Defining the cost of the Egyptian lymphatic filariasis elimination programme

BACKGROUND: Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is targeted for global elimination. LF elimination programmes in different countries, including Egypt, are supported financially by national and international agencies. The national programme in Egypt is based on mass drug administration (MDA) of an annual dose of a combination of 2 drugs (DEC and albendazole) to all endemic villages. This study aimed primarily to estimate the Total and Government costs of two rounds of MDA conducted in Egypt in 2000 and 2001, the average cost per person treated, and the cost share of the different programme partners. METHODS: The Total costs reflect the overall annual costs of the MDA programme, and we defined Government costs as those expenditures made by the Egyptian government to develop, implement and sustain the MDA programmes. We used a generic protocol developed in coordination with the Emory Lymphatic Filariasis Support Center. Our study was concerned with all costs to the government, donors and other implementing parties. Cost data were retrospectively gathered from local, regional and national Ministry of Health and Population records. The total estimates for each governorate were based on data from a representative district for the governorate; these were combined with national programme data for a national estimate. RESULTS: The overall Total and Government costs for treating approximately 1,795,553 individuals living in all endemic villages in the year 2000 were US $3,181,000 and US$2,412,000, respectively. In 2001, the number of persons treated increased (29%) and the Total costs were US $3,109,000 while Government costs were US$2,331,000. In 2000, the average Total and Government costs per treated subject were US $1.77 and$1.34, respectively, however, these costs decreased to US $1.34 and$1.00, respectively in 2001. The coverage rate was 86.0% in 2000 and it increased to 88.0% in 2001. CONCLUSION: The Egyptian government provided 75.8% of all resources, as reflected in the Total cost estimates, and international agencies contributed the rest. Such data highlight both the commitment of the Egyptian government and the significance of the contributions of international bodies toward the LF elimination programme

Application of various water soluble polymers in gas hydrate inhibition

Formation of hydrates in gas transmission lines due to high pressures and low temperatures is a serious problem in the oil and gas industry with potential hazards and/or economic losses. Kinetic hydrate inhibitors are water soluble polymeric compounds that prevent or delay hydrate formation. This review presents the various types of water soluble polymers used for hydrate inhibition, including conventional and novel polymeric inhibitors along with their limitations. The review covers the relevant properties of vinyl lactam, amide, dendrimeric, fluorinated, and natural biodegradable polymers. The factors affecting the performance of these polymers and the structure-property relationships are reviewed. A comprehensive review of the techniques used to evaluate the performance of the polymeric inhibitors is given. This review also addresses recent developments, current and future challenges, and field applications of a range of polymeric kinetic hydrate inhibitors. 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.This research is supported by Saudi Aramco through project # CPM 2297. Authors would like to thank the Center for Integrative Petroleum Research , King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals for supporting this research.Scopu

Radon Concentration in the Work Atmosphere of Cement Plants in the Sulaymaniyah Area, Iraq

This work reports the radon concentration level in the work environment of cement plants (CPs) located in the Sulaymaniyah city-North of Iraq. This survey for the radon concentration is performed in 24 sectors of three different CPs including Tasluja, Mass, and Bazian. The measurements were recorded using solid state nuclear track detector (CR-39 NTDs). The radon effective dose μSv/hr correlated weakly with the gamma effective dose μSv/hr to enhance the radon concentration measuring. The detector was fixed in different places of the plants such Crusher, Correction stores, Raw Mill (Grinding Mill), Preheater (Tower), Clinker, and Cement Storage. The arithmetic mean (AM) value of radon concentration (Ca) was found to be 98 ± 9, 101 ± 10, and 125 ± 10 Bq m−3 and the arithmetic mean value of annual effective dose (E) of radon was 0.767, 0.753, and 0.962 mSv y−1 for Tasluja, Mass, and Bazian CPs, respectively. The maximum values of about 222 ± 20 Bq m−3 and 1.402 mSv y−1, respectively, in sector III (Grinding) at Bazian CP. The achieved results reveal that the maximum value of radon concentration in all sectors of the CPs is below the international standard value (300 Bq m−3) of both the World Health Organization and International Commission on Radiological Protection

In vitro differentiation of human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells into functioning hepatocytes

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were isolated by gradient density centrifugation from umbilical cord blood. Spindle-shaped adherent cells were permitted to grow to 70% confluence in primary culture media which was reached by day 12. Induction of differentiation started by culturing cells with differentiation medium containing FGF-4 and HGF. Under hepatogenic conditions few cuboidal cells appeared in culture on day 7. From day 21 to day 28, most of cells became small and round. The control negative cells cultured in serum free media showed fibroblast-like morphology. Urea production and protein secretion by the differentiated hepatocyte-like cells were detected on day 21 and increased on day 28. Protein was significantly increased in comparison with control by day 28. The cells became positive for AFP at day 7 and positive cells could still be detected at days 21 and 28. The cells in the control group were stained negative for AFP. The cells expressed albumin gene at the 14th day that became markedly increased at the 28th day of culture with HGF and FGF-4. No albumin expression was observed in the 7th day sample and the control. This study demonstrated that UCB-derived MSCs had the ability to differentiate into functioning hepatocyte-like cells starting from the 7th day after culturing under hepatogenic conditions and became well functioning at days 21 and 28. These data indicated that UCB-derived MSCs can be a promising source of cell therapy for intractable liver diseases.Keywords: Umbilical cord blood; Mesenchymal stem cells; Culture; Hepatocytes; HGF; FGF-

Draft Genome Sequence of Photorhabdus luminescens Strain BA1, an Entomopathogenic Bacterium Isolated from Nematodes Found in Egypt

Photorhabdus luminescens strain BA1 is an entomopathogenic bacterium that forms a symbiotic association with Heterorhabditis nematodes. We report here a 5.0-Mbp draft genome sequence for P. luminscens strain BA1, with a G+C content of 42.46% and 4,250 candidate protein-coding genes

Draft Genome Sequence of Photorhabdus temperata Strain Meg1, an Entomopathogenic Bacterium Isolated from Heterorhabditis megidis Nematodes

Photorhabdus temperata strain Meg1 is an entomopathogenic bacterium that forms a symbiotic association with Heterorhabditis nematodes. We report here a 4.9-Mbp draft genome sequence for P. temperata strain Meg1, with a G+C content of 43.18% and containing 4,340 candidate protein-coding genes

Metabolic reactions during thermal stress (35 degrees to 95 degrees F.) in dairy animals acclimated at 50 degrees and 80 degrees F.

This bulletin is a report on the Department of Dairy Husbandry research project no. 125, 'Climatic Factors'--P. [4].Digitized 2007 AES.Includes bibliographical references (pages 100-114)

Post-transplant anemia in pediatric patients and its impact on patient and graft survival: single center experience

Introduction: Post-transplantation anemia (PTA)occurs frequently, with prevalence rates between 20and 60% depending on the criteria used for defininganemia.Aim of the work: We aimed to assess the prevalenceof anemia after 6 months of transplantation inpediatric renal transplant patients under differentprotocols of immunosuppression, and to determinethe impact of anemia upon long-term patient andgraft survival.Patients and methods: Based on the data of 108renal transplants performed in our center, patientswere categorized after 6 months according to theirhemoglobin (Hb) levels into two groups. The firstgroup with Hb more than 11gm/dl (group I, 29cases) and the second group with Hb lessthan11gm/dl (group II, 79cases). We compared thetwo groups regarding post transplant complications(rejection episodes, hypertension, diabetes mellitus,infections, hepatic dysfunction, and patient andgraft survival.Results: we found no significant difference betweenthe two groups regarding rejection episodes.However, the percentage of cases with chronicallograft nephropathy was significantly higher in the anemic group. The survivors with functioning graftswere significantly higher in cases with normal Hb.Moreover, living cases with graft failure weresignificantly higher in anemic group. Graft survivalrate was better in the non anemic group. However,no difference in patient survival was detected. Also,we found no difference between the two groupsregarding post-transplant complications.Conclusions: From this study, we can conclude thatthe prevalence of post-transplant anemia is highpediatric renal transplant patients especially thosereceiving CNI and MMF, and it was associated withpoorer graft outcome but no effect on patientsurvival

The effect of compliance on the impact of mass drug administration for elimination of lymphatic filariasis in Egypt

We studied effects of compliance on the impact of mass drug administration (MDA) with diethylcarbamazine and albendazole for lymphatic filariasis (LF) in an Egyptian village. Baseline microfilaremia (mf) and filarial antigenemia rates were 11.5% and 19.0%, respectively. The MDA compliance rates were excellent (> 85%). However, individual compliance was highly variable; 7.4% of those surveyed after five rounds of MDA denied having ever taken the medications and 52.4% reported that they had taken all five doses. The mf and antigenemia rates were 0.2% and 2.7% in those who reported five doses of MDA and 8.3% and 13.8% in those who reported zero doses. There was no significant difference in residual infection rates among those who had taken two or more doses. These results underscore the importance of compliance for LF elimination programs based on MDA and suggest that two ingested doses of MDA are as effective as five doses for reducing filariasis infection rates