Social Cognition and Sense of Belonging among Institutionalized Schizophrenic Patients

Context: Schizophrenia is one of the perilous mental health problems. It hinders the patient's ability to think clearly, make life decisions, manage their emotions, and build healthy relationships.Aim: This study aimed to explore the relationship between social cognition and a sense of belonging among institutionalized schizophrenic patients. Methods: The study used a descriptive research design to achieve the aim of this study. This research was carried out in the inpatient unit of Minia Hospital for Mental Health and Addiction Treatment. A convenient sample of 100 institutionalized schizophrenic patients was recruited in the current study. This study's three tools include socio-demographic and medical data questionnaire, Observable Social Cognition Rating Scale, and Sense of Belonging scale. Results: The main findings of this study revealed that more than three-fourths of schizophrenic patients had low levels of social cognition and a sense of belonging. There was a significant positive relationship between social cognition and the sense of belonging of institutionalized schizophrenic patients.Conclusion: The current study concluded that institutionalized schizophrenic patients have a positive connection between their social cognition and a sense of belonging. Recommendations: The study recommended that schizophrenic patients in a very high need for a psycho-educational program for improving their cognitive abilities, which will improve their social cognition and interaction with others and enhance their sense of belonging

Child Abuse and Aggressive Behavior among Primary School Children

Context: Child abuse considered all forms of physical, emotional, sexual abuse, and neglect. Child abuse is identified to threaten development, health, dignity, or even survival. Many abused children have ongoing troubles with relationships, trust in others, difficulties at school, and exhibiting aggressive behavior or act nasty towards other children and animals.Aim: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between child abuse and aggressive behavior among primary school children. Subjects and methods: A descriptive correlational research design was utilized to achieve the aim of this study. This research was carried out in four schools from an urban and rural area in Minia city. A stratified sample of 150 children in grade six in primary school was recruited in the current study. This study's three tools to collect data include the Socio-demographic Questionnaire, Child Abuse Scale, and Children Aggressive Behavior Scale. Results: The current study revealed that about two-thirds of the sample were girls 65.3%, and more than half of them had high levels of child abuse and aggression at 63.3% & 58.7%, respectively. There was a significant positive correlation between child abuse and aggression among primary school children.Conclusion: The current study concluded that primary school children have a positive connection between child abuse and their aggressive behavior. The study recommended a counseling program for parents and teachers about the negative impact of child abuse and how to deal effectively with child aggression. Teaching parenting strategies such as alternatives to physical punishment is essential in reducing the recurrence of physical abuse, and that this may enhance parental self-management

Examining The Relations between Organizational justice, Turnover and Burnout among Staff Nurses

The aims of study were concerned on to investigate the relationship between organizational justice, burnout and intention to leave of nurses of Minia Hospital. A convenience sample of (46) staff nurses were recruited in the study. Descriptive correlational research design was used in this study. This research was carried out at Minia Hospital for psychological health and addiction. Four tools were used in this study (i) the Personnel characteristics data questionnaire (ii) Burnout scale (iii) Intention to leave (v) Organizational justice. The finding of the present study revealed that there were negative statistically significant correlations between organizational justice and intension turnover and organizational justice, burnout. In addition, there were fair positive statistically significant correlations between intension turnover and burnout. Therefore, it recommended that , it is important for the hospitals to design the strategies to improve their support to minimize the turnover intentions and burnout among staff nurses which may lead to the organizational effectiveness. Keywords: Organizational justice, Turnover, Burnout , Staff Nurse

The Impact of COVID-19 on Intoxication Pattern by Drugs of Abuse in Egypt

Background: Drug abuse is considered a global and growing problem worldwide. Emergency medical care is required for acute intoxication, which adds to the threat of COVID-19. This study aims to evaluate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the pattern of acute toxicity in drug abuse patients admitted to National Environmental and Clinical Toxicology and Research Center (NECTR), Cairo University. Methods: This comparative study included 978 cases admitted to NECTR during 12 months before the COVID-19 pandemic (2018-2019) and 12 months during the pandemic (2020-2021).Results: The number of cases during the pandemic was lower than before; adults and men predominate in both periods. During the pandemic, cannabis, heroin, opium, and alcohol showed a mild increase, while the new synthetic drugs, tramadol, and pregabalin, showed a mild decrease. A significant increase in discharges and a decrease in intensive care unit (ICU) admissions were observed during the pandemic. Besides, more oxygen (O2) therapy was required, and more cases died on mechanical ventilation. The worst outcome was associated with old age, male gender, heroin and opium toxicity, and the highest score of poisoning severity. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic had a definite reforming effect on the pattern of intoxication by drugs of abuse in NECTR, Egypt

Melatonin Enhances the Mitochondrial Functionality of Brown Adipose Tissue in Obese—Diabetic Rats

Developing novel drugs/targets remains a major effort toward controlling obesity-related type 2 diabetes (diabesity). Melatonin controls obesity and improves glucose homeostasis in rodents, mainly via the thermogenic effects of increasing the amount of brown adipose tissue (BAT) and increases in mitochondrial mass, amount of UCP1 protein, and thermogenic capacity. Importantly, mitochondria are widely known as a therapeutic target of melatonin; however, direct evidence of melatonin on the function of mitochondria from BAT and the mechanistic pathways underlying these effects remains lacking. This study investigated the effects of melatonin on mitochondrial functions in BAT of Zücker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats, which are considered a model of obesity-related type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). At five weeks of age, Zücker lean (ZL) and ZDF rats were subdivided into two groups, consisting of control and treated with oral melatonin for six weeks. Mitochondria were isolated from BAT of animals from both groups, using subcellular fractionation techniques, followed by measurement of several mitochondrial parameters, including respiratory control ratio (RCR), phosphorylation coefficient (ADP/O ratio), ATP production, level of mitochondrial nitrites, superoxide dismutase activity, and alteration in the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP). Interestingly, melatonin increased RCR in mitochondria from brown fat of both ZL and ZDF rats through the reduction of the proton leak component of respiration (state 4). In addition, melatonin improved the ADP/O ratio in obese rats and augmented ATP production in lean rats. Further, melatonin reduced mitochondrial nitrosative and oxidative status by decreasing nitrite levels and increasing superoxide dismutase activity in both groups, as well as inhibited mPTP in mitochondria isolated from brown fat. Taken together, the present data revealed that chronic oral administration of melatonin improved mitochondrial respiration in brown adipocytes, while decreasing oxidative and nitrosative stress and susceptibility of adipocytes to apoptosis in ZDF rats, suggesting a beneficial use in the treatment of diabesity. Further research regarding the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of melatonin on diabesity is warranted.SAF2016-79794-R from the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (Spain)European Regional Development Fund (ERDF

Melatonin downregulates the increased hepatic alpha-fetoprotein expression and restores pancreatic beta cells in a streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat model: a clinical, biochemical, immunohistochemical, and descriptive histopathological study

BackgroundDiabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder. Hepatopathy is one of the serious effects of DM Melatonin (MT) is a potent endogenous antioxidant that can control insulin output. However, little information is available about the potential association between melatonin and hepatic alpha-fetoprotein expression in diabetes.ObjectiveThis study was conducted to assess the influence of MT on diabetes-related hepatic injuries and to determine how β-cells of the pancreas in diabetic rats respond to MT administration.Materials and methodsForty rats were assigned to four groups at random (ten animals per group). Group I served as a normal control group. Group II was induced with DM, and a single dose of freshly prepared streptozotocin (45 mg/kg body weight) was intraperitoneally injected. In Group III, rats received 10 mg/kg/day of intraperitoneal melatonin (IP MT) intraperitoneally over a period of 4 weeks. In Group IV (DM + MT), following the induction of diabetes, rats received MT (the same as in Group III). Fasting blood sugar, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and serum insulin levels were assessed at the end of the experimental period. Serum liver function tests were performed. The pancreas and liver were examined histopathologically and immunohistochemically for insulin and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) antibodies, respectively.ResultsMT was found to significantly modulate the raised blood glucose, HbA1c, and insulin levels induced by diabetes, as well as the decreased alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Furthermore, MT attenuated diabetic degenerative changes in the pancreas and the hepatic histological structure, increased the β-cell percentage area, and decreased AFP expression in the liver tissue. It attenuated diabetes-induced hepatic injury by restoring pancreatic β-cells; its antioxidant effect also reduced hepatocyte injury.ConclusionCollectively, the present study confirmed the potential benefits of MT in downregulating the increased hepatic alpha-fetoprotein expression and in restoring pancreatic β-cells in a streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat model, suggesting its promising role in the treatment of diabetes

Melatonin ameliorates serobiochemical alterations and restores the cardio-nephro diabetic vascular and cellular alterations in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Melatonin possesses a wide range of pharmacological activities, including antidiabetic properties. Diabetes mellitus (DM) induces several physiopathological changes in body organs, which could be observed lately after systemic failure. In the current study, we aimed to investigate the serobiochemical changes and the histopathological picture in the diabetic heart and the kidney early before chronic complications and highlight the association between hyperglycemia, glomerular alterations, and cardiovascular changes. In addition, the role of melatonin in the treatment of cardio-nephro diabetic vascular and cellular adverse changes in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats was also studied. A total of 40 mature Wistar albino rats were distributed into five groups; (1) control untreated rats, (2) diabetic mellitus untreated (DM) rats, in which DM was induced by the injection of streptozotocin (STZ), (3) control melatonin-treated (MLT), (4) melatonin-treated diabetic (DM + MLT) rats, in which melatonin was injected (10 mg/kg/day, i.p.) for 4 weeks, and (5) insulin-treated diabetic (DM + INS) rats. The serum biochemical analysis of diabetic STZ rats showed a significant (P < 0.05) increase in the concentrations of blood glucose, total oxidative capacity (TOC), CK-MB, endothelin-1, myoglobin, H-FABP, ALT, AST, urea, and creatinine as compared to control rats. In contrast, there was a significant (P < 0.05) decrease in serum concentration of insulin, total antioxidative capacity (TAC), total nitric oxide (TNO), and total protein level in DM rats vs. the control rats. Significant improvement in the serobiochemical parameters was noticed in both (DM + MLT) and (DM + INS) groups as compared with (DM) rats. The histological examination of the DM group revealed a disorder of myofibers, cardiomyocyte nuclei, and an increase in connective tissue deposits in between cardiac tissues. Severe congestion and dilation of blood capillaries between cardiac muscle fibers were also observed. The nephropathic changes in DM rats revealed various deteriorations in glomeruli and renal tubular cells of the same group. In addition, vascular alterations in the arcuate artery at the corticomedullary junction and interstitial congestion take place. Melatonin administration repaired all these histopathological alterations to near-control levels. The study concluded that melatonin could be an effective therapeutic molecule for restoring serobiochemical and tissue histopathological alterations during diabetes mellitus

Effect of digital detox program on electronic screen syndrome among preparatory school students

Abstract Aim The aim of this study was to determine the digital detox programme's impact on the electronic screen syndrome among preparatory school students. Design A quasi‐experimental pre‐ and posttest group was used. Methods Two preparatory governmental schools. Sample: purposive sample consists of 105 students. Tools: Two tools used for data collection: Student's datasheet and Electronic Screen Addiction Scale. The data collection period took six months, from September 2021 to February 2022. Results The high rate of screen addiction among students dropped to 14.3% in the posttest compared with 20.0% in the pre‐test. Moreover, the students' proportion with moderate screen addiction dropped from 65.7% on the pre‐test to 43.8% on the posttest. Furthermore, screen addiction students with lower levels were about 41.9% in the posttest and 14.3% in the pre‐test. Conclusions There was a highly statistically significant difference between school students' total electronic screen scores in the pre‐ and posttest. A preventive care programme is recommended for high school children and helps raise screen addiction's awareness and its negative consequences. Patient or Public Contribution No patient or public contribution

Sporadic cases of lumpy skin disease among cattle in Sharkia province, Egypt: Genetic characterization of lumpy skin disease virus isolates and pathological findings

Background and Aim: Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is a highly infectious viral disease upsetting cattle, caused by LSD virus (LSDV) within the family Poxviridae. Sporadic cases of LSD have been observed in cattle previously vaccinated with the Romanian sheep poxvirus (SPPV) vaccine during the summer of 2016 in Sharkia province, Egypt. The present study was undertaken to perform molecular characterization of LSDV strains which circulated in this period as well as investigate their phylogenetic relatedness with published reference capripoxvirus genome sequences. Materials and Methods: A total of 82 skin nodules, as well as 5 lymph nodes, were collected from suspect LSD cases, and the virus was isolated in embryonated chicken eggs (ECEs). LSD was confirmed by polymerase chain reactions amplification of the partial and full-length sequences of the attachment and G-protein-coupled chemokine receptor (GPCR) genes, respectively, as well as a histopathological examination of the lesions. Molecular characterization of the LSDV isolates was conducted by sequencing the GPCR gene. Results: Characteristic skin nodules that covered the whole intact skin, as well as lymphadenopathy, were significant clinical signs in all suspected cases. LSDV isolation in ECEs revealed the characteristic focal white pock lesions dispersed on the chorioallantoic membranes. Histopathologic examination showed characteristic eosinophilic intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies within inflammatory cell infiltration. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the LSDV isolates were clustered together with other African and European LSDV strains. In addition, the LSDV isolates have a unique signature of LSDVs (A11, T12, T34, S99, and P199). Conclusion: LSDV infections have been detected in cattle previously vaccinated with Romanian SPPV vaccine during the summer of 2016 and making the evaluation of vaccine efficacy under field conditions necessary

Molecular Characterization of the Newcastle Disease Virus Currently Circulating Among Broiler Chicken Flocks During 2021 in Sharkia Province, Egypt

        Newcastle disease (ND) outbreaks have been occurred in the Egyptian poultry causing high mortalities with severe economic losses. NDV infection of genotype VII has been reported to cause outbreaks in several commercial poultry farms in Egypt. In the present study, NDV was isolated from 6 broiler chicken flocks in Sharkia province suffering from respiratory and/or neurological signs into the allantoic sac of 11-day-old commercial embryonated chicken eggs (ECEs) as well as these isolates were subjected to reverse transcriptase - polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Six isolates (one NDV isolate/each flock) were sequenced to characterize their whole fusion (F) protein gene of NDV. The sequence analysis and phylogenetic study of the six isolates revealed that they were velogenic, belonging to the class II subgenotype NDV VIId with the characteristic amino acid sequences of the F0 protein proteolytic cleavage site motifs (112-RRQKRF-117). As well as the nucleotide blast analysis showed 97.4% - 98.6% nucleotide identity to virulent NDV isolated in Egypt and neighboring countries. On the other hand, the nucleotide blast analysis showed 82.3% - 83% nucleotide identity to reference commercially available vaccine strains. This genetic variation between the commercially available vaccine strains and six studied NDV strains during 2021 may clarify the failure of the currently used vaccines to protect chicken against vNDV subgenotype VIId. Further studies are needed to monitor the protection of the currently used vaccines against recently isolated vNDV strains