Board characteristics and sustainability in higher education institutions: The case of the United Kingdom

We explored the relationship between board characteristics and sustainability of higher education institutions in the United Kingdom (UK). We analysed 153 UK universities using data for the year 2019. Our analysis revealed that board size, the number of students on the board, and the number of academic members on the board were found to have significant and positive relationships with sustain-ability. Also, the composition of the sustainability commit-tee was shown to have a significant and positive impact on sustainability score. However, the relationships between board gender diversity, the number of external members on the board, and the number of board meetings held during the year with sustainability score were not significant. The results provide guidance to universities for developing their sustainability practices

Treatment of Atrophic Acne Scars with Platelet Rich Plasma Gel and Micro-needling

Background: Following the advancements in the treatment of acne, post-acne scarring is still a widespread problem. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) gel is one formulation with beneficial biological or medicinal qualities that aid in the management of post-acne scarring. Objective: It was the goal of this work to evaluate the utilization of treatment of post-acne scars with micro-needling and plasma gel. Patients and Methods: Patients with post-acne scars were recruited from the university hospital's dermatology and venereology outpatient clinic. Our study was based on 23 patients (8 males= 34.8%, 15 females= 68.2%) having 3 skin types (II, III, IV); skin type III patients representing 56.2% of total patients, most of these patients have scars for less than 10 years. Dermapen has been done to the face then the PRP gel has been applied combined with microneedling to the post-acne scars. We performed four sessions of the previous treatment with two weeks intervals then one month’s follow-up. Results: The baron, as well as Goodman scale improvement significantly post-treated with Platelet Rich Plasma Gel Combined with micro-needling, where 69.6% of cases become grade1 post-treatment, drop grade 3 to be (8.7%) post-treatment compared to (47.8%) pre-treatment the difference statistically significant p=0.022. Furthermore, all grade4 fade out post-treatment p=0.008. Conclusion: Dermapen combined with plasma gel is a promising effective therapeutic modality for atrophic acne scars

Effectiveness of incentivised adherence and abstinence monitoring in buprenorphine maintenance : a pragmatic, randomised controlled trial

Acknowledgements The authors wish to thank the patients and staff at the National Rehabilitation Centre for their participation and to the NRC director general, Dr. Hamad Al Ghaferi, for his advice and support. Work on this study was included as part of H.E.'s doctoral studies and supervisor J.M. kindly acknowledge support from the Scholarship Office at the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, United Arab Emirates.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF ANTIBIOTIC PRODUCING PSEUDOMONAS FLUORESCENS NBRC-14160 FROM DELTA SOIL IN EGYPT

Pseudomonas fluorescens is one of plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) members which has a major role in the biological control of bacterial and fungal pathogens. A research was conducted at the Laboratory of Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Qalubyia governorate intended for isolating Pseudomonas fluorescens isolate, efficient in antibiotic production. For isolation, soil samples, collected from Faculty of agriculture farm soil at depth of 10 cm, were screened for Ps. fluorescens isolates by cultivating the samples on King’s medium. Out of 30 isolates obtained, one was selected based on its high lipid content, because of the lipid’s correlation to antibiotic production and inhibitory activity. The selected isolate was characterized by morphological, physiological, biochemical tests then confirmed its identity by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and named Pseudomonas fluorescens NBRC-14160 16srRNA. Morphological features showed that Ps. fluorescens NBRC-14160 has large colonies, with irregular surface, opaque, producing green fluorescent pigments. Cells are short rods, Gram negative. Physiological features indicated that Ps. fluorescens NBRC-14160 is capable of producing several exoenzymes including lipase, phospholipase, protease and chitinase and incapable of producing amylase and cellulase. Carbohydrate fermentation tests were positive for fructose, glucose, D-glucose, and galactose, forming acids after 24 hrs. of incubation at 30˚C. However, it loses the ability to ferment inositol, mannose, xylose, mannitol, raffinose and rhamnose sugars. It’s lipid content was 607 mg/g. Inhibitory activity was studied by the method of disc diffusion test against nine pathogenic bacterial and fungal strains. Staphylococcus aureus was the most sensitive bacterial pathogen towards P. fluorescens NBRC-14160 with a 4.5 cm zone of inhibition, while Serratia marscens had 0.95 cm zone. Aspergillus niger and Alternaria solani were the most sensitive fungal pathogens towards P. fluorescens NBRC-14160 with 2.55 and 2.5 cm of inhibition zone, respectively. However, the most resistant fungus was Fusarium oxysporum with 1.3 cm inhibition zone

Burnout among surgeons before and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: an international survey

Background: SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has had many significant impacts within the surgical realm, and surgeons have been obligated to reconsider almost every aspect of daily clinical practice. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study reported in compliance with the CHERRIES guidelines and conducted through an online platform from June 14th to July 15th, 2020. The primary outcome was the burden of burnout during the pandemic indicated by the validated Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure. Results: Nine hundred fifty-four surgeons completed the survey. The median length of practice was 10 years; 78.2% included were male with a median age of 37 years old, 39.5% were consultants, 68.9% were general surgeons, and 55.7% were affiliated with an academic institution. Overall, there was a significant increase in the mean burnout score during the pandemic; longer years of practice and older age were significantly associated with less burnout. There were significant reductions in the median number of outpatient visits, operated cases, on-call hours, emergency visits, and research work, so, 48.2% of respondents felt that the training resources were insufficient. The majority (81.3%) of respondents reported that their hospitals were included in the management of COVID-19, 66.5% felt their roles had been minimized; 41% were asked to assist in non-surgical medical practices, and 37.6% of respondents were included in COVID-19 management. Conclusions: There was a significant burnout among trainees. Almost all aspects of clinical and research activities were affected with a significant reduction in the volume of research, outpatient clinic visits, surgical procedures, on-call hours, and emergency cases hindering the training. Trial registration: The study was registered on clicaltrials.gov "NCT04433286" on 16/06/2020

Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Summary Background Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. Methods We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung’s disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. Findings We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung’s disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middleincome countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in lowincome countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. Interpretation Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between lowincome, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030

Green Synthesis of Biocatalysts Based on Nanocarriers Promises an Effective Role in Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Fields

Nanobiocatalysts (NBCs) are a promising new class of biocatalysts that combine the advantages of enzymes and nanomaterials. Enzymes are biological catalysts that are highly selective and efficient, but they can be unstable in harsh environments. Nanomaterials, on the other hand, are small particles with unique properties that can improve the stability, activity, and selectivity of enzymes. The development of NBCs has been driven by the need for more sustainable and environmentally friendly bioprocessing methods. Enzymes are inherently green catalysts, but they can be expensive and difficult to recover and reuse. NBCs can address these challenges by providing a stable and reusable platform for enzymes. One of the key challenges in the development of NBCs is the immobilization of enzymes on nanomaterials. Enzyme immobilization is a process that attaches enzymes to a solid support, which can protect the enzymes from harsh environments and make them easier to recover and reuse. There are many different methods for immobilizing enzymes, and the choice of method depends on the specific enzyme and nanomaterial being used. This review explores the effective role of NBCs in pharmaceutical and biomedical fields

MRI in cystic pancreatic lesions, is it of value?

Introduction: Cystic pancreatic lesions are currently discovered at higher rate, hence adequate characterization of these lesions by the radiologist is important in guiding management. Aim of the work: Was to identify the role of MRI in characterization of cystic pancreatic lesions. Patients and methods: Thirty patients with suspected cystic lesions of the pancreas were examined by MRI using 1.5 T machines including conventional MRI sequences, dynamic contrast enhanced imaging, DWI and IP/OP sequence. Results: The study included 30 patients (12 males and 18 females) with their age ranging from 16 to 88 years (mean age 55 years), MRI analysis of the cyst contents and communication with ductal system were used to characterize different cyst types, among these patients we found serous cystadenoma in five patients, mucinous cystadenoma in seven patients, mucinous cystadenocarcinoma in one patient, branch type Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN) in seven patients, Mixed IPMN in two patients. Cystic neuroendocrine tumors (CNET) in three patients. Solid cystic pancreatic neoplasm (SPN) in two patients. Pseudocyst in one patient and walled off necrosis (WON) in two patients. Pathological assessment of the lesions was done whenever indicated. Conclusions: MRI with its superior soft tissue resolution is of value in characterization of different cystic pancreatic lesions helping to reach the correct diagnosis