Incorporation of lipid nanosystems containing omega‑3 fatty acids and resveratrol in textile substrates for wound healing and anti‑inflammatory applications

In the present work, lipid nanosystems containing omega-3 fatty acid (nanostructured lipid carriers, NLCs) or omega-3 fatty acid and resveratrol (liposomes) were developed to improve cotton textile substrates as dressings with anti-inflammatory properties for wound healing applications. Lipid nanosystems were incorporated into woven, non-woven and knitted cotton substrates by exhaustion and impregnation. Based on physical–chemical characterization of the textile substrates, the textile structure and type of lipid nanosystems dictated the adsorption efficiency. In the case of NLCs, the woven substrate functionalized by exhaustion had a higher omega-3 release being the most promising for wound dressing application. Whereas for liposomes, the most adequate textile was the cationized knitted fabric functionalized by impregnation, that showed a more prolonged release profile of resveratrol.This work is financed by Project UID/CTM/00264/2019 of 2C2T - Centro de Ciencia e Tecnologia Textil, funded by National Founds through FCT/MCTES. The authors also acknowledge the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) for financial support in the framework of the Strategic Funding UID/Multi/04546/2013 and UID/FIS/04650/2019 in the ambit of the project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-032651, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), through COMPETE 2020, under Portugal 2020

Influence of socioeconomic factors on pregnancy outcome in women with structural heart disease

OBJECTIVE: Cardiac disease is the leading cause of indirect maternal mortality. The aim of this study was to analyse to what extent socioeconomic factors influence the outcome of pregnancy in women with heart disease.  METHODS: The Registry of Pregnancy and Cardiac disease is a global prospective registry. For this analysis, countries that enrolled ≥10 patients were included. A combined cardiac endpoint included maternal cardiac death, arrhythmia requiring treatment, heart failure, thromboembolic event, aortic dissection, endocarditis, acute coronary syndrome, hospitalisation for cardiac reason or intervention. Associations between patient characteristics, country characteristics (income inequality expressed as Gini coefficient, health expenditure, schooling, gross domestic product, birth rate and hospital beds) and cardiac endpoints were checked in a three-level model (patient-centre-country).  RESULTS: A total of 30 countries enrolled 2924 patients from 89 centres. At least one endpoint occurred in 645 women (22.1%). Maternal age, New York Heart Association classification and modified WHO risk classification were associated with the combined endpoint and explained 37% of variance in outcome. Gini coefficient and country-specific birth rate explained an additional 4%. There were large differences between the individual countries, but the need for multilevel modelling to account for these differences disappeared after adjustment for patient characteristics, Gini and country-specific birth rate.  CONCLUSION: While there are definite interregional differences in pregnancy outcome in women with cardiac disease, these differences seem to be mainly driven by individual patient characteristics. Adjustment for country characteristics refined the results to a limited extent, but maternal condition seems to be the main determinant of outcome

CURRENT DEMAND FOR WATER RESOURCES IN EGYPTIAN AGRICULTURE

Water is one of the most important inputs and elements of development, and the importance of water in Egypt is increasing due to the lack of resources and increased demand in recent periods, where rain is scarce and covers most of its deserts. The River Nile is the main water supplier in the Arab Republic of Egypt, where the share of the river about 55.5 billion cubic meters per year, and the problem is limited to the study of the current and future use of water, while Egypt suffers from the constant amount of water available to cover these uses, The high rates of Egyptian population growth, with Egypt's share of water remaining constant, and hence the problem of water shortage, is a threat to the national economy in general and the agricultural sector in particular. The aim of the  study is to use water for the time being and to work to increase the efficiency of water use in future years The study shows that the quantities of water used in irrigation for agricultural crops in Aswan fluctuated between the minimum and the decrease, ranging between a minimum of about 40.1 billion m3 in 2012 and a maximum of about 62.1 billion M3 in 2008 with an annual average of about 50.48 billion m3 during the same period. And the study of the equation of the general time trend for the quantities of water used for irrigating agricultural crops in Aswan and it shows that there is no mathematical picture suitable for the nature of the data and that the data revolve around the mean arithmetic

ANALYTICAL STUDY OF EGYPTIAN POTATO EXPORTS, THE MOST IMPORTANT MARKETS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

European Union countries are considered most important markets for imported Egyptian potatoes, and despite of that, the quantity of Egyptian exports from this crop is not appropriate with the export potential of Egypt. The study aims to identify the current status of Egyptian potatoes exports to the European Union, a study of the competitive situation of Egyptian potatoes in the most important markets within the European Union and finally, estimate the demand function of Egyptian potatoes in the most important EU markets. The study concluded that Italy and Greece are the most important EU markets importing Egyptian potatoes. This amount was about 64.3%, 66.8% of the average total quantity and value of Egyptian exports of potatoes to the European Union during the period (2000-2014) respectively, and their imports increased annually at different rates during the period (1995–2014). The market share of Egyptian potatoes within the EU market is very small with the exception of the Greece market and the Italian market.   Based on such results, the study recommends the following   Focus on increasing exports of Egyptian potatoes to countries with a high volume of imports of potatoes such as the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain and France. To review the prices of potatoes exports to Italy and the most suitable periods of increasing its quantity to this market, taking care that this does not put the Egyptian potatoes in a price competition with French and German potatoes. Continuation and further work on improving the quality of potatoes, in addition to the expansion in the cultivation of potatoes in the brown rot-free, so as to benefit from competitive advantages in the markets of the EU, especially Italian and Greece markets, making it possible to sustain Egypt's share in both markets, and take advantage from the price competition in the Greece market. Necessity follows flexible price policies for the Egyptian potatoes exports to Greece, which could increase its exports to this market and take advantage of price competition in this market. Necessity continue studying the ratio between export prices of Egyptian potatoes to the markets of the EU, and the export price for countries competing in these markets in general, and each of the Italian and Greece market in particular. So as to achieve the continuity and stability of this ratio, or at least achieve the stability of the quantities exported of Egyptian potatoes to both markets at the same time. Studying the prices of potatoes and seed special analytical study as Shafik in a study. Abolition of government intervention and control of prices, as Wali pointed out in the study of the abolition of control of prices and reduce supply. Abdul Rahim also mentioned in this study the effects of the liberalization of the prices of agricultural inputs and outputs on crop composition. Find alternatives to price policies for the development of Egyptian potatoes as a strong competitor in the European market with a competitive advantage price, as indicated by Azza in the study of alternatives to agricultural price policy and the effects of the Egyptian economic. Put the potatoes in the composition of a crop compatible with contemporary economic variables as explained Abdel-Maksou

EGYPTIAN DEMAND FOR FABA BEANS FROM THE MOST IMPORTANT INTERNATIONAL IMPORT MARKETS

The crops of the legumes, especially the domestic beans, are considered the most important food groups due to their high nutritional value, in addition to their importance in improving soil properties. The state aims to encourage the expansion of the faba bean production to fill the food gap and also to supply hard currency. Egypt is one of the most important importing countries for beans. The legume crops are considered the most important food groups because of the high nutritional value. The bean is a strategic commodity for the Egyptian citizen. The study aims at reducing the imports of the Egyptian faba bean. Egypt's demand for faba bean, estimation of the competitive advantage of the main exporting countries of Egypt, and the comparative advantage index. The study found that the quantity of Egyptian bean imports increased by an annual rate of about 2.41 thousand tons. This increase is statistically insignificant at 0.05 level, and the value of Egypt's imports of faba bean has taken an upward trend at an annual rate of about 7 million dollar This increase is statistically insignificant at 0.05 level, and the price of Egypt's imports of faba bean has taken an downward trend at an annual rate of about 14.5 dollar/tons This increase is statistically insignificant at 0.05 level and the study of the geographical distribution of imports of Egyptian fab beans shows that the United Kingdom, Australia and France Representing 88 % Of Egypt's imports of beans. The percentage of Egypt's imports of faba bean decreased at a growth rate of 14%. The volume of exports of the United Kingdom and France decreased by 38% and 96%, respectively, while Australia increased its exports by 5% The elasticity of demand functions also showed that the elasticity of the price demand of Australia's export price indicates that the de mand is inelastic and Egypt needs this commodity from the Australian market, and the income elasticity shows that the commodity is poor by increasing income. The explanation of the elasticity of the demand for the price of France's exports shows that the demand is inelastic and Egypt needs this commodity from the French market. It is also evident from the income elasticity that the commodity is normal, i.e., the increase in income is the required quantity of the commodity, while the elasticity of the price demand of the UK export price shows that demand is not Flexible and Egypt needs this commodity from the British market, as evidenced by the income elasticity that the commodity is poor by increasing the income decreases the required quantity of the commodity. The study of forecasting Egypt's imports of Australian beans shows that the volume of imports of beans is expected to increase from about 136 thousand tons in 2018 to about 245.6 thousand tons in 2025. It is expected that the quantity of imports of British beans will increase from about 58 thousand tons 2018 to about 277.3 thousand tons in 2025. It is expected that the quantity of imports of French beans will fall from about 0.334 thousand tons in 2018 to about 45.9 thousand tons. It is also expected that the quantity of Egyptian imports of beans will increase from about 410 thousand tons in 2018 to about 500 thousand tons in 2025, is expected to decrease the amount of domestic production of beans from about 144 thousand tons in 2018 to about 16 thousand tons And it was found that the available amount of consumption is expected to decrease from about 281 thousand tons in 2018 to about 72.5 thousand tons in 2025

THE POSSIBILITIES OF EXPANDING THE AREA, PRODUCTION AND SPECIALIZATION OF LEGUME CROPS IN SOME ARAB COUNTRIES

The Arab world extends between the Arabian Gulf to the east and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The Arab World includes many environmental regions with different climates. The expansion of cultivated area of legumes in the Arab world is of great importance. The establishment of specialization in production is one of the most important things in the formation of a unified Arab bloc. It helps to integrate countries through the need of one country to other countries, which excelled in the production of certain goods through creativity in production and minimizing production costs to the lowest level. The Arab countries were divided regionally into the Arab Eastern Region, the Middle Region, the Arab Western Region. Some legume crops and winter and summer cereals have been studied. The problem of the study is the low area and production of legume crops at the level of the Arab world. The main reason for the decrease in the area cultivated with legume crops is the expansion of cereals crops cultivation compared to the legume crops. The study aims at the possibility of the agricultural specialization in the field of legume production and determining its success in the Arab world by measuring the effect of specialization on increasing the area, production, and reducing the production costs of legume crops, which in turn leads to the possibility of increasing the integration between the Arab countries to form a united Arab bloc to confront other economic blocs. The study focused on the possibility of production specialization of legume crops according to the principle of comparative advantage through specialization in some legume crops by expanding their area within the cereals area using published data such as FAO statistics, Arabic Organization for agriculture Development (AOAD) statistics, and websites. The study reached several results, including: In the Arab Eastern Region, it is better for Jordan to include the area of barley to green beans, increasing its production from 12.80 to 737.36 thousand tons, achieving a huge production boom that will lead to specialization in its production. Lebanon is characterized by the cultivation of lupins and can expand its area of wheat or the area of barley to increase its production, giving him the advantage to specialize in it. Yemen can expand the area of chick peas from the area of wheat or barley to increase its production when their areas added to chick peas, giving a distinction to Yemen to specialize in it. It is better for Yemen to include the area of sorghum to the area of dry beans, which leads to specialization in it. The results of the Middle Region showed that Egypt would prefer to specialize in the production of green beans by expanding it in the area of barley according to the principle of comparative advantage. Egypt is estimated to be unable to specialize in summer legumes. If Sudan plans to expand the chickpeas by adding wheat area to it, its production will increase, leading to specialization in its production. It is best to include the area of rice to the area of dry beans. The results of the Arab Western Region showed that Tunisia and Morocco cannot specialize in the production of winter legumes crops by expanding their area cultivated by adding the area of cereals to them. For summer crops, it is better for Morocco to expand soybean area by adding maize area to it. The results of Algeria pointed to the possibilities of expanding the cultivation of broad beans by adding the area of barley, which drives Algeria to specialize in it. It is better for Algeria to benefit from the relative advantage of specialization to expand the area cultivated with dry beans instead of rice to save water.   We can make several recommendations from this study, which may be the most important   The possibility of agricultural specialization in the production of some leguminous crops with high comparative advantages and expansion of their area at the expense of narrowing the cultivated area of some cereals crops by studying all the economic conditions surrounding their production and consumption. The importance of activating and increasing the effectiveness of the Arab specialization in the field of raising the production of legume crops, which is an appropriate input for the Arab agricultural economic integration among the Arab countries in the field of legume production.   Division of the Arab countries into regions to form the nucleus for the establishment of a united Arab economic bloc and push towards a joint Arab agricultural strategy aimed at improving the Arab economy and preserving the interests of Arab countries in the global blocs

DETERMINANTS OF AGRICULTURAL INVESTMENT IN LIGHT OF CONTEMPORARY LOCAL VARIABLES

Investment is one of the most important tools of the economic and social development plans in order to achieve its objectives. The success of development policies depends on several factors, including the volume of investments and the efficiency of their distribution in different fields. This requires that the investment plans and programs set in line with the state's ability to use these investments effectively. Agricultural investment is one of the basic means for the success of agricultural development as it is the main basis for increasing production as well as increasing income and creating more job opportunities and investment is a variable variable has an effective role in finding solutions to the problems of the economy sucking As well as absorbing a measure of manpower that is not working, thus contributing to reducing the problem of unemployment, and increasing the government agricultural investment, which opens the way for private investments in the form of productive projects that contribute to increase production and thus increase exports and reduce imports, thus improving the agricultural balance and increasing national and individual income. Which is reflected in the increase in savings, which in turn lead to the creation of new investments. It can be said that the strategy of agricultural development in Egypt aims to encourage and increase rates of investment growth, whether public investment owned by the state or private investment contributes to increase production And of improving the investment required for the projects of  infrastructure and this leads to increased investment activities by adding new projects within the economic structure. The strategy of agricultural  development in Egypt aims to encourage and increase the rates of investment growth whether it is a public investment owned by the state or other sectors that contribute to the productivity of the private sector and the infrastructure necessary for the production projects. This leads to increase the investment activities by adding new productive projects that diversify the production base Within the economic structure, despite the successive economic changes experienced by the Egyptian economy, there is still a slowdown in the advancement of government agricultural investments with a clear and significant decline in investments directed to Compared to agricultural sectors obeyed other than the impact is clearly on the performance of the agricultural sector and thus lower rates of agricultural development in Egypt. From the above, the total agricultural investment equation shows that this investment increased by 0.21%, 0.54%, 0.52% for each 1% increase in both agricultural and agricultural exports in the previous year and agricultural income in the previous year, respectively, while decreasing Total agricultural investment by about 0.91% and 0.23% for each increase in agricultural balance deficit and exchange rate by 1%. In other words, the most important variables affecting agricultural investment in a given year were the agricultural GDP of the previous year, the value of agricultural income, and agricultural exports. The statistical significance of this relationship was found at 0.05, and the significance of the model as a whole was found to be around 79% of the changes in the investment to the aforementioned factors