Relation of Leptin Gene Polymorphism to the Circulating Leptin, Insulin, Estradiol, and Progesterone Hormones in Mares with High Rump Fat

Equine metabolic syndrome is a growing concern usually associated with increased insulin and leptin concentrations. To investigate the relations of obesity determined by measuring the rump fat (RF) with ovarian hormones, leptin, and leptin gene polymorphism, cyclic mares (n=36) were categorized based on RF thickness estimated by the ultrasonography and body condition score (BCS) into obese (RF>5mm; BCS >5), moderate (RF>3≤5 mm;BCS >3≤5) and lean animals (RF<3mm; BCS<3). The circulating estradiol, progesterone, insulin, and leptin were analyzed. The polymorphism of the leptin gene was performed and compared for obese, moderate and lean mares. Depending on increased RF, the obesity was associated with increased BCS (P<0.0001) and leptin (P<0.0001), insulin (P<0.01), and P4 (P<0.0001). Obese mares of leptin genotype BB had the highest leptin (1146±420 pg/ml), insulin (7.42±0.89 μU/l) and progesterone (22.69±9.34 ng/ml), but minimum estradiol (101±54 pg/ml) concentrations. Mares of leptin genotype AA had the highest RF (P<0.0001). The interaction of leptin genotype and obesity had affected RF and all hormone concentrations with no significant effect on the BCS. In conclusion, obesity in cyclic mares altered ovarian hormones, insulin and leptin concentrations. The hyperleptinemia, and hyperinsulinemia were associated with the leptin genotype BB but neither to the adiposity (RF) nor BCS

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

Energy Efficiency as a tool to improve buildings behavoir In Egypt. A frame work to achive low energy buildings locally.

Sustainable development goals for 2030 depending on how to create abetter life for pepole  including all parameters which affect human  to avoid the negative impacts  of climate change  which can destroy life on our plante.Saving energy is one of the main global problems, and buidings are one of the influences on energy consumption. It is a must to solve this problem by identifiy the causes which  includinng the building features, operation process  and the impact of its occupants . On the other hand, clarify permanent solutions according to modern concepts and techniques which can help to solve it locally.The study attempts to clarify human, nature environment and built environment impacts , in indicating how  building Play an active role in achieving virous stages of energy consumption or production  to adress the enegy effeciency importance.This paper discusses this issues and gives recommendations and proposals on how to solve problemsensure the achievement of low energy buildings in Egypt depending on the parameters which respect and  depend on our local environment in Egypt

The robustness of the determinants of overall bank risks in the MENA region

Purpose: The banking sector in the MENA region is exposed to financial risks that originate from both the internal and external environment. Related studies in the literature have reached inconclusive determinants of the overall risks to banks. This paper examines the robustness of the determinants cited in the related literature. Design/methodology/approach: This paper examines the country-specific and bank-specific factors that affect banks' Z-score (being a proxy for the overall bank risks) in the MENA region. The sample banks consist of 33 listed commercial banks operating in six countries in the MENA region. Balanced panel data over 20 years (2000 to 2020) was examined, having a total of 660 observations. The Pooled Ordinary Least Square estimation (OLS) was used to carry out the empirical analysis. Findings: The findings of this paper showed that the robust determinants of overall bank risks are follows: (a) The unemployment rate had a negative effect on high overall bank risks in the period 2000-2010, (b) The financial crisis had a positive effect on the MENA overall bank risks in the period 2000-2010, but only for the low overall bank risks, (c) A robust and negative effect of cost/income ratio was observed in the period 2010-2020 only for high overall bank risk, (d) Low overall-risk banks were able to manage overall risks in a shorter time than high overall bank risks, and (e) In terms of the country-wide effect, the results for Egypt only showed that the overall bank risk had positive effects in the period 2000-2010, but negative and significant effects in the period 2011-2020 where overall bank risks reduced. Originality: This paper offers robust findings in the controversy around the determinants of overall bank risks in the MENA region, which is beneficial in light of the fact that the literature thus far has not reached a consensus regarding this issue

Bio-control of Pseudomonas fluorescens in Domiati Cheese

&lt;p&gt;Concerning the antimicrobial activities of some probiotics bacteria Lactobacillus acidophilus P109, Lactobacillus plantarum P164, E. durans P174 and B. longum CHRS using an agar well-diffusion as In Vitro assay against selected isolates of Pseudomonas fluorescens, Bacillus cereus, Enterococcus fecalis and Staphylococcus aureus, indicated that B. longum CHRS appeared to have antimicrobial activity against these isolates. B. longum CHRS was injected with and without Ps. fluorescens in Domiati cheese during manufacturing as In Vivo experiment, results revealed that this strain of probiotic bacteria was reduced the count of Ps. fluorescens, while the chemical composition showed reduce production of soluble nitrogen, which has relation with the decomposition of protein as well as led to reduced volatile fatty acids, which refers to the decomposition of fat as a result of antimicrobial activity of B. longum against Ps. fluorescens&lt;/p&gt

Mitochondrial DNA genetic variations among four horse populations in Egypt

Horses are one of the early domesticated animals in the world that changed societies and civilizations on a continent-wide scale. Due to the rare information about the genetic characterization of different horse populations in Egypt, this study aimed to identify the genetic biodiversity and relationships between four horse populations reared in Egypt. Genomic DNA was extracted and mtDNA region was amplified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The alignment of 384-bp amplified fragments showed the presence of 41 polymorphic sites resulting in 29 haplotypes which their sequences were submitted to GenBank under the accession numbers: KX909898-KX909926. The phylogeny tree for tested horses declared the presence of mixing maternal lineages between the four tested populations but still there are some separated lineages especially for Arabian and Thoroughbred horses. The sequences of 72 tested sequences were aligned with 13 published sequences as references, 11 of them for different Equus caballus whereas the other two reference sequences for Equus burchellii and Equus asinus. The results showed that all tested horses from the four populations are grouped with reference sequences of Equus caballus and separated from the other two reference sequences of Equus burchellii and Equus asinus. It is concluded that sequence analysis of mtDNA control region is still the most informative tool for the identification of genetic biodiversity and phylogeny of different horse breeds and populations. The horse populations reared in Egypt possess low genetic diversity and all of them are belonged to Equus caballus breed

Delayed response of low latitudes TEC during thirty-six geomagnetic storms from 2014 to 2017

International audienceIonospheric response to the onset of geomagnetic storms is an important aspect for developing models towards better understanding and prediction of ionospheric parameters, particularly over the equatorial and low latitude sectors that are associated with several complexities. Our paper discusses the time response of the ionosphere (∆t iono), where ∆t iono is the time elapsed from the onset of sudden storm commencement (SSC) of a magnetic storm to the absolute maximum value of DVTEC (TEC: total electron content). Over the period 2014 to 2017, thirty-six storms are reviewed, and their ∆t iono are analyzed along with the magnetic and solar parameters. We defined a threshold value of TEC to be 8 TECU. Three storms are studied in detail as a reference for the entire range of storms (March 2015, June 2015, and September 2015). The stations used are Kourou (KOUR; 5.25°N/52.80°

Towards distributed based energy transaction in a clean smart island

Over the last few decades, the use of renewable and clean energy sources has been the core of attention of the researchers. Besides, utilization of the energy hubs as a great innovation for future multi-carrier energy systems is well perceived for integrating intermittent sources of energy into the energy systems, which is surged and bolded in recent years. In this regard, this paper proposes an effective distributed energy management framework for modeling and optimal operation management of clean smart islands based on primal-dual method of multipliers. The primal-dual method of multipliers approach has shown superior performance compared to the alternating method of multipliers for distributed optimization. In this study, two different agents including a smart energy hub and a microgrid comprises of renewable and clean energy sources are considered in the smart island. These two distinct energy systems are assumed to be equipped with communication apparatuses and are intended to negotiate over the energy they need in a proper and completely distributed manner. Results show the effectiveness, accuracy and applicability of the approach for energy communication.The authors are grateful to the Raytheon Chair for Systems Engineering for funding