The Roots of Turmoil in the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights: Dynamics of Civil Institution-Building in Egypt

First presented at the 1994 Cairo Papers Annual Symposiumhttps://fount.aucegypt.edu/faculty_book_chapters/1935/thumbnail.jp

Applications of titanium dioxide nanoparticles in nanomedicine

Nanotechnology is an exciting field that has a profitable outcome due to the increased applications of nanomaterials in many areas such as industry, agriculture, business, medicine and public health. Nanomedicine is a science that studies the application of nanotechnology in medicine. For diseases diagnosis, treatment, monitoring, control and prevention. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) possess the potential to be used in nanomedicine for cancer diagnosis and therapy due to their advantageous characteristics such as biocompatibility, photocatalytic activity and good optical and electronic properties. This review aims to introduce nanomedicine and nanomaterials and focus on the recent research interest toward TiO2NPs in medicine

Molecular hybridization design and synthesis of novel spirooxindole-based MDM2 inhibitors endowed with BCL2 signaling attenuation:A step towards the next generation p53 activators

Despite the achieved progress in developing efficient MDM2-p53 protein-protein interaction inhibitors (MDM2 inhibitors), the acquired resistance of tumor cells to such p53 activators posed an argument about the druggability of the pathway. Combination studies disclosed that concomitant inhibition of MDM2 and BCL2 functions can sensitize the tumor cells and synergistically induce apoptosis. Herein, we employed a rapid combinatorial approach to generate a novel series of hybrid spirooxindole-based MDM2 inhibitors (5a-s) endowed with BCL2 signaling attenuation. The adducts were designed to mimic the thematic features of the chemically stable potent spiro[3H-indole-3,2′-pyrrolidin]-2(1H)-ones MDM2 inhibitors while installing a pyrrole ring on the core via a carbonyl spacer inspired by the natural product marinopyrrole A that efficiently inhibits BCL2 family functions by various mechanisms. NCI 60 cell-line panel screening revealed their promising broad-spectrum antiproliferative activities. The NCI-selected derivatives were screened for cytotoxic activities against normal fibroblasts, MDA-MB 231, HepG-2, and Caco-2 cells via MTT assay, subjected to mechanistic apoptosis studies for assessment of p53, BCL2, p21, and caspase 3/7 status, then evaluated for potential MDM2 inhibition utilizing MST assay. The most balanced potent and safe derivatives; 5i and 5q were more active than 5-fluorouracil, exhibited low μM range MDM2 binding (KD =1.32 and 1.72 μM, respectively), induced apoptosis-dependent anticancer activities up to 50%, activated p53 by 47-63%, downregulated the BCL2 gene to 59.8%, and reduced its protein level (13.75%) in the treated cancer cells. Further downstream p53 signaling studies revealed > 2 folds p21 upregulation and > 3 folds caspase 3/7 activation. Docking simulations displayed that the active MDM2 inhibitors resided well into the p53 binding sites of MDM2, and shared key interactions with the co-crystalized inhibitor posed by the indolinone scaffold (5i, 5p, and 5q), the halogen substituents (5r), or the installed spiro ring (5s). Finally, in silico ADMET profiling predicted acceptable drug-like properties with full accordance to Lipinski's, Veber's, and Muegge's bioavailability parameters for 5i and a single violation for 5q

Skin prick test results and total ige levels of asthma patients in Zagazig University Hospital (2015-2019)

Background: Bronchial asthma is one of the relevant diseases of the respiratory tract, the asthma is one of the forms of respiratory allergy. The change in environment and aeroallergens are the main etiology of asthma. Allergy of asthma is thought to affect the bronchial region of the respiratory airway.Objective: The current study aimed to compare the total IgE elevation and skin prick test (SPT) positivity to evaluate the IgE and SPT ability to assess the asthmatic severity.Subjects and Methods: This retrospective case study was carried out on 3450 cases at the outpatient clinic and Chest Department at Zagazig University and did skin prick test and IgE in authorized centers were collected from 2015 -2019. The cases were already diagnosed asthmatic according to Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) (9) guidelines and were divided according to severity into mild, moderate, and severe according to GINA guidelines.Results: IgE has been tested for different aeroallergens and has strong significant elevation with (P< 0.001) in Alternaria, cat hair, cotton, birch, and helminths aeroallergen. Most of the cases with elevated IgE had moderate asthma severity followed by mild severity cases then severe cases.Conclusion: Comparing the results of SPT and IgE, the SPT test is more accurate, reliable, and easy in detecting the aeroallergen sensitivity

Analgesic Effect of Intra-Articular Dexamethasone versus Fentanyl added as an adjuvant to Bupivacaine for Postoperative Pain Relief in Knee Arthroscopic Surgery

Background: Knee arthroscopy is usually associated with a variable degree of pain ranging from moderate-to-severe pain in about 70% of patients. Objective: This trial was designed to assess the efficacy of intra-articular administration of dexamethasone versus fentanyl as adjuncts to bupivacaine in patients undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery. Patients and methods: Eighty-nine patients of either sex were enrolled in this study. The patients were randomly divided into three equal groups. Group F that received intra-articular (IA) injection of 1 μg/kg fentanyl (In 2 ml saline) added to 18 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine, group D, which received IA injection of 8 mg (2 ml) dexamethasone added to 18mL of 0.25% bupivacaine and group S that received IA injection of 2 ml normal saline added to 18 mL of 0.25% bupivacaine. Results: The time required for the first request of analgesia in group F, group D, and group S was 5.7 ± 0.7 vs 4.5 ± 0.5 vs 3.3 ± 0.5 hours respectively. There were significant differences between both treatment groups and the control group (p < 0.001) and in between both treatment groups (p < 0.001) in favor of group F. There was a significantly lower median visual analogue score in group F when compared to group D and S at 6 hours (p = 0.006 & 0.01, respectively), 12 hours (p < 0.001 & < 0.001, respectively), and 18 hours (p = 0.003 & 0.007, respectively) postoperatively. Conclusion: The addition of fentanyl or dexamethasone to IA bupivacaine in knee arthroscopic surgery provided a better quality of analgesia with less consumption of systemic analgesics without significant adverse effects

Design, Synthesis, Chemical and Biochemical Insights Into Novel Hybrid Spirooxindole-Based p53-MDM2 Inhibitors With Potential Bcl2 Signaling Attenuation

The tumor resistance to p53 activators posed a clinical challenge. Combination studies disclosed that concomitant administration of Bcl2 inhibitors can sensitize the tumor cells and induce apoptosis. In this study, we utilized a rapid synthetic route to synthesize two novel hybrid spirooxindole-based p53-MDM2 inhibitors endowed with Bcl2 signaling attenuation. The adducts mimic the thematic features of the chemically stable potent spiro [3H-indole-3,2′-pyrrolidin]-2(1H)-ones p53-MDM2 inhibitors, while installing a pyrrole ring via a carbonyl spacer inspired by the natural marine or synthetic products that efficiently inhibit Bcl2 family functions. A chemical insight into the two synthesized spirooxindoles including single crystal x-ray diffraction analysis unambiguously confirmed their structures. The synthesized spirooxindoles 2a and 2b were preliminarily tested for cytotoxic activities against normal cells, MDA-MB 231, HepG-2, and Caco-2 via MTT assay. 2b was superior to 5-fluorouracil. Mechanistically, 2b induced apoptosis-dependent anticancer effect (43%) higher than that of 5-fluorouracil (34.95%) in three studied cancer cell lines, activated p53 (47%), downregulated the Bcl2 gene (1.25-fold), and upregulated p21 (2-fold) in the treated cancer cells. Docking simulations declared the possible binding modes of the synthesized compounds within MDM2

Hemorrhage control, infection prevention and application on anesthetics in exodontia of natal teeth

Introduction: The teeth that appear at the time of birth are called Natal teeth. The exact cause of its appearance is unknown, but possible causes for this condition include infections, trauma, hormonal stimulation etc. There is a possibility to aspirate the tooth and difficulty with feeding. Case report: A one day old baby born with teeth in the lower jaw was referred to our dental department, Thumbay Hospital, Dubai, UAE. The crown structure was attached to the gums with grade 2 mobility (Millers classification). The shell like crown was removed with a periodontal curette and care was taken not to injure the underlying tooth. Vitamin K injection 1mg IM was given in the anterolateral thigh 2hours before the procedure. Conclusion: The appearance of natal teeth is a rare case however it is not uncommon in the newborns. Extraction as the first treatment choice should be performed as soon as possible considering all possible complications. Vitamin K administration is a mandatory step in the treatment

Bifidobacterium lactis in Treatment of Children with Acute Diarrhea. A Randomized Double Blind Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND: Probiotics are becoming increasingly popular treatment for children diarrhea. Although there are several probiotic strains potentially useful, researches were often limited to certain strains.AIM: To test Bifidobacterium lactis on morbidity of acute diarrhea in children less than 2 years.SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A randomized double-blind controlled clinical trial was conducted in 50 children (1 - 23 months) admitted with acute diarrhea to the Pediatric Hospital, Cairo University and were randomly assigned to receive in addition to usual treatment of diarrhea according to WHO guidelines; one of two treatments either milk formula non-supplemented (n = 25) or supplemented (n = 25) with Bifidobacterium lactis 14.5 x 106 CFU/100 ml daily for one week. Primary outcomes were frequency and duration of diarrhea and hospital stay. Secondary outcomes were duration of fever and vomiting episodes. Safety and tolerance were also recorded.RESULTS: On admission, patients’ characteristics of both groups (50 cases) were similar. For children who received the probiotics for one week; mean duration of diarrhoea was shorter than in controls (3.12 ± 0.92 vs. 4.10 ± 0.94 days) (P = 0.02), number of motions per day was less than in controls (3.96 ± 0.62 vs. 4.46 ± 0.85) (P = 0.04) and discharge from hospital <2 days was more frequent than in controls (72% vs. 44%) (P = 0.048). There was no effect on fever (P = 0.63) or vomiting (P = 0.54).CONCLUSION: Bifidobacterium lactis probiotics in supplemented milk formula decreased significantly frequency, duration of diarrhea, and hospital stay than usual treatment alone in children with acute diarrhea. Additional researches on other uncommon local probiotic species should be encouraged

The sample of choice for detecting Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus in asymptomatic dromedary camels using real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction

The newly identified Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), which causes severe respiratory disease, particularly in people with comorbidities, requires further investigation. Studies in Qatar and elsewhere have provided evidence that dromedary camels are a reservoir for the virus, but the exact modes of transmission of MERS-CoV to humans remain unclear. In February 2014, an assessment was made of the suitability and sensitivity of different types of sample for the detection of MERS-CoV by real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for three gene targets: UpE (upstream of the E gene), the N (nucleocapsid) gene and open reading frame (ORF) 1a. Fifty-three animals presented for slaughter were sampled. A high percentage of the sampled camels (79% [95% confidence interval 66.9-91.5%, standard error 0.0625]; 42 out of 53) were shown to be shedding MERS-CoV at the time of slaughter, yet all the animals were apparently healthy. Among the virus-positive animals, nasal swabs were most often positive (97.6%). Oral swabs were the second most frequently positive (35.7%), followed by rectal swabs (28.5%). In addition, the highest viral load, expressed as a cycle threshold (Ct) value of 11.27, was obtained from a nasal swab. These findings lead to the conclusion that nasal swabs are the candidate sample of choice for detecting MERS-CoV using RT-PCR technology in apparently healthy camels

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