Aromatherapy as Complementary Medicine

Aromatherapy is the practice of using the natural oils extracted from bark, flowers, stems, roots, leaves, or other parts of a plant to enhance psychological and physical well-being. It is a type of complementary medicine that uses volatile oils and other aromatic compounds with the aim of changing a person’s mind and mood. Volatile oils are hydrophobic in nature. Essential oils are extracted by different methods as steam distillation. Some evidence exists that volatile oils may have therapeutic potential. Volatile oils are often absorbed through the skin, where they travel through the bloodstream and might promote whole-body healing. Essential oils are showing a spread of applications, including pain treatments, enhancement of mood, and increased cognitive function. Essential oils are available in a large number, each with its own healing properties

Terminal complement complex C5b-9 and C5b assay in sera of COVID-19 patients with different disease severities

Objective: The aim of this study is to find out the link between the involvement of complement activation in the inflammatory reactions in COVID-19 patients, the deterioration of the clinical status and development of sever COVID-19 in those patients. Methodology: The study included 274 COVID-19 patients, divided into three groups; group1: severe COVID-19 patients (n=37), group 2; moderate COVID-19 severity patients (n=78), group 3; mild COVID-19 severity patients (n=159). Serum levels of C-reactive protein, D-dimer, and ferritin were measured in the three patient groups, and the patients were subjected to CT chest imaging.  Serum levels of the tested biomarkers were measured by ELISA at diagnosis. Results: Sever COVID-19 patients had higher serum levels of ferritin and D-dimer in comparison to patients with moderate and mild severity COVID-19 with statistically significant difference (p < /em> value 0.01 and 0.02 respectively). There was a significant elevation in the serum levels IL-6 and TNF-α in severe COVID-19 patients (488.5±112.2 and 159.6±38.3 respectively) versus moderate (206.07±53.3 and 93.5±39.5) and mild group (200.9± 52.27 and 52.9±23) respectively, (p < /em> value < 0.001). There was also a significant elevation of C5b and C5b-9 serum levels in severe COVID-19 patients (18.6±10.3 and 73.25±7.35) compared to moderate (14.11±15.6 and 143.6±170) and mild COVID-19 groups (76± 11.32 and 3.9± 3.03) respectively. Conclusion: We conclude that the severity of inflammation presented in elevated neutrophil counts and serum levels of inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF in association with sever complement activation are implicated in severity and bad prognosis of COVID-19

The Black Seed Nigella sativa Linnaeus - A Mine for Multi Cures: A Plea for Urgent Clinical Evaluation of its Volatile Oil

AbstractThis review almost covers what is actually known to date about the black seed and its constituents. It is clear that most of the potent and fruitful activity resides in its volatile oil and a protein component. However, the volatile oil suffers the drawback of the bronhoconstricting effect of thymoquinone. However, the latter can be easily removed from the oil to obtain a dethymoquinoneated oil that has already been shown to possess the major characteristics of the whole oil. At this moment there are a lot of experimental data that hopefully, may stimulate the beginning of the era of pilot clinical studies to evaluate the clinical potential of the volatile oil, some of the protein fractions and the dethymoquinoneated volatile oil. It is hoped that this plea will have a rapid response

Decision-Making in Fuzzy Environment: A Survey

Multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) is a crucial process in many business and management applications. The final decision is based upon the relative weights to the decision-making team. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) has found to be one of the most successful approaches for evaluations of the weights and the importance of the criteria. However, most of the evaluated values are not so precise due to the fuzziness of the evaluating environment. This chapter surveys essentially the basic analytic hierarchy process and the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP). It depicts through an example the steps for using the original analytic hierarchy process for two levels of criteria. Then, it uses the same example to explain the fuzzy approach in the evaluation. Finally, it compares both approaches

Reading Body Posture: The Action Mechanism to Achieve Lively Urban Public Spaces the Lived Experience on Alexandria Corniche

Abstract: Urban open spaces help to improve air and water quality, improve public health, afford recreation and respite, in addition to enhancing cities' economy and vitality. In urban open spaces, planning and designing of physical facilities that include sitting, food, retailing and toilets have a great impact on the workability and appeal of such spaces. Refuge symbols, or more clearly benches and other sitting and resting elements, are the most vital aspects that encourage people to use urban open spaces. The issue of how to design and locate refuge symbols is inherent in focusing on people, understanding their posture and positioning. Therefore, this paper aims at interpreting body posture and positioning in relation to demographic variety; consequently, it suggests quality criteria for sitting elements in order to create lively urban spaces

Serum selenoprotein P in lean and obese Egyptian individuals and its relation to insulin resistance

Background: Obesity is a major health problem with increasing prevalence and directly contributes to the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Selenoprotein P (Se P) is a novel hepatokine that affects glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism, and correlating with insulin resistance, inflammation, and atherosclerosis. Plasma Se P level is one of the promising biomarkers for predictions or diagnoses/prognoses of the diseases.Objective: Evaluating the serum level of Selenoprotein P in overweight, obese, and lean individuals and its relation to insulin resistance and cardiometabolic parameters.Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Outpatient Endocrinology Clinics, Internal Medicine Department, Menoufia University Hospitals on 90 individuals that were divided into two groups: (group I) 50 overweight and obese individuals (with body mass index (BMI) in the range 25.0–29.9 kg/m2 and ≥30.0 kg/m2, respectively) and (group II) 40 lean individuals with BMI in the range (18.5–24.9) kg/m2. All subjects were subjected to detailed history taking, clinical examination, and laboratory investigations including fasting and 2 hours postprandial blood sugar, lipid profile, fasting serum insulin level, Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), and serum Se P.Results: Se P concentrations were significantly increased in overweight and obese group than lean group (p < 0.001). Se P concentration was related to various cardio-metabolic parameters. In overweight and obese group there was a significant positive correlation between serum Selenoprotein p level and waist circumference (WC) (r −0.453, p <0.001), hip circumference (HC) (r = 0.464, p < 0.001), waist-hip ratio (WHR) (r −0.506, p < 0.001), visceral adiposity index (VAI) (r = 0.323, p = 0.022), fasting serum insulin (r = 0.585, p < 0.001), and HOMA-IR (r = 0.570, p < 0.001).Conclusion: Circulating Se P concentrations is elevated in obesity and related to insulin resistance, visceral adiposity, and atherogenic index of plasma

Caracterización de endemismos mediterráneos en la flora egipcia

The Mediterranean Basin is the world’s second richest hotspot, and one of the most important locations on the planet for endemic taxa. However, there is no available up-to-date list of Mediterranean endemics. Available data are frequently insufficient or outdated. Therefore, this study aimed at delimiting the Mediterranean floristic region in Egypt, screening its Mediterranean endemics, and determining their habitats, life forms, flowering periods, dispersal types and phyto-geographical distribution. From a list of 275 Mediterranean endemic taxa in Egypt compiled from literature, this study reduced it to 57 taxa (including species, subspecies and varieties; 20.7%) belonging to 46 genera and 22 families. Fifteen major habitats harbored Mediterranean endemics in Egypt, with coastal dunes (17 taxa = 29.8%) and non-saline depressions (16 taxa = 28.1%) being the most represented. Moreover, the Mareotis (west) subsector was the richest (46 taxa = 80.7%). The largest number of taxa was recorded in North African sub-region (52 taxa = 91.2%), followed by Eastern (levant) sub-region (36 taxa = 63.2%). Therophytes were the most recorded life form, while ballochory was the most represented dispersal type. In conclusion, it is crucial to shed the light on Mediterranean endemics and provide an up-to-date documented database to help future management plan that support their conservation and sustainable use.La cuenca Mediterránea es el segundo hotspot más rico del mundo y uno de los lugares más importantes del planeta en taxones endémicos. Sin embargo, no existe una lista actualizada de taxones endémicos mediterráneos. Los datos disponibles son frecuentemente insuficientes o están desactualizados. Por tanto, nuestro objetivo fue delimitar la región florística mediterránea en Egipto, seleccionar sus plantas endémicas mediterráneas y determinar sus hábitats, formas de vida, periodos de floración, tipos de dispersión y distribución fitogeográfica. Partiendo de una lista preliminar de 275 taxones endémicos del Mediterráneo presentes en Egipto recopilada de la bibliografía, este estudio redujo ese número a 57 taxones (incluyendo especies, subespecies y variedades; 20.7%) pertenecientes a 46 géneros y 22 familias. Las plantas endémicas mediterráneas de Egipto viven en quince hábitats principales, siendo los más representativos las dunas costeras (17 taxones = 29.8%) y las depresiones no salinas (16 taxones = 28.1%). El subsector Mareotis (al oeste) fue el más rico (46 taxones = 80.7%), mientras que el mayor número de taxones se registró en la subregión del norte de África (52 taxones = 91.2%), seguida de la subregión del este (levante) (36 taxones = 63.2%). Los terófitos fueron la forma vital más registrada y la balocoria el tipo de dispersión más común. En conclusión, es crucial arrojar luz sobre las plantas endémicas del Mediterráneo y proporcionar una base de datos documentada y actualizada que ayude a planificar una gestión futura que promueva su conservación y uso sostenible

Consanguinity and its relevance to clinical genetics

Consanguineous marriages have been practiced since the early existence of modern humans. Until now, consanguinity is widely practiced in several global communities with variable rates. The present study was undertaken to analyze the effect of consanguinity on different types of genetic diseases and child morbidity and mortality. Patients were grouped according to the types of genetic errors into four groups: Group I: Chromosomal and microdeletion syndromes. Group II: Single gene disorders. Group III: Multifactorial disorders. Group IV: Diseases of different etiologies. Consanguineous marriage was highly significant in 54.4% of the studied group compared to 35.3% in the control group (P < 0.05). Consanguineous marriages were represented in 31.4%, 7.1%, 0.8%, 6%, 9.1% among first cousins, one and a half cousins, double first cousins, second cousins and remote relatives respectively in the studied group. Comparison between genetic diseases with different modes of inheritance showed that recessive and multifactorial disorders had the highest values of consanguinity (78.8%, 69.8%, respectively), while chromosomal disorders had the lowest one (29.1%). Consanguineous marriage was recorded in 51.5% of our cases with autosomal dominant diseases and in 31% of cases with X linked diseases, all cases of mental retardation (100%) and in 92.6% of patients with limb anomalies (P < 0.001). Stillbirths, child deaths and recurrent abortions were significantly increased among consanguineous parents (80.6%, 80%, 67%) respectively than among non consanguineous parents. In conclusion, consanguineous marriage is significantly higher in many genetic diseases which suggests that couples may have deleterious lethal genes, inherited from common ancestor and when transmitted to their offsprings, they can lead to prenatal, neonatal, child morbidity or mortality. So public health education and genetic counseling are highly recommended in our community.Keywords: Consanguinity; Chromosomal abnormality; Genetic counseling; Child death; HomozygosityThe Egyptian Journal of Medical Human Genetics (2013) 14, 157–16

Characterization of Mediterranean endemics in the Egyptian flora

The Mediterranean Basin is the world’s second richest hotspot, and one of the most important locations on the planet for endemic taxa. However, there is no available up-to-date list of Mediterranean endemics. Available data are frequently insufficient or outdated. Therefore, this study aimed at delimiting the Mediterranean floristic region in Egypt, screening its Mediterranean endemics, and determining their habitats, life forms, flowering periods, dispersal types and phyto-geographical distribution. From a list of 275 Mediterranean endemic taxa in Egypt compiled from literature, this study reduced it to 57 taxa (including species, subspecies and varieties; 20.7%) belonging to 46 genera and 22 families. Fifteen major habitats harbored Mediterranean endemics in Egypt, with coastal dunes (17 taxa = 29.8%) and non-saline depressions (16 taxa = 28.1%) being the most represented. Moreover, the Mareotis (west) subsector was the richest (46 taxa = 80.7%). The largest number of taxa was recorded in North African sub-region (52 taxa = 91.2%), followed by Eastern (levant) sub-region (36 taxa = 63.2%). Therophytes were the most recorded life form, while ballochory was the most represented dispersal type. In conclusion, it is crucial to shed the light on Mediterranean endemics and provide an up-to-date documented database to help future management plan that support their conservation and sustainable use

Cut-Off Values of Anthropometric Indices for the Prediction of Hypertension in a Sample of Egyptian Adults

Background: Obesity, particularly abdominal adiposity, is closely associated with premature atherosclerosis and many metabolic modifications including insulin resistance dyslipidemia hypertension and diabetes. Cut-off values for abdominal obesity predicting future cardiovascular disease are known to be population specific.Objective: To identify cut-off points of some anthropometric measurements (BMI, WC, WHR and WHtR) that associated with hypertension in a sample of Egyptian adults.Subjects and Methods: This is a cross-sectional analysis. The blood pressure of 5550 Egyptian adults was measured (2670 females – 2880 males).The subjects represented different geographic localities and different social classes. Anthropometric measurements including height, weight, waist circumferences, and hip circumferences were also measured by practitioners.Results: The cut-off values to detect hypertension in females were 30.08 for BMI, 87.75 for WC , 0.81 for WHR and 0.65 for WHtR, and the corresponding sensitivity and specificity were 69.1; 60.7- 80.9; 48.6 -65.3; 53.4 and 61.4; 58.9, respectively. The cut-off values to detect hypertension in males were 27.98 for BMI, 95.75 for WC, 0.92 for WHR, and 0.57 for WHtR and the corresponding sensitivity and specificity were 62.8; 59.9 -71.9; 51.9 -64.6; 55.8 and 59.7; 55.8, respectively.Conclusion: The BMI, Waist circumference, WHR and WHtR values can predict the presence of hypertension risk in adult Egyptians