Antimicrobial Activity of Locally Synthesized Carbon Nanosphere on Some Pathogenic Species of Bacteria and Parasites

               تحتوي المواد الكاربونية النانوية  الكروية CNSs)) على خصائص يمكن استغلالها في علاج العوامل المعدية المختلفة. تم في هذه الدراسة اعتماد جسيمات الكاربون  النانوية الكروية التي حضرت في دراستنا السابقة، حيث قمنا بتوصيف حجم وشكل  الكاربون النانوي الكروي  بواسطة المجاهر الإلكترونية (SEM  و  TEM   )  . يتميز المنتج من الكاربون النانوي الكروي الذي تم تشخيصه  على أنه رقيق، إسفنجي ، أسود ، وخفيف الوزن ويتميزبأشكال كروية  منتظمة ذات احجام تتراوح بين 200-400 نانومتر. لقد أجري تقدير تاثير  الكاربون الكروي النانوي المحضر  على البكتيريا والطفيليات.  وكانت  فعاليته ضد بكتريا المكورات العنقودية الذهبية والإشريكية القولونية من خلال قياس  منطقة تثبيط لنمو البكتريا  بمقدار  18  و 20 ملم ضد البكتيريا العنقودية الذهبية  والإشريكية القولونية ، على التوالي  عند  تركيز 2 ملغم / مل من الكاربون النانوي الكروي بعد 24 ساعة من الحضانة عند 37 م º. أجريت تجارب قياس السمية ضد اثنان من السلالات الطفيلية من Leishmania donovani و Leishmania tropica باستخدام اختبار MTT   بعد تحضينها مع   الكاربون النانوي الكروي في غضون 24 ساعة عند 37 م º. من ناحية أخرى ، لوحظ ان طفيلي  L. donovani أكثر حساسية للكاربون المحضر من L. tropica ،حيث ظهر مستوى متوسط من السمية الخلوية وبمقدار 51.31 ٪ عند حضن  2.4 ملغ / مل من الكاربون المحضر مع L. donovani ، في حين كانت السمية الخلوية ضعيفة ( 37.20 ٪ ) عندما تم استخدام نفس التركيز ضد L. tropica  في غضون 24 ساعة في 37 م º.Antibacterial activity of CNSs against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli was estimated. Higher inhibition zone of 18 mm and 20 mm were observed against S. aureus and E.coli, respectively, at a concentration of 2 mg/ml of carbon nanosphere after 24 hrs of incubation at 37 ºC. In vitro cytotoxicity experiment was performed on two parasite strains of Leishmania donovani and Leishmania tropica by using MTT assay. L. donovani revealed more sensitiv to the CNSs than L. tropica. An intermediate level of cytotoxicity of 51.31 % was observed when 2.4 mg/ml of CNSs was incubated with L. donovani, while weak cytotoxicity of 37.20 % was shown when the same concentration of CNSs was used against L. tropica within 24 hr at 37 ºC

Evaluation of the Predictive value of C-reactive Protein, Interleukin-6 and their derived immune-inflammatory indices in COVID-19 Egyptian patients

Background: In coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), finding sensitive biomarkers is critical for detecting severe cases early and intervening effectively. Aim of the work:  To compare and evaluate the value of pretreatment c-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and their derived immune-inflammatory indices (CRP/albumin (CRP/alb), lymphocyte/CRP (L/CRP), and lymphocyte/IL-6 (L/IL-6)) in the prediction of COVID-19 severity and in-hospital mortality. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 85 confirmed COVID-19 patients, their complete blood count with differential, as well as albumin and IL-6 levels on the day of their hospital admission, were assessed and compared. We followed all patients till their in-hospital death or discharge from the hospital. Results: On admission levels of CRP, IL-6, and CRP/alb were significantly higher (p < /em>=0.001) in severe patients and non-survivors, but L/CRP and L/IL-6 were significantly lower (p < /em>=0.001) compared to non-severe patients and non-survivors. CRP/alb and L/CRP at cut-offs of 1.65 and 260.86, respectively, were the best predictors for COVID-19 severity, while IL-6 and L/IL-6 at cut-offs of 120 pg/ml and 5.40, respectively, were the best predictors for COVID-19 in-hospital mortality. IL-6 was an independent risk factor associated with severe disease development (odds ratio (OR): 1.033; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.002-1.066). Conclusions: Pretreatment levels of CRP, IL-6, and their derived indices should be included in the diagnostic work-up of COVID-19 to determine the severity and predict the outcome

Do CRP levels predict severity in COVID-19 hospitalized Egyptian patients?

Background:  Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a rapidly spreading virus with a wide range of clinical manifestations. To manage treatment programs and promptly assess patient severity, prognostic factors must be identified early. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate if there was a link between the severity of COVID-19 and the C-reactive protein (CRP) level on admission. Methods: On admission clinical and laboratory data from 323 patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 were gathered from an Isolation Hospital records from April 10, 2020 to July 30, 2020. CRP was determined in all participants using an automated analyzer and a commercially available latex-enhanced immuno-turbidimetric assay. Results: The most prevalent presenting symptom was fever (39.3%), followed by cough (38.4%).  Coronavirus disease 2019 severity and ICU admission were both predicted by high CRP levels (p < /em><0.001).  C-reactive protein levels were also greater in those who had more chest discomfort, as indicated by CT chest abnormalities (p < /em><0.001). Conclusion: Serum CRP is a simple and effective prognosticator for early prediction of COVID-19 severity

MCRP: multiple chain routing protocol for energy efficiency in homogeneous wireless sensor networks

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) comprise a wide variety of applications. In most of the applications, the sensor nodes are distributed in a hostile area and nodes in WSNs are energy constrained, once it is installed, it would be difficult to recharge the energy source of those sensor nodes. There are many solutions that can be used to overcome the energy limitation issue and one of the main solutions is the routing algorithm used in the network. Routing algorithms in WSNs are responsible for maintaining and discovering the suitable routes in the networks. Therefore, this research presents a Multiple Chain Routing Protocol for Energy Efficiency in Homogeneous Wireless Sensor Networks (MCRP). The major objectives of the MCRP protocol are to increase the lifetime of WSNs by reducing the data transmission path to minimize energy consumption in WSN, and to maximize the network stability period by distributing the load evenly among all nodes. The MCRP works within two stages: the initialization stage and the data transmission stage. Simulation results demonstrate that the presented algorithm MCRP achieves its design goals and outperforms the existing work such as Chain-Chain based routing protocol (CCBRP), and Two-stage chain routing protocol (TSCP) algorithms in terms of Network lifetime, FND and LND (first node and last node died), Network stability period, and Energy consumption

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

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Is health literacy associated with antibiotic use, knowledge and awareness of antimicrobial resistance among non-medical university students in Egypt? A cross-sectional study

Objectives Antibiotic resistance is a global public health concern, especially in developing countries, where antibiotic misuse is widespread. However, studies investigating relevant factors, particularly in youth, are limited. This study examined the levels of health literacy (HL) and their association with antibiotic use, knowledge of antibiotics and awareness of antibiotic resistance among university students in Egypt.Design A cross-sectional study was conducted using self-administered questionnaires during 2018. The Health Literacy Survey (HLS-EU-Q16) and the WHO Antibiotic resistance: Multi-Country Public Awareness Survey were used. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were used to compare responses on use and knowledge of antibiotics, and awareness of antibiotic resistance between the three levels of students’ HL.Setting University, Cairo, Egypt.Participants 508 non-medical university students.Outcomes Students’ HL scores were categorised into sufficient, problematic and inadequate. Students’ knowledge of antibiotics was categorised into good and poor. Students’ awareness of antibiotic resistance was categorised into high, average and poor.Results 35.1% of students had sufficient HL. 79.7% of students had poor knowledge of antibiotics. 39.9% of students reported having used antibiotics in the past month without a prescription. 92.2% had limited awareness of antibiotic resistance and 30.6% of students heard about the term ‘antimicrobial resistance’. Background characteristics did not significantly differ by HL levels or knowledge scores, except for students’ year of study. Sufficient HL was independently associated with students’ high awareness of antibiotic resistance (adjusted OR=2.8; 95% CI: 1.3 to 5.9).Conclusions HL was insufficient in this sample of non-medical Egyptian university students. Across all levels of HL, knowledge of antibiotics and awareness of antibiotic resistance were limited, reflecting deficiency in relevant education programmes. Findings suggest that sufficient HL supports high awareness of antibiotic resistance. Incorporating HL and rational antibiotic use awareness raising programmes in university curricula is an urgent necessity to curb antibiotic resistance

Scaffold dependent histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor induced re-equilibration of the subcellular localization and post-translational modification state of class I HDACs

<div><p>The mechanism of action of histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) is mainly attributed to the inhibition of the deacetylase catalytic activity for their histone substrates. In this study, we analyzed the abundance of class I HDACs in the cytosolic, nuclear soluble and chromatin bound cellular fractions in breast cancer cells after HDACi treatment. We found that potent <i>N</i>-hydroxy propenamide-based HDACi induced a concentration dependent decrease in the HDAC1 associated with chromatin and a lasting concomitant increase in cytoplasmic HDAC1 while maintaining total protein expression. No such change occurred with HDAC2 or 8, however, an increase in cytoplasmic non-phosphorylated HDAC3 was also observed. The subcellular re-equilibration of HDAC1 was subsequent to the accumulation of acetylated histones and might be cell cycle dependent. This study suggests that the biological activity of a subset of <i>N</i>-hydroxy propenamide-based HDACi may stem from direct competition with histone substrates of HDACs as well as from spatial separation from their substrates in the nucleus and/or change in post-translational modification status of HDACs.</p></div

Genotypic variability in salt tolerance of Vicia faba during germination and early seedling growth

Salt tolerance of four Egyptian Vicia faba L. cultivars – Nubaria 1, Nubaria 2, Sakha 1 and Giza 3 – was investigated at germination in relation to seed size. The variability in seed size was wide as seed index of Giza 3 was about half that of Nubaria 1. The four investigated cultivars can withstand up to 150 mM NaCl; with marginal reductions in germination capacity but with marked reductions in speed of germination and embryo growth. The vague genotypic variability among the four cultivars in germination parameters emerged more clearly under salt stress. The response of early emergence of the embryo to salt stress seems to differ from that of the subsequent extension of embryonic axis; since based on magnitude and speed of germination Nubaria 1 was the most salt sensitive cultivar but exhibited relatively high salt tolerance on the basis of embryo growth. The salt-sensitive Nubaria 1 produced smaller embryo, with shorter and thicker radicles than the other three cultivars. Germination speed and embryo growth were maximum but lag period was minimum for the medium-sized seeds. Length and thickness of the emerging radicles were affected more by the genotype than by salinity stress and nutrient supply during germination. The beneficial effects of nutrients on seed germination and embryo growth were more evident in the salt-tolerant Nubaria 2 than in the salt-sensitive Nubaria 1. Keywords: Embryo growth, Germination speed, Salinity, Seed index, Vicia fab

Religious Tourists’ Satisfaction with Services and Their Impacts on Spirituality in the Post-COVID-19 Era

Islamic pilgrimage has social, political, and economic benefits, but there are major challenges in the management of large numbers of groups at one time. This spiritually healing journey is likely to be influenced by the overall experience and the quality of logistical services provided while performing the rituals. In the postpandemic period, challenges were more apparent in preventing the spread of infection while maintaining acceptable levels of spiritual atmosphere. Pilgrims’ characteristics might mediate or moderate the changes in spirituality based on individuals’ satisfaction with service quality. In the current study, we investigated the potential service quality predictors of spiritual satisfaction among Muslim pilgrims and investigated the potential mediators and/or moderators of such relationships. The results showed that higher spirituality satisfaction scores were independently associated with enhanced satisfaction with medical services, religious guidance, and the overall Hajj experience. These relationships were not mediated by any demographic characteristics. The Hajj experience significantly moderated the relationship between satisfaction with religious guidance and spirituality. It is recommended that the national authorities should ensure the highest levels of spiritual satisfaction via improving medical and guidance services to achieve the spiritual healing of pilgrims