An Investigation of Biodiesel Production from Wastes of Seafood Restaurants

This work illustrates a comparative study on the applicability of the basic heterogeneous calcium oxide catalyst prepared from waste mollusks and crabs shells (MS and CS, resp.) in the transesterification of waste cooking oil collected from seafood restaurants with methanol for production of biodiesel. Response surface methodology RSM based on D-optimal deign of experiments was employed to study the significance and interactive effect of methanol to oil M : O molar ratio, catalyst concentration, reaction time, and mixing rate on biodiesel yield. Second-order quadratic model equations were obtained describing the interrelationships between dependent and independent variables to maximize the response variable (biodiesel yield) and the validity of the predicted models were confirmed. The activity of the produced green catalysts was better than that of chemical CaO and immobilized enzyme Novozym 435. Fuel properties of the produced biodiesel were measured and compared with those of Egyptian petro-diesel and international biodiesel standards. The biodiesel produced using MS-CaO recorded higher quality than that produced using CS-CaO. The overall biodiesel characteristics were acceptable, encouraging application of CaO prepared from waste MS and CS for production of biodiesel as an efficient, environmentally friendly, sustainable, and low cost heterogeneous catalyst

Knowledge, attitudes and beliefs of women in the reproductive age towards prenatal screening for congenital malformations, Alexandria-Egypt

Background: The study was conducted to explore the Egyptian women’s attitudes toward the prenatal screening (PNS) for congenital malformations and termination of pregnancy if medically indicated and assessing their knowledge and beliefs regarding prenatal screening.Methods: A total of 351 Egyptian women in the reproductive age giving birth to at least one child completed a structured questionnaire to assess their knowledge of prenatal diagnosis and their willingness to undergo prenatal screening as well as their opinions on termination of pregnancy if medically indicated. Women's beliefs were also assessed.Results: More than half of studied women (52.71%) are lacking knowledge about the availability of the accurate tests for prenatal screening of congenital malformations. After giving information about PNS, more than three quarters (77.5%) of the studied women held positive attitudes toward the prenatal screening for congenital malformations. The other one quarter was either refusing or not sure about their opinion (4.6% and 17.9% respectively). Only 58.7% accepting termination of pregnancy if medically indicated. Positive attitude towards PNS was significantly higher among females with older age (P=0.019) as well as those of higher social class as indicated by higher level of education (p=0.026), urban residency (p=0.046) and working women (p=0.005). Perceived seriousness of congenital malformations and believing in the importance of early detection of such condition were the significant motives to undergo PNS.Conclusions: There is marked lack of knowledge about the prenatal screening tests among the studied women. After giving information about PNS, most of them shows a positive attitude towards carrying out these tests and about half of them reported their acceptance for termination of pregnancy if medically indicated based on prenatal diagnosis of sever congenital malformations. Emphasis national needs for health education programs about PNS importance and development of well-structured national program for PNS

Longitudinal changes in peri-papillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in patients with unilateral branch retinal vein occlusion

Background: Associations between retinal venous occlusion (RVO), elevated intraocular pressure, and glaucoma have been reported. Further investigations into structural alterations in the fellow eyes of individuals with unilateral RVO have revealed that the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer is thinner than in healthy eyes, suggesting that there may be systemic risk factors common to both RVO and glaucoma. We aimed to evaluate changes in peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (pRNFLT) among individuals with unilateral branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO). Methods: This prospective observational study recruited 30 individuals (60 eyes) with newly diagnosed unilateral BRVO and macular edema, and a control group of 30 healthy individuals (30 eyes) with no abnormalities on fundus examination or concurrent systemic comorbidities. After baseline measurements, the participants were reassessed at 6, 12, and 24 months by measuring global and sectoral pRNFLT using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Results: The mean age and sex distributions were comparable between the patient and control groups (both P > 0.05). When compared to fellow eyes, global and sectoral pRNFLT in eyes with BRVO were significantly higher at baseline (all P < 0.05). Over time, pRNFLT decreased dramatically, and by the conclusion of the two-year follow-up, there was a significant reduction from baseline in the affected eyes (all P < 0.05). Likewise, affected eyes experienced a significant improvement in best-corrected distance visual acuity and central macular thickness over the two-year follow-up (both P Less than or equal to 0.001). Comparing the global and all-sector pRNFLT of fellow eyes in the patient group with those of normal eyes in the control group, there were no significant differences at any visit, except in the temporal sector, which revealed a significant reduction in pRNFLT at 24 months in the fellow eyes of patients with unilateral BRVO (P = 0.02).   Conclusions: Patients with unilateral BRVO experienced a significant reduction in pRNFLT in the affected eyes and, to a lesser extent, in the fellow eyes, compared with that of the control arm, suggesting that they are prone to retinal nerve fiber layer damage. The reduction in pRNFLT in the normal fellow eyes of patients with BRVO may be attributed to age or concurrent systemic comorbidities. Further studies with long follow-up periods are required to shed light on the etiology of functional and structural changes in both the retinal nerve fiber layer and ganglion cell complex in the normal and affected eyes of patients with unilateral BRVO

Impact of opioid-free analgesia on pain severity and patient satisfaction after discharge from surgery: multispecialty, prospective cohort study in 25 countries

Background: Balancing opioid stewardship and the need for adequate analgesia following discharge after surgery is challenging. This study aimed to compare the outcomes for patients discharged with opioid versus opioid-free analgesia after common surgical procedures.Methods: This international, multicentre, prospective cohort study collected data from patients undergoing common acute and elective general surgical, urological, gynaecological, and orthopaedic procedures. The primary outcomes were patient-reported time in severe pain measured on a numerical analogue scale from 0 to 100% and patient-reported satisfaction with pain relief during the first week following discharge. Data were collected by in-hospital chart review and patient telephone interview 1 week after discharge.Results: The study recruited 4273 patients from 144 centres in 25 countries; 1311 patients (30.7%) were prescribed opioid analgesia at discharge. Patients reported being in severe pain for 10 (i.q.r. 1-30)% of the first week after discharge and rated satisfaction with analgesia as 90 (i.q.r. 80-100) of 100. After adjustment for confounders, opioid analgesia on discharge was independently associated with increased pain severity (risk ratio 1.52, 95% c.i. 1.31 to 1.76; P < 0.001) and re-presentation to healthcare providers owing to side-effects of medication (OR 2.38, 95% c.i. 1.36 to 4.17; P = 0.004), but not with satisfaction with analgesia (beta coefficient 0.92, 95% c.i. -1.52 to 3.36; P = 0.468) compared with opioid-free analgesia. Although opioid prescribing varied greatly between high-income and low- and middle-income countries, patient-reported outcomes did not.Conclusion: Opioid analgesia prescription on surgical discharge is associated with a higher risk of re-presentation owing to side-effects of medication and increased patient-reported pain, but not with changes in patient-reported satisfaction. Opioid-free discharge analgesia should be adopted routinely

Effects of hospital facilities on patient outcomes after cancer surgery: an international, prospective, observational study

Background Early death after cancer surgery is higher in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with in high-income countries, yet the impact of facility characteristics on early postoperative outcomes is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between hospital infrastructure, resource availability, and processes on early outcomes after cancer surgery worldwide.Methods A multimethods analysis was performed as part of the GlobalSurg 3 study-a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study of patients who had surgery for breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and 30-day major complication rates. Potentially beneficial hospital facilities were identified by variable selection to select those associated with 30-day mortality. Adjusted outcomes were determined using generalised estimating equations to account for patient characteristics and country-income group, with population stratification by hospital.Findings Between April 1, 2018, and April 23, 2019, facility-level data were collected for 9685 patients across 238 hospitals in 66 countries (91 hospitals in 20 high-income countries; 57 hospitals in 19 upper-middle-income countries; and 90 hospitals in 27 low-income to lower-middle-income countries). The availability of five hospital facilities was inversely associated with mortality: ultrasound, CT scanner, critical care unit, opioid analgesia, and oncologist. After adjustment for case-mix and country income group, hospitals with three or fewer of these facilities (62 hospitals, 1294 patients) had higher mortality compared with those with four or five (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3.85 [95% CI 2.58-5.75]; p<0.0001), with excess mortality predominantly explained by a limited capacity to rescue following the development of major complications (63.0% vs 82.7%; OR 0.35 [0.23-0.53]; p<0.0001). Across LMICs, improvements in hospital facilities would prevent one to three deaths for every 100 patients undergoing surgery for cancer.Interpretation Hospitals with higher levels of infrastructure and resources have better outcomes after cancer surgery, independent of country income. Without urgent strengthening of hospital infrastructure and resources, the reductions in cancer-associated mortality associated with improved access will not be realised

Distribution of hydrocarbons and heavy metals pollutants in groundwater and sediments from northwestern Libya

993-999Concentrations of TPH, Zn, Pb, Ni, Cu, Mn, Cd and Mo were determined in groundwater and sediments collected from three sites (Sobratah, Al Ajaylat and Al Jmayl) in northwestern Libya. Present study show that Al Jmayl site is suffered from existence hydrocarbons and heavy metals pollutants. Al Jmayl groundwater has TPH, Cd, Pb, Ni, Mo and Mn content exceed than permissible levels of WHO by (11.6, 27.6, 15, 5.5, 2.85 and 2.3 times) respectively. Also, Al Jmayl sediments recorded the highest levels of TPH, Cd, Pb, Ni and Mn than other two sites. On the other hand, Al Ajaylat groundwater is not polluted by hydrocarbons, and it shows relatively less polluted by some heavy metals. Procured data show strong relationship between the distribution of hydrocarbons in both groundwater and sediments, and also with some heavy metals. Al Jmayl well may be exposed to indirect pollution by petroleum leakage from fuel station tanks near to well

On the occurrence of Campanian rudist biostrome, Aruma Formation, Central Saudi Arabia

780-784The lower limestone Khanasir Member of the Aruma Formation in central Saudi Arabia is characterized by Campanian rudist biostrome at its uppermost part. The most abundant rudist fauna are Eodictyoptychus arumaensis, Durania sp. and Biradiolites sp. Succession is overlying continental siliciclastics of Wasia Formation and comprises shale at the base followed by slightly dolomitized, burrow, nodular limestone and caps with rudist biostrome. Abundant microfacies types are wackestones, packstones, grainstones and floatstones with green algae, benthic foraminifers. The succession in general, indicated shallowing upward sequence and rudist biostrome represents a shallow marine lagoonal environment