Evaluation of the role of the hystrosalpingography in prediction of endometriosis in infertile females

Background: Hysterosalpingography is the testing the patency of the tubes and the uterine cavity by injecting urographin inside them. The purpose in this study was to evaluate 2 signs in hysterosalpingography (higher position of one or both tubes and S or C shape in the course of one or both tubes) in prediction of endometriosis. Methods: This was prospective cohort study that was done in El-Shatby Maternity University Hospital, Alexandria University. The study included eighty six infertile women who were assigned to do laparoscopy.  Recent hysterosalpingography was done within 3 months period before laparoscopy and comments were done on the position and S or C shape in the course of the tube then laparoscopy was done and document all findings including presence of endometriosis and biopsy was taken from atypical lesions.Results: All signs show high specificity in prediction of endometriosis although only 2 signs (higher level of left tube and bilateral tubal S or C shape) showed significantly high sensitivity in prediction of endometriosis.Conclusion: Careful examination of the HSG film and searching for the specific signs of endometriosis is a practical and simple method in prediction of endometriosis. These preliminary data suggest that HSG has a role in prediction of endometriosis

Awareness, attitude and preference of long-acting reversible contraceptives by Tanta University contraceptive clinic attendants

Background: Long Acting Reversible Contraceptives (LARC) had a very high efficacy in lowering unintended pregnancies and their poor health sequalae. Although their reported efficacy, these methods are not widely used among patient’s due to non-awareness and faulty concepts linked to these methods.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the degree of awareness, attitude and preference of LARC by attendants of Tanta University contraceptive clinic in the period from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016. All patients were counseled with thorough discussion about LARC methods. The following issues were determined: age, parity, mode of previous delivery, residence, medical diseases, socioeconomic state of family, type of LARC method used, how she know about this method and why she preferred that type.Results: 391 women underwent this study with age range of 21-46 years, and BMI range of 20.46-31.87. LARC were preferred by 72.38% of patients and mainly IUDS (52.94%) while other LARC methods were of very low awareness. Most patients take their knowledge from paramedical staffs (49.87%). Occupation, education, residence and religion were not affecting patients' attitude and preference of one LARC over the other methods. Age was the most effective factor for determining whether to use LARC or not. Counseling revert a lot of faulty concepts and misbelieves about LARC.Conclusions: LARC were not widespread among Tanta University attendants for contraception except for IUDs. Young patients had no motivations towards LARC due to a lot of faulty concepts that need a lot of work to be eradicated

Effect of Aromatic Massage on Somatic Problems among a Cohort of Menopausal Women

Context: Menopause is a significant event in women's lives. It marks the end of a woman's natural reproductive life; it is usually accompanied by symptoms that affect the women's ability to perform their normal daily activities. Massage is one of the non-pharmacological methods that can help women cope with menopausal symptoms. Aim: The study aimed to evaluate the effect of aromatic massage on somatic problems among a cohort of menopausal women. Methods: A comparative quasi-experimental time serial (pre-posttest, study/control) design was used. The study was conducted at outpatient clinics of Ain shams University Maternity Hospital. A purposive sample of 74 menopausal women with menopausal symptoms was recruited in this study and divided randomly into an intervention group (Aromatic massage) and a control group (Massage only). Data were collected through three tools. A structured interviewing questionnaire is divided into three parts: general data, obstetrics, and menstrual history, the Kupperman index (menopausal assessment symptoms tool) to assess somatic menopausal symptoms, and the Visual Analogue Scale to assess the history of menstrual pain degree among menopausal women. Results: It revealed two matched groups of women with a mean age of 47.83±5.23 vs. 49.05±3.98 in the aromatic and massage-only groups, respectively. The pre/post-intervention results revealed a significant improvement in most somatic menopausal symptoms, decreasing the frequency of hot flushes attacks, paresthesia, vertigo, fatigue, myalgia, headache, heart palpitation, and formication in the aromatherapy massage group post-intervention and in the follow up (p<0.05). The comparison between the aromatic and massage-only groups revealed a significant difference between the two groups with a significantly lower mean score in total menopausal somatic symptoms. Conclusion: Aromatic massage with lavender, clary sage, jasmine, and rose dissolved in almond oil was effective in easing somatic menopausal symptoms compared to their pre-intervention level and compared to the massage-only group. The study recommended developing counseling programs for women about aromatic massage therapy at gynecological clinics.&nbsp

First Report of Leishmania tropica from a Classical Focus of L. major in North-Sinai, Egypt

This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from http://www.ajtmh.org/content/81/2/213.long.Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is prevalent in the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula and previous research has consistently documented the etiologic agent to be Leishmania major. We report the first isolation of Leishmania tropica from human cases of CL in a Northern Sinai community bordering Palestine. Parasite culturing, real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), gene sequencing, and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analyses indicate CL cases in this community were caused by either L. major or L. tropica (three cases each). Two wild-caught rodents (Gerbillus pyramidum floweri) were infected with L. tropica. Phlebotomus papatasi sand flies were found harboring L. major, however only non-infected individuals of Phlebotomus sergenti, a vector for L. tropica, were caught. Patients with L. tropica had not traveled from the region in over a year, suggesting these cases are autochthonous. This scenario is consistent with an incursion of L. tropica from bordering countries and raises concerns about expansion of this parasite further into Egypt

Relay intercropping of maize with common dry beans to rationalize nitrogen fertilizer

Maize (Zea mays L.) and dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) are important staple food and cash crops worldwide. Common bean in an intercrop with maize contributes to biological nitrogen fixation, which stabilize productivity of cropping systems and reduce negative environmental impacts and loss of biodiversity for sustainable agriculture. A field experiments was performed during the years of 2020 and 2021 at Sers El-Layian Station, northern Egypt. The current study aiming to study the effect of three sowing dates of maize, represent 3 co-growth duration [T1: at flowering stage (FS) of common beans (60 days co-growth duration), T2: 15 days after FS (45 days co-growth duration), and T3: 30 days after FS (30 days co-growth duration with beans)] and three N fertilizer levels (N1: 190.4, N2: 238.0, and N3: 285.6 kg N/ha of maize) on productivity, profitability and N fertilizer rationalization. The longest co-growth duration of maize intercropping with common beans (T1) significantly (P ≤ 0.05) decreased common beans and maize yields compared with T2 and T3. Performance of common beans did not show (P ≤ 0.05) any variation under different N fertilizer levels of maize. Significant (P ≤ 0.05) increase in maize yield and its components with raising N fertilizer level up to N3. Although there was no significant variation in maize yield when applied N2 and N3, however, nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) was significant (P ≤ 0.05) higher in N2 than N3 by 18.34%. Regardless of planting time and N fertilizer level of maize, combined productivity of common beans and maize increased in the intercropped system as cleared by higher total land equivalent ratios (LER) and area time equivalent ratios (ATER). Highest LER value 1.99 was observed at the shortest co-growth period T3 under N3 followed by 1.97 with N2. Positive values in the actual yield loss index (AYL) indicated intercropping advantage. Different competition indices showed a greater dominance of maize over common beans (aggressivity, Ag; competitive ratio, CR; actual yield losses, AYL). However, the intercropping systems increased the economic advantage (intercropping advantage index, IAI and monetary advantage index MAI) over monoculture. These results imply that shortening the period of co-growth maize with common beans (T3) and applying 238.0 kg N/ha in the relay intercropping system reduced mineral N fertilizer use by 16.67% compared to the advised level 285.6 kg N/ha along with increased productivity per unit area and economic advantages for small-farmer

Effects of Foliar Nutrition on Onion Seed Storage under Modified Atmosphere Packages

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Foliar Nutrition and Post-Harvest of Onion Seed: effects of storage temperatures, storage period and foliar nutrition

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Effects of Foliar Nutrition on Onion Seed Storage under Controlled Atmosphere

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Selenium and Nano-Selenium Biofortification for Human Health

Selenium is an essential micronutrient required for the health of humans and lower plants, but its importance for higher plants is still being investigated. The biological functions of Se related to human health revolve around its presence in 25 known selenoproteins (e.g., selenocysteine or the 21st amino acid). Humans may receive their required Se through plant uptake of soil Se, foods enriched in Se, or Se dietary supplements. Selenium nanoparticles (Se-NPs) have been applied to biofortified foods and feeds. Due to low toxicity and high e ciency, Se-NPs are used in applications such as cancer therapy and nano-medicines. Selenium and nano-selenium may be able to support and enhance the productivity of cultivated plants and animals under stressful conditions because they are antimicrobial and anti-carcinogenic agents, with antioxidant capacity and immune-modulatory efficacy. Thus, nano-selenium could be inserted in the feeds of fish and livestock to improvise stress resilience and productivity. This review offers new insights in Se and Se-NPs biofortification for edible plants and farm animals under stressful environments. Further, extensive research on Se-NPs is required to identify possible adverse effects on humans and their cytotoxicity.Peer Reviewe