICES QUALITY: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF EMPLOYEES SATISFACTION

Purpose of the study: This study is carried out to investigate the mediating role of employee satisfaction in the relationship between customer relationship management and food and beverage services quality in the 5-stars hotels in Jordan. Methodology: The survey method was used, which includes the use of the field method for collecting data from 5-stars hotels in Jordan, which employees numbered 9,657 and the number of 5-stars hotels is 33in Amman, 352 were effective for analysis and after analyzing the data using the statistical program AMOS. Main Findings: The most important findings were as follows: There is a significant impact of employee satisfaction on the relationship between customer relationship management and food and beverage services quality. Applications of this study: This study comes out to help hotel managers understand the impact of their actions on the ES in their hotels to raise the efficiency of the services provided in the field of FBSQ and to recommended researchers to do more studies in the field of food and beverage and link them in the behavior of employees and customer, which is a result of hotels profit, and also entertains them to the return on the local economy. Novelty/Originality of this study: Food and beverages services are one of the essential services which business managers should consider if they have to retain their customers and improve the image of their business so this study came out to investigate the mediate role of employee’s satisfaction in the relationship between customer relationship management and food and beverage services quality in the 5-stars hotels

COMPARATIVE PROFILING OF BIOMARKER PSORALEN IN ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVE EXTRACTS OF DIFFERENT SPECIES OF GENUS FICUS BY VALIDATED HPTLC METHOD

Background: A simple but sensitive HPTLC method was developed for the comparative evaluation of psoralen in antioxidant active extracts of leaves of five different species of genus Ficus (Ficus carica, Ficus nitida, Ficus ingens, Ficus palmata and Ficus vasta). Materials and Methods: HPTLC studies were carried out using CAMAG HPTLC system on Glass-backed silica gel 60F254 HPTLC pre-coated plates using selected mobile phase toluene: methanol (9:1). The antioxidant activity was carried out, using DPPH free radical method. Results: Among all the five species of genus Ficus, F. palmata and F. carica exhibited comparatively good antioxidant activity in DPPH assay. The developed HPTLC method was found to give a compact spot for psoralen (Rf = 0.55±0.001) at 305 nm. The regression equation and r2 for psoralen was found to be Y= 4.516X+35.894 and 0.998. The quantification result revealed the presence of psoralen in only two species, F. carica (0.24%, w/w) and F. palmata (1.88%, w/w) which supported their supremacy for anti-oxidant potential over other species. The statistical analysis proved that the developed method was reproducible and selective. Conclusion: The developed method can be used as an important tool to assure the therapeutic dose of active ingredients in herbal formulations as well as for standardization and quality control of bulk drugs and in-process formulations. This method can also be employed for the further study of degradation kinetics and determination of psoralen in plasma and other biological fluids

Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London

Surgical site infection after gastrointestinal surgery in high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries: a prospective, international, multicentre cohort study

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most common infections associated with health care, but its importance as a global health priority is not fully understood. We quantified the burden of SSI after gastrointestinal surgery in countries in all parts of the world. Methods: This international, prospective, multicentre cohort study included consecutive patients undergoing elective or emergency gastrointestinal resection within 2-week time periods at any health-care facility in any country. Countries with participating centres were stratified into high-income, middle-income, and low-income groups according to the UN's Human Development Index (HDI). Data variables from the GlobalSurg 1 study and other studies that have been found to affect the likelihood of SSI were entered into risk adjustment models. The primary outcome measure was the 30-day SSI incidence (defined by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for superficial and deep incisional SSI). Relationships with explanatory variables were examined using Bayesian multilevel logistic regression models. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02662231. Findings: Between Jan 4, 2016, and July 31, 2016, 13 265 records were submitted for analysis. 12 539 patients from 343 hospitals in 66 countries were included. 7339 (58·5%) patient were from high-HDI countries (193 hospitals in 30 countries), 3918 (31·2%) patients were from middle-HDI countries (82 hospitals in 18 countries), and 1282 (10·2%) patients were from low-HDI countries (68 hospitals in 18 countries). In total, 1538 (12·3%) patients had SSI within 30 days of surgery. The incidence of SSI varied between countries with high (691 [9·4%] of 7339 patients), middle (549 [14·0%] of 3918 patients), and low (298 [23·2%] of 1282) HDI (p < 0·001). The highest SSI incidence in each HDI group was after dirty surgery (102 [17·8%] of 574 patients in high-HDI countries; 74 [31·4%] of 236 patients in middle-HDI countries; 72 [39·8%] of 181 patients in low-HDI countries). Following risk factor adjustment, patients in low-HDI countries were at greatest risk of SSI (adjusted odds ratio 1·60, 95% credible interval 1·05–2·37; p=0·030). 132 (21·6%) of 610 patients with an SSI and a microbiology culture result had an infection that was resistant to the prophylactic antibiotic used. Resistant infections were detected in 49 (16·6%) of 295 patients in high-HDI countries, in 37 (19·8%) of 187 patients in middle-HDI countries, and in 46 (35·9%) of 128 patients in low-HDI countries (p < 0·001). Interpretation: Countries with a low HDI carry a disproportionately greater burden of SSI than countries with a middle or high HDI and might have higher rates of antibiotic resistance. In view of WHO recommendations on SSI prevention that highlight the absence of high-quality interventional research, urgent, pragmatic, randomised trials based in LMICs are needed to assess measures aiming to reduce this preventable complication

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

Pooled analysis of WHO Surgical Safety Checklist use and mortality after emergency laparotomy

Background The World Health Organization (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist has fostered safe practice for 10 years, yet its place in emergency surgery has not been assessed on a global scale. The aim of this study was to evaluate reported checklist use in emergency settings and examine the relationship with perioperative mortality in patients who had emergency laparotomy. Methods In two multinational cohort studies, adults undergoing emergency laparotomy were compared with those having elective gastrointestinal surgery. Relationships between reported checklist use and mortality were determined using multivariable logistic regression and bootstrapped simulation. Results Of 12 296 patients included from 76 countries, 4843 underwent emergency laparotomy. After adjusting for patient and disease factors, checklist use before emergency laparotomy was more common in countries with a high Human Development Index (HDI) (2455 of 2741, 89.6 per cent) compared with that in countries with a middle (753 of 1242, 60.6 per cent; odds ratio (OR) 0.17, 95 per cent c.i. 0.14 to 0.21, P <0001) or low (363 of 860, 422 per cent; OR 008, 007 to 010, P <0.001) HDI. Checklist use was less common in elective surgery than for emergency laparotomy in high-HDI countries (risk difference -94 (95 per cent c.i. -11.9 to -6.9) per cent; P <0001), but the relationship was reversed in low-HDI countries (+121 (+7.0 to +173) per cent; P <0001). In multivariable models, checklist use was associated with a lower 30-day perioperative mortality (OR 0.60, 0.50 to 073; P <0.001). The greatest absolute benefit was seen for emergency surgery in low- and middle-HDI countries. Conclusion Checklist use in emergency laparotomy was associated with a significantly lower perioperative mortality rate. Checklist use in low-HDI countries was half that in high-HDI countries.Peer reviewe