Improvement of Healthy Diet Related Knowledge among a Sample of Egyptian Women in Three Upper Egypt Governorates Using a Community Based Intervention

BACKGROUND: Fostering a community-based approach is one of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) strategies to empower the public with the knowledge and tools required for improving the nutritional status. AIM: The current study was conducted to assess the knowledge of mothers/caregivers towards a healthy, safe, and affordable diet and to cover the detected knowledge gap using a community-based approach. METHODS: A pre-posttest experimental design was carried out at a community level at three Upper Egypt governorates: Assiut, Qena, and Sohag over six months from September 2017 till February 2018. In the preparatory phase, 22 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were selected per governorate, and 15 trainers were prepared at the central level to train 40 trainees from each governorate. In the implementation phase, 11,000 women were approached, 6548 of them agreed to participate in the baseline knowledge assessment: 1774 women from Assiut, 2337 from Qena, and 2437 from Sohag. RESULTS: A significant improvement in the participants’ subtotal and total knowledge scores in all dimensions of nutrition education which are: food economics, food safety, and a healthy diet. The highest percent change was in Assiut 77.1 (69.3: 109.9), followed by Qena 54.9 (27.2: 93.3), and then Sohag 43.7 (31.6: 61.4) which was noticed among the participants from the 3 governorates. CONCLUSION: This community-based approach was a successful intervention to deliver effective health education messages; thus, improving participants' knowledge regarding food safety, healthy diet, and food economics. It represented the success of NGOs to enhance health and nutrition literacy among the participating women living in underprivileged areas. It is recommended to encourage collaboration with NGOs to move the community towards healthy behaviours

The effect of incorporating different concentrations of chlorhexidine digluconate on the degree of conversion of an experimental adhesive resin

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of chlorhexidine digluconate incorporation on the degree of conversion of an experimental adhesive resin. The experimental resin was prepared from 70 wt% bisphenol A glycerolate dimethacrylate, 30 wt% hydroxyethyl methacrylate, silanized SiO2 nanofillers, 0.5% of camphorquinone and ethyl 4-dimethylaminebenzoate (binary photo-initiator system). Five chlorhexidine digluconate concentrations (0, 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 wt%) were then incorporated into the experimental resin. Thirty Potassium Bromide pellets were prepared then divided into six groups (n=5/group), repre¬senting the tested adhesive resins (Single Bond 2, 0, 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 wt% chlohexidine-incorporated experimental adhesive resins), that were applied to the pellets without light-curing (uncured specimens). Another 30 pellets were prepared and treated with the previous materials then light-cured using LED light-curing device (cured specimens). Degree of conversion of the uncured and the cured specimens were evaluated using FTIR analysis. Adper Single Bond 2 showed the highest degree of conversion mean values followed by 0.5 wt% chlorhexidine concentration then 2 wt% followed by 4 wt% then 1 wt% concentrations, while 0 wt% concentration showed the lowest mean values. Chlorhexidine digluconate had slight significant influence on the efficiency of polymerization of the experimental adhesive resin

Preparation of cyclodextrin nanoparticles and evaluation of its effect on the capacitation of bovine spermatozoa used in the in vitro fertilization

This study was conducted to produce nanosized cyclodextrin (NCD) and assess its effect on bovine spermatozoa during In vitro fertilization (IVF) to optimize the capacitation media for successful IVF. Therefore, Four cyclodextrin formulations were prepared and characterized. Data analysis revealed the best formula (F2) showed a smallest particle size (15 nm), zeta potential (-37 mv), and higher yield percentages (95%) was selected for spem capacitation. Motile spermatozoa were separated from frozen-thawed semen by a swim-up procedure and capacitated in IVF-TALP medium with different formulae of NCD or CD or without treatments (control) and incubated for 3hours(hr) at 38°C and evaluated every one (hr) interval. Data analysis revealed that the formulation of cyclodextrin nanoparticles (F2) after (2hr) incubation in the media gave best effect on sperm capacitation and acrosme reaction (AR) and effect of sperm treated with NCD on fertilization rate was evaluated. The results showed that the proportion of Oocytes fertilized was increased significantly in F2 (60%) than in the control (35%), and cyclodextrin group (50%) groups (p<0.05). It could be inferred from this investigation that cyclodextrin nanoparticles can be used for biomedical interventions in bovine spermatozoa. NCD improve sperm motility, viability, and (AR), also fertilization rate of sperm treated with NCD increase. So NCD gave positive effect on sperm functions during IVF.

Multi-Agent based Intelligent Decision Support Systems for Cancer Classification

There is evidence that early detection of cancer diseases can improve the treatment and increase the survival rate of patients. This paper presents an efficient CAD system for cancer diseases diagnosis by gene expression profiles of DNA microarray datasets. The proposed CAD system combines Intelligent Decision Support System (IDSS) and Multi-Agent (MA) system. The IDSS represents the backbone of the entire CAD system. It consists of two main phases; feature selection/reduction phase and a classification phase. In the feature selection/reduction phase, eight diverse methods are developed. While, in the classification phase, three evolutionary machine learning algorithms are employed. On the other hand, the MA system manages the entire operation of the CAD system. It first initializes several IDSSs (exactly 24 IDSSs) with the aid of mobile agents and then directs the generated IDSSs to run concurrently on the input dataset. Finally, a master agent selects the best classification, as the final report, based on the best classification accuracy returned from the 24 IDSSs The proposed CAD system is implemented in JAVA, and evaluated by using three microarray datasets including; Leukemia, Colon tumor, and Lung cancer. The system is able to classify different types of cancer diseases accurately in a very short time. This is because the MA system invokes 24 different IDSS to classify the diseases concurrently in parallel processing manner before taking the decision of the best classification result

EXPERIMENTAL EVIDENCES FOR THE PROMISING HERAPEUTIC ROLE OF VITIS VINIFERA SEED EXTRACT AGAINST NONALCOHOLIC STEATOHEPATITIS

Objective: The present study was planned to investigate the possible therapeutic effect of methanolic extract of Vitis vinifera seeds on high fat diet-induced nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in forty adult female Wistar rats.Methods: The animals were divided into four groups, (G1)was served as healthy control group and the other three groups received high fat diet for 32 weeks for induction of NASH were assigned as follow: (G2) in which the animals bearing NASH were left untreated, (G3) in which the animals bearing NASH were treated with Vitis vinifera seed extract in a dose of 0.28g/kg b. wt (GSH) and (G4) in which the animals bearing NASH were treated with Vitis vinifera seed extract in a dose of 0.14g/kg b. wt (GSL).Results: The results revealed significant increase in serum ALT activity, plasma glucose, insulin levels, serum resist in, NF-κB, TNF-α, HGF levels, hepatic TNF-α and HGF gene expression levels. While, serum albumin, adiponectin levels and hepatic adiponectin gene expression level were decreased significantly in NASH group. Conversely, treatment of NASH groups with GSH or GSL resulted in significant decrease in serum ALT activity, plasma glucose, insulin levels, serum resist in, NF-κB, TNF-α, HGF levels, hepatic TNF-α and HGF gene expression levels. However, serum albumin, adiponectin levels and hepatic adiponectin gene expression level were increased significantly as a consequence of treatment with GSH or GSL.Conclusions: The efficacy of Vitis vinifera extract against NASH might be attributed to its strong hepatoprotective potential and powerful anti-inflammatory activity in addition to its potent role in ameliorating insulin resistance indices.Â

Preparation of progesterone nanoparticles and evaluation of its effect on the capacitation of Bovine spermatozoa used in the in Vitro Fertilization

Progesterone (P) has been reported to affect several sperm functions especially capacitation and acrosome reaction. The main problem of (P) is its low aqueous solubility. So formulation of progesterone nanoparticles (PN) will enhance its solubility. This study was conducted to produce nanosized progesterone (NP) and assess its biocompatibility. Therefore, nine progesterone formulations were prepared and characterized. Data analysis revealed only one formula of P showed nanosized particle (1-100 nm) with an average particle size (95±5 nm), and spherical shape as seen by Transmission Electron Microscope(TEM). Motile spermatozoa were separated from frozen-thawed semen by a swim-up procedure and capacitated in IVF-TALP medium with NP or P or without treatments (control) and incubated for 3h at 38°C and evaluated every 1 hour (h) interval. Ovarian oocytes were matured and fertilized in vitro with frozen-thawed bull sperm capacitated in vitro with NP or P or control (without NP, P) and incubated at 39C in 5% CO2 incubator for 24h and then examined for evidence of fertilization. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that nanosized progesterone is highly efficient for sperm capacitation. In addition to the use of nanosized progesterone in sperm capacitation produces more fertilized oocytes than the progesterone after In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)

Antioxidant lipoxygenase inhibitors from the leaf extracts of Simmondsia chinensis

AbstractObjectiveTo isolate and identify chemical constituents with antioxidant and lipoxygenase inhibitory effects of the ethanolic extract of Simmondsia chinensis (Jojoba) leaves.MethodsThe alcoholic extract was subjected to successive solvent fractionation. The antioxidant active fractions (chloroform, ethyl acetate and aqueous fractions) were subjected to a combination of different chromatographic techniques guided by the antioxidant assay with DPPH. The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic evidences and correlated with known compounds. The antioxidant activity was assessed quantitively using DPPH and β-carotene methods. The inhibitory potential against enzyme lipoxygenase was assessed on soybean lipoxygenase enzyme.ResultsTen flavonoids and four lignans were isolated. Flavonoid aglycones showed stronger antioxidant and lipoxygenase inhibitory effects than their glycosides. Lignoid glycosides showed moderate to weak antioxidant and lipoxygenase inhibitory effects.ConclusionsA total of 14 compounds were isolated and identified from Simmondsia chinensis; 12 of them were isolated for the first time. This is the first report that highlights deeply on the phenolic content of jojoba and their potential biological activities and shows the importance of this plant as a good source of phenolics in particular the flavonoid content

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

Geochemistry, mineralogy, and genesis of the Copperstone gold deposit, La Paz County, Arizona.

Copperstone is a mid-Tertiary "detachment gold" deposit that is herein classified as a new subtype of epithermal deposit. Copperstone is similar to many active geothermal systems in terms of host lithology, temperature, and related siliceous alteration mineralogy, except in the hypogene oxide assemblages, the high salinity, and the lack of sulfides and the pathfinder toxic elements. The host rock is mainly Jurassic quartz latite porphyry and Tertiary sedimentary breccias. Early stages of alteration were K-metasomatic and propylitic, and alteration that accompanied gold mineralization was mainly chloritization and silicification. Mineralization is structurally controlled and is restricted along the Copperstone Listric Fault with minor mineralization along high-angle NE and NW faults, as with many other deposits in west-central Arizona. The gold stage of mineralization was superimposed on previously K-metasomatized rocks. Hypogene mineralization can be divided into 3 paragenetic stages: early amethyst-quartz-Fe-rich-chlorite-specularite-hematite-Au° of stage C; late-stage fine-grained euhedral quartz-adularia-chrysocolla ± malachite ± magnetite ± chalcopyrite-pink fluorite-barite-ankerite-calcite-Au° of stage D; and barren quartz-pale green fluorite-barite-calcite-hematite of stage E. Gold occurs as free particles or is encapsulated in amethyst and late fine-grained euhedral quartz. The time of mineralization is Miocene or younger and the depth of mineralization was 1 Km. Gold mineralization was related to boiling such that a hot spring system did operate at Copperstone. Copperstone is a hydrothermal system created during the last stages of detachment faulting, with mineralization controlled by boiling, and "second boiling" was the principal trigger of Copperstone gold deposition in an environment of falling temperatures and pressures on chloride-rich brine fluids. Variation in δ³⁴S indicates that two different fluids are involved in this system, and that a deeper, "lighter" hydrothermal fluid mixed with a "heavier" basin brine. δ¹⁸O values from carbonates confirm the extent of isotopic exchange with an aqueous reservoir and indicates that oxidation accompanied gold deposition

Design and evaluation of a hepatitis B immunization program for pharmacy students

The objectives of this study are: (1) To compare the effectiveness of two dosing schedules of hepatitis B vaccine in achieving compliance within the vaccines; (2) To determine the immunization requirements in U.S. pharmacy schools both at admission and before the students begin clinical clerkships; and, (3) To design an immunization program for pharmacy students at the University of the Pacific in an attempt to enhance compliance