PERFORMING TRANSLOCAL MEMORY: TESTAMENT AND TESTIMONY IN CONTEMPORARY THEATRE AND PERFORMANCE

In Testimonies: Crisis of Witnessing in Literature, Psychoanalysis, and History, Shoshana Felman makes the point that a witness is called upon wherever there is crisis of truth and evidence (p. 6). If we migrate with this assumption from the courtroom to the stage, we encounter what Karen Malpede calls "Theatre of Witness" or what Erdmann calls "Theatre of Testimony", which describes many contemporary plays and performances dealing with the representations of the Middle East. This article engages with contemporary theatre’s obsession with remembrance and the way the stage dramatizes the act of "bearing witness" in plays such as Wajdi Mouawad’s Scorched, Judith Thompson’s Palace of the End, and in multi-media performances such as Wafaa Bilal’s Shoot an Iraqi, and “…and Counting”. These plays and performances construct memory as a dual process of retrospective spatio-temporal narrative accounts, combined with physically enacted mnemonic flashbacks. This paper argues that the “memorialist turn” in theatre is a process of double disavowal that problematizes the witnessing of trauma and the trauma of witnessing, focusing on how the individual tries to remember or reconstruct what happened in the realm of the “real”, while escaping into the fantastical when the demands of bearing witness become severe. Finally, this paper addresses the modalities of perception of the audience bearing witness to witnessing, arguing that theatre does not construct the real or re-construct it for the audience, on the contrary if estranges it, not unlike Brechtian alienation, revealing an exchange that is both realist and anti-realist, artistic representation and reproduction of actuality, spectacle and mimesis, marking the relationship between the translocal forms of memory and the performative possibility of an aesthetic openness toward otherness. 

La performance du corps ou le corps de la performance dans ‘Seuls’ de Wajdi Mouawad

At the crossroad of themes and cultures, Wajdi Mouawad’s writing reflects a rhizomatic array of artistic genres and the most contemporary techniques of performance. Among the writing of this playwright, Seuls constitutes a «crossroad» in which intersects different forms of writing and staging techniques that create bridges between the textual and the performative where the performative body has new roles

Comparison of Glomerular Filtration Rate Measurement Methods between Radionuclide in vivo Scintigraphic Gates’ and Plasma Sampling

AIM: To correlate between the radionuclide in vitro plasma sampling method (using single and dual blood samples) and Gates’ GFR measurement using Tc-99m diethylene triamine penta-acetic acid (Tc-99m DTPA) renal scintigraphy (in vivo method). METHODS: This study included 40 renal donors (group 1) and 40 patients with obstructive uropathy (group 2). Group 1 included 22 males and 18 females with an age range from 22 to 65 years, while group 2 included 24 males and 16 females with age range 27 to 64 years. Both groups subjected to renal Scintigraphy after administration of 5 mCi 99m-Tc DTPA, GFR was calculated using Gates’ method (in vivo method), then plasma sampling was acquired at 60 mins and 180 mins post-injection of the tracer, samples were counted in well counter and GFR was calculated using in vitro technique either using single plasma sample (SPSM 60 mins) or dual sample (DPSM 60 & 180 min). Additionally, GFR was measured by estimated equations based on serum creatinine. RESULTS: In group 1, the mean GFR using in vivo Gates’ method was 115.7 ± 29 ml/min, while using the SPSM was 100.1 ± 16.1 ml/min, and the DPSM was 100.3 ± 20.1 ml/min. In group 2, mean GFR using in vivo method was 74.1 ± 14.5 ml/min, while using in vitro SPSM it was 77.5 ± 24.9 ml/min and DPSM was 76.8 ± 24.8 ml/min. There was no significant difference between mean GFR values using in vivo and in vitro methods (single or dual samples) in group 1 and 2 (p > 0.05). There is high significant correlation between SPSM and DPSM in groups 1 and 2 (r = 0.90, r = 0.91 respectively), moderate significant correlation was found between in vivo Gates’ method and in vitro SPSM in group 1 and 2 (r = 0.46 and 0.57 respectively) and moderate correlation was evident between in vivo and in vitro DPSM in both groups (r = 0.42 and 0.68 respectively). By using the DPSM as the reference standard significant high correlation was found with SPSM and significant-high moderate correlation with in vivo Gates’ scintigraphic method. Conclusion: In vitro plasma sampling considered as a reliable, accurate |method for GFR calculation yet it considered relatively complex, both single and dual sample in vitro techniques showed a very high correlation, and hence SPSM can replace DPSM. CONCLUSION: Renal scintigraphy and GFR estimation using Gates’ in vivo method is considered inaccurate, yet given its simplicity in performance it can still be used if corrected GFR is standardised for Egyptian population-based on studies with large numbers of patients from multiple centres

The Value of 18 Fluorine-fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography Imaging in Breast Cancer Staging

BACKGROUND: Accurate staging is important for management decisions in patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer. AIM: This study was conducted to evaluate the value of 18 fluorine-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging in breast cancer staging.. METHODS: A prospective study of 80 patients (1 male and 79 female) mean age 51.13 years with histologically confirmed breast cancer. The staging procedures included history, physical examination, mammography, and CT of neck, chest, abdomen, and pelvis; then, PET/CT was performed in a time interval <30 days. The findings of PET/CT were compared with those of the other conventional methods. RESULTS: The agreement between conventional methods (mammography, breast ultrasound, contrast-enhanced CT of the neck, chest, abdomen, and pelvis) and 18F FDG-PET/CT was 0.6 for assessing the T stage, 0.39 for N stage, and 0.75 for M stage. There was moderate agreement between CT and 18F FDG-PET/CT in the detection of nodal lesions (K=0.6) and pulmonary lesions (K=0.51), while a perfect agreement was noted for detecting osseous (K=0.82) and liver lesions (K=0.81). In total, 50 patients (62.5%) were concordantly staged between the conventional imaging and 18F-FDG PET/CT, while 30 patients (37.5%) showed a different tumor, node, and metastasis stage. The changes were driven by the detection of additional findings (n=26) or exclusion of findings (n=4), mainly at the lymph nodes (LNs) and/or distant sites. Regarding N status, 18F FDG-PET/CT revealed previously unknown regional lymphatic spread in supraclavicular (n=4; 5%), infraclavicular (n=11; 13.7%), and internal mammary (n=12; 15%) lymph node groups. 18F-FDG PET/CT changed M status in a total of four patients (5%); three of them were upstaged by detecting distant metastases, while osseous deposits were excluded in one patient leading to downstaging. CONCLUSION: 18F-FDG-PET/CT is considered a valuable imaging tool in the initial staging of breast cancer, which significantly impacts the overall American Joint Committee on Cancer staging in 37.5% of our study population

Oral contraceptive pills use and adverse effects

Background: Egyptian women value contraceptive methods for their effectiveness against pregnancy. Objective: This study aimed to determine the usage and side effects of oral contraceptive pills among the target group.Patients and methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on 350 women from family health centers and units in Abo Hammad District, Sharkia Governorate. Data were collected through a questionnaireResults: Majority (81.1%) of the studied group used combined pills The most frequent side effects found among them were depression, breast pain & inflammation, weight gain and abnormal vaginal secretions (63.7%, 57.7%, 56.6% & 56.3% respectively).Conclusion The present study revealed that prevalence of pills usage among 350 studied females in Abo Hammad District, Sharkia Governorate was 62.9%. The prevalence of combined pills was 81.1% and Mini pills was 18.9%

درجة استخدام معلمي التربية الرياضية لإستراتيجيات التقويم البديل وأدواته في مدارس البادية الوسطى

الأهداف: هدفت الدراسة التعرُّف إلى درجة استخدام معلمي التربية الرياضية لإستراتيجيات التقويم البديل وأدواته في مدارس البادية الوسطى. المنهجية: استخدمت الدراسة المنهج الوصفي لملائمته لطبيعة الدراسة حيث تم تصميم مقياس من (23) فقرة مقسمة إلى ستة مجالات. المجال الأول التقويم المعتمد على الأداء، المجال الثاني القلم والورقة، المجال الثالث الملاحظة، المجال الرابع التواصل، المجال الخامس مراجعة الذات، المجال السادس أدوات التقويم البديل وبعد التأكد من صدق وثبات أداة الدراسة تم جمع البيانات من عينة الدراسة المكونة من (79) من معلمي التربية الرياضية في مدارس البادية الوسطى والذين تم اختيارهم من مجتمع الدراسة المكوًّن من (130) معلماً ومعلمة بالطريقة العشوائية المنتظمة. وأعتمدت الدراسة مقياس تصنيفي ثلاثي لوصف قيم المتوسطات الحسابية (1.00 – 2.33 منخفض)، ( 2.34– 3.67 متوسط)، (3.68-5.00 مرتفع). النتائج: أظهرت نتائج الدراسة أن درجة استخدام معلمي التربية الرياضية لإستراتيجيات وأدوات التقويم البديل في مدارس البادية الوسطى كانت متوسطة (3.25 ± 0.54). حيث جاء مجال الملاحظة في المرتبة الاولى بمتوسط حسابي (4.08 ± 0.79)، وجاء في المرتبة الأخيرة مجال الورقة والقلم بمتوسط حسابي (2.23 ± 0.53). وأظهرت النتائج عدم وجود فروق ذات دلالة إحصائية عند مستوى الدلالة (0.05 < α) بين متوسطات درجة استخدام إستراتيجيات التقويم البديل وأدواته في مدارس البادية الوسطى من حيث متغير النوع الاجتماعي وخبرة المعلمين. الخلاصة: تساعد هذه الدراسة القائمين على تطوير السياسات التربوية في وزارة التربية والتعليم بتضمين أدلة معلمي التربية الرياضية بإستراتيجيات التقويم البديل وأدواته بما يتناسب مع المرحلة الدراسية مما يعزز ويرتقي بالعملية التدريسية

Large scale production of antitumor cucurbitacins from Ecballium Elaterium using bioreactor

Bioreactor plays a vital role in the commercial production of secondary metabolites and pharmaceuticals from plant cells. Many physical factors, like the mixing intensity, shear stress and operation conditions were optimized as a first step in scaling up process. Qualitative and quantitative determination of cucurbitacins E and I in the extract were carried out using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). After two weeks of equipping the reactor with marine impeller, both the growth rate and the concentration of cucurbitacins were increased. However, the increase in the aeration rate from 0.3 to 0.6 vvm induced the production of cucurbitacin E, it reduced the cucurbitacin I production. The highest recorded level of cucurbitacins was 0.3 and 0.1 g/L for cucurbitacin E and cucurbitacin I, respectively. Crude cucurbitacins extract showed potent antitumor activity in a range of 15.6 to 23.5 μg/ml against various carcinoma cell lines. In the current study, the optimizing condition for the production of cucubitacins E and I in Ecballium Elaterium and their biological activities as an antitumor and antimicrobial agent were evaluated.Keywords: Ecballium Elaterium, cucubitacins E, cucubitacins I, bioreactor, antitumo

Primary skin fibroblasts as a model of Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease is the second most frequent neurodegenerative disorder. While most cases occur sporadic mutations in a growing number of genes including Parkin (PARK2) and PINK1 (PARK6) have been associated with the disease. Different animal models and cell models like patient skin fibroblasts and recombinant cell lines can be used as model systems for Parkinson's disease. Skin fibroblasts present a system with defined mutations and the cumulative cellular damage of the patients. PINK1 and Parkin genes show relevant expression levels in human fibroblasts and since both genes participate in stress response pathways, we believe fibroblasts advantageous in order to assess, e.g. the effect of stressors. Furthermore, since a bioenergetic deficit underlies early stage Parkinson's disease, while atrophy underlies later stages, the use of primary cells seems preferable over the use of tumor cell lines. The new option to use fibroblast-derived induced pluripotent stem cells redifferentiated into dopaminergic neurons is an additional benefit. However, the use of fibroblast has also some drawbacks. We have investigated PARK6 fibroblasts and they mirror closely the respiratory alterations, the expression profiles, the mitochondrial dynamics pathology and the vulnerability to proteasomal stress that has been documented in other model systems. Fibroblasts from patients with PARK2, PARK6, idiopathic Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 demonstrated a distinct and unique mRNA expression pattern of key genes in neurodegeneration. Thus, primary skin fibroblasts are a useful Parkinson's disease model, able to serve as a complement to animal mutants, transformed cell lines and patient tissues