Flow of shear response functions in hyperscaling violating Lifshitz theories

We study the flow equations of the shear response functions for hyperscaling violating Lifshitz (hvLif) theories, with Lifshitz and hyperscaling violating exponents $z$ and $\theta$. Adapting the membrane paradigm approach of analysing response functions as developed by Iqbal and Liu, we focus specifically on the shear gravitational modes which now are coupled to the perturbations of the background gauge field. Restricting to the zero momenta sector, we make further simplistic assumptions regarding the hydrodynamic expansion of the perturbations. Analysing the flow equations shows that the shear viscosity at leading order saturates the Kovtun-Son-Starinets (KSS) bound of $\frac{1}{4\pi}$. When $z=d_i-\theta$, ($d_i$ being the number of spatial dimension in the dual field theory) the first-order correction to shear viscosity exhibits logarithmic scaling, signalling the emergence of a scale in the UV regime for this class of hvLif theories. We further show that the response function associated to the gauge field perturbations diverge near the boundary when $z>d_i+2-\theta$. This provides a holographic understanding of the origin of such a constraint and further vindicates results obtained in previous works that were obtained through near horizon and quasinormal mode analysis.Comment: Includes new subsection on Markovianity index and breakdown of hydrodynamic expansion; Matches with published version; 19 + 3 page

Dexamethasone Attenuates Hyperexcitability Provoked by Experimental Febrile Status Epilepticus.

The role of neuroinflammation in the mechanisms of epilepsy development is important because inflammatory mediators provide tractable targets for intervention. Inflammation is intrinsically involved in the generation of childhood febrile seizures (FSs), and prolonged FS [febrile status epilepticus (FSE)] precedes a large proportion of adult cases of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). As TLE is often refractory to therapy and is associated with serious cognitive and emotional problems, we investigated whether its development can be prevented using anti-inflammatory strategies. Using an immature rat model of FSE [experimental FSE (eFSE)], we administered dexamethasone (DEX), a broad anti-inflammatory agent, over 3 d following eFSE. We assessed eFSE-provoked hippocampal network hyperexcitability by quantifying the presence, frequency, and duration of hippocampal spike series, as these precede and herald the development of TLE-like epilepsy. We tested whether eFSE provoked hippocampal microgliosis, astrocytosis, and proinflammatory cytokine production in male and female rats and investigated blood-brain barrier (BBB) breaches as a potential contributor. We then evaluated whether DEX attenuated these eFSE sequelae. Spike series were not observed in control rats given vehicle or DEX, but occurred in 41.6% of eFSE-vehicle rats, associated with BBB leakage and elevated hippocampal cytokines. eFSE did not induce astrocytosis or microgliosis but provoked BBB disruption in 60% of animals. DEX significantly reduced spike series prevalence (to 7.6%) and frequency, and abrogated eFSE-induced cytokine production and BBB leakage (to 20%). These findings suggest that a short, postinsult intervention with a clinically available anti-inflammatory agent potently attenuates epilepsy-predicting hippocampal hyperexcitability, potentially by minimizing BBB disruption and related neuroinflammation

Use of antibiotics for asthma attacks in Egyptian children

Background: Bacterial infection plays a negligible role in pediatric acute asthma attacks. However, many patients are treated empirically with antibiotics.Objective: This study attempted to investigate the problem of antibiotic usage as a part of treatment of acute asthma among children living in Egypt.Methods: The current exploratory study included a random sample of 300 children visiting the allergy clinic, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University from September 2016 to September 2017. A study researcher applied a validated questionnaire to the child's parents about usage of antibiotics.Results: Most families belonged to the low or middle social class. About 65.7% of children had sub-optimal asthma control, 73.7% experienced acute attacks, with over half of them (51%) receiving antibiotics; 41.8% of those who received antibiotics were self-medicated. Over 90% reused previous prescriptions. Main single reasons for resorting to self-medication were to save money and the assumption that previous prescriptions can be reused. About 45.3% expressed intention to employ self-medication in the future. Low social class was associated with significantly higher odds of resorting to self-medication (odds ratio=3.32;p=0.05).Conclusion: A remarkable antibiotic use was detected among children who had acute asthma, a large proportion of which was without medical consultation. Family social class was an independent predictor for adopting self-medication.Keywords: Asthma, attacks, antibiotics, Egyptian, children

Efficiently correlating complex events over live and archived data streams

Correlating complex events over live and archived data streams, which we call Pattern Correlation Queries (PCQs), provides many benefits for domains which need real-time forecasting of events or identification of causal dependencies, while handling data at high rates and in massive amounts, like in financial or medical settings. Existing work has focused either on complex event processing over a single type of stream source (i.e., either live or archived), or on simple stream correlation queries (e.g., live events trigerring a database lookup). In this paper, we specifically focus on recency-based PCQs and provide clear, useful, and optimizable semantics for them. PCQs raise a number of challenges in optimizing data management and query processing, which we address in the setting of the DejaVu complex event processing system. More specifically, we propose three complementary optimizations including recent in-put buffering, query result caching, and join source ordering. Fur-thermore, we capture the relevant query processing tradeoffs in a cost model. An extensive performance study on synthetic and real-life data sets not only validates this cost model, but also shows that our optimizations are very effective, achieving more than two orders magnitude throughput improvement and much better scala-bility compared to a conventional approach

Knowledge, attitude and practice of Tanta University medical students towards hepatitis B and C

Background: Egypt lies among the world’s highest prevalence rates of HCV and intermediate levels of HBV infection. The objectives of the study were detection of the knowledge, attitude and practice of Medical Students of Tanta University towards hepatitis B and C.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study, conducted in The Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Egypt; from 15th October 2013 to 15th of January 2014.Results: The study included 185 Students; their ages ranged between 17 to 28 years with a mean 20±1.731years. Sixty percent of students were males and 65% were urban residents. 50.8% of the participants were in the basic level of the academic study. More than half (57.85%) of the participants had sufficient knowledge, 77.3% of them had a positive attitude towards hepatitis C and B and more than two-thirds (68.1%) showed good practice. A significant association occurred between a positive attitude and good practice. Sufficient knowledge was significantly recorded among older students, females, urban residents and the clinical stage students. The most frequent sources of student information were family or friends, internet followed by TV or radio, healthcare workers, and newspapers.Conclusions: The students had reasonable knowledge, positive attitude and good practices towards B and C viral hepatitis. Areas of insufficient knowledge needed to be reinforced included some modes of transmission, complications, and treatment for B and C viral hepatitis

FORMULATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF TOPICAL ANTI ACNE FORMULATION OF SPIRULINA EXTRACT

Objective: The objective of this research was to formulate and evaluate anti-acne ointment of C-phycocyanin(C-PC) extracted from spirulina.Methods: C-PC was successfully extracted from spirulina by using sonication and cold-maceration process and further purified by dialysis method. By employing disc diffusion and agar dilution method, antimicrobial activity and minimum inhibitory concentration(MIC) of C-PC as determined against Propionibacterium acne (P. acne) and Staphylococcus epidermidis(S. epidermidis). Further, the two different formulations were prepared by using water soluble and oleaginous bases, and the formulations were characterized for particle size, viscosity, pH, consistency, drug diffusion, antimicrobial activity, and antioxidant effect and stability studies.Results: C-PC showed MIC value of 1.5±0.1 mg/ml and 1.8±0.2 mg/ml against P. acne and S. epidermidis respectively. The developed formulation had a globule diameter of 5.44 mm, pH of 6.8±0.09, the viscosity of 175±0.2cps, spreadability of an 8.6±0.12g. cm/sec and had good consistency. Both formulations were found stable among which, formulation B(FB) had maximum drug content of 95±0.6% and drug release was up to 92±0.8%.Conclusion: The prepared topical C-PC ointment can be successfully employed in the treatment of acneagainstP. acne and S. epidermidis

Hepatoprotective effect of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) on CCl4-induced liver fibrosis in rats

The hepatoprotective effect of basil (Ocimum basilicum) extract against liver fibrosis-induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) was studied in rats. Rats were allocated into five groups: Group I (control group); Group II [CCl4 group; rats were injected subcutaneously with CCl4 (1 ml/kg b.w.) twice weekly for 4 weeks (phenobarbital, 350 mg/L, was added to the drinking water throughout the experiment)]; Group III received daily oral doses of basil extract of 200 mg/kg b.w. along with CCl4 and phenobarbital for 6 weeks; Groups IV and V rats were treated with phenobarbital and CCl4 for 6 weeks then treated daily with oral dose of 200 mg/kg b.w basil extract, or by 300 mg/kg b.w dimethyl diphenyl bicarboxylate (DDB), respectively for 6 weeks. Basil-treatment significantly reduced the liver content of hydroxyproline and significantly increased the activity of hyaluronidase (HAase). The hepatic activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) was stimulated while the lipid peroxidation was significantly reduced by the effect of basil extract. Treatment with CCl4 significantly increased the activities of transaminases [aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT)], and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). These activities were significantly decreased by basil extract. The higher levels of serum urea and creatinine in CCl4 group were significantly guarded by the protection of basil.Key words: Carbon tetrachloride, liver fibrosis, antioxidant, Ocimum basilicum, dimethyl diphenyl bicarboxylate

A possible optical counterpart of the X-ray source NuSTARJ053449+2126.0

In this work, we report the observation of a possible optical counterpart to the recently discovered X-ray source NuSTAR J053449+2126.0. To search for an optical counterpart of NuSTAR J053449+2126.0 (J0534 in short), we observed the source with the 1.5-m Telescope (RTT150). Using the B, V, R, and I images of J0534, we detected the possible optical counterpart of J0534 and determined, based on our spectral analysis, the source distance for the first time. J0534 could be a high-redshift member of an Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN) sub-group identified as a quasar. Our analysis favours an accreting black hole of mass $\sim 7\times 10^8 M_{\odot}$ as a power supply for the quasar in J0534. Further observations in optical and other wavelengths are needed to confirm its nature.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure

Comparative analysis of maternal and neonatal outcomes between elective and emergency caesarean section at a single tertiary hospital: a retrospective COHORT study

Background: Caesarean section rates have been increasing worldwide despite it’s known complications. The aim of this study was to determine maternal and neonatal complications related to caesarean section at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH) and to compare the outcomes between emergency and elective caesarean sections. Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at SQUH from 1st January 2016 to 31st December 2016. This comparative study involved 300 women who underwent caesarean section, 150 in elective caesarean section group and 150 in emergency caesarean section group. Results: The mean maternal age was 29.66 (±4.96) and 33.22 (±4.63) years in the elective and emergency caesarean section groups respectively (p=001). The main risk factor for both the groups was maternal diabetes and the most common indication was previous caesarean section. Hypotension related anesthetic complication was noted more in elective caesarean section (15.3%) than in emergency caesarean section group (4.0%) with p value=0.002. Post-partum fever was seen in 12.0% of women in emergency group as compared to 4% in elective group (p=0.019). Anemia was observed in 79.2% and 65.3% in emergency and elective groups respectively (p=0.011). Respiratory distress syndrome and transient tachypnea of the newborn were the main neonatal complications in both groups. Conclusions: There was no significant difference between emergency and elective caesarean section related maternal and neonatal complications except for transient intraoperative hypotension, maternal postoperative febrile morbidity and anemia. Future prospective studies including larger sample size and multiple centers is recommended.

FOXO3a gene polymorphism and bronchial asthma in Egyptian children INTRODUCTION Bronchial asthma is the most prevalent chronic immunological disorder in childhood period. It is characterized by airways inflammation and bronchial hyper-responsiveness where

Background: FOXO3a proteins play multiple crucial roles in immune response. FOXO3 inhibits T cell proliferation, induces T cell apoptosis via upregulation of proapoptotic proteins and it suppresses T cell activation preventing autoimmunity. The role of FOXO3a gene in the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma has been studied in few ethnic groups and revealed its implication in asthma pathogenesis.Objectives: The aim of the current study is to detect the association between single nucleotide polymorphism of the FOXO3a gene (rs13217795) and bronchial asthma, atopy and asthma severity in Egyptian children.Methods: The current cross-sectional case-control study was performed on 75 asthmatic children aged 2 to 12 years following up in the pulmonology outpatient clinic in Children's hospital, Cairo University and 75 age and sex matched healthy controls. Candidates were subjected to clinical evaluation in addition to genotyping for the FOXO3a gene polymorphism using PCR-RFLP technique.Results: The highest frequency was for the heterozygous type CT in both cases and controls groups. The genotype frequencies of mutant type TT for cases and controls were 12 % and 16% respectively, and the T allele frequencies were 37.2% in cases and 46.7% in the control group while CC genotype was present in 37.3% of asthmatic patients and 22.6% in the controls and the C allele was detected in 62.8% and 53.3% for cases and controls respectively. No statistically significant differences were observed between asthmatic patients and controls regarding the different genotypes of the FOXO3a gene polymorphism (p=0.161). No significant association was detected between the different genotypes of the FOXO3a gene polymorphism and the atopic status (p=0.536) or the different grades of asthma severity (p= 0.545).Conclusions: The study of FOXO3a gene polymorphism (rs13217795) in asthmatic Egyptian children revealed low frequency of the mutant TT genotype among cases and controls. In the current study, FOXO3a polymorphism has no role in the pathogenesis of asthma or atopy. Moreover, it has no relation to degree of disease severity.Keywords: Asthma, FOXO3a, gene, children, Egyptian, polymorphis