Improving Revegetation of Degraded Dryland Using Zeolitic Tuff and Saltbush Species

Drought is considered one of the major problems that renders the success of rehabilitation activities in arid and semi rangeland. Promoting survival and growth, using zeolitic tuff added to planting holes is suggested as possible solution. An experiment was conducted using a factorial design. Two shrub species (Atriplex halimus L., Atriplex nummularia Lindl.) were transplanted into holes prepared with three levels of tuff treatments (mulching, mixing and control) under rainfed condition. The result showed no significant effect of tuff on seedling survival percentage, when mixing tuff with plantation soil or adding tuff as mulch. Also, the two species showed similar survival percentages over two measured dates. However, mixing tuff with soil during hole preparation significantly enhanced seedling heights. The Australian Atriplex (Atriplex nummularia) species significantly grew higher than the Mediterranean Atriplex halimus. Also, results revealed insignificant effect of tuff treatments (mixing, mulch and control) on recorded species richness. But, the Australian Atriplex species significantly harbors more diverse species than the local Atriplex. The study concluded using zeolitic tuff had the potential to enhance seedling growth, thus improving the success of rangeland rehabilitation in dry areas

Vitamin D level in preschool children with recurrent wheezy chest, and its relation to the severity of the wheezing episodes

Background: Recurrent wheezy chest is a common complaint in pediatric practice. Vitamin D is a potent immunomodulator in allergic diseases as wheezy chest and asthma. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency has been increasing in Egypt leading to significant morbidities.Objectives: This study aimed to assess serum 25 hydroxy (OH) Vitamin D level in preschool children with recurrent wheezy chest, and to assess its relation to the recurrence, severity, and level of control of the wheezing episodes.Methods: The study included 100 preschool children (aged 2 to 5 years), of both sexes, recruited from the Emergency department, Allergy and Pulmonology units at Assiut University Children Hospital, Egypt. They should have at least 3 documented episodes of wheeze, cough, and difficulty breathing in the last year with clinical improvement on inhaled short-acting beta 2 agonists. Patients were subjected to questionnaire-based history, clinical examination, and laboratory investigations (complete blood count (CBC) with the absolute eosinophil count, serum total IgE level, and serum 25 hydroxy (OH) Vitamin D level). Pediatric Respiratory Assessment Measure (PRAM score) for assessment of the severity of the wheezing episodes and Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) based level of asthma control for children 5 years and younger were applied. The patients were grouped according to PRAM score to mild, moderate and severe episodes and according to vitamin D level as sufficient and below-sufficient groups (including deficient and insufficient patients).Results: 25(OH) Vitamin D level was below-sufficient in 53% of the studied patients (deficient in 32% and insufficient in 21%). PRAM score was significantly lower in patients with sufficient 25(OH) Vitamin D level versus those with below-sufficient level (p < 0.025). There was a significant negative correlation between PRAM score and 25 (OH) Vitamin D level (r = -0.334, p = 0.001).Conclusion: There is an inverse relationship between 25(OH)vitamin D level and parameters of asthma severity, as well as with the level of asthma control in preschool children with recurrent wheezy chest.Keywords: Vitamin D, recurrent wheezy chest, preschool childre

Preparation and Preliminary Dielectric Characterization of Structured C\u3csub\u3e60\u3c/sub\u3e-Thiol-Ene Polymer Nanocomposites Assembled Using the Thiol-Ene Click Reaction

Fullerene-containing materials have the ability to store and release electrical energy. Therefore, fullerenes may ultimately find use in high-voltage equipment devices or as super capacitors for high electric energy storage due to this ease of manipulating their excellent dielectric properties and their high volume resistivity. A series of structured fullerene (C60) polymer nanocomposites were assembled using the thiol-ene click reaction, between alkyl thiols and allyl functionalized C60 derivatives. The resulting high-density C60-urethane-thiol-ene (C60-Thiol-Ene) networks possessed excellent mechanical properties. These novel networks were characterized using standard techniques, including infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The dielectric spectra for the prepared samples were determined over a broad frequency range at room temperature using a broadband dielectric spectrometer and a semiconductor characterization system. The changes in thermo-mechanical and electrical properties of these novel fullerene-thiol-ene composite films were measured as a function of the C60 content, and samples characterized by high dielectric permittivity and low dielectric loss were produced. In this process, variations in chemical composition of the networks were correlated to performance characteristics

Herd Immunity against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection in 10 Communities, Qatar.

We investigated what proportion of the population acquired severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and whether the herd immunity threshold has been reached in 10 communities in Qatar. The study included 4,970 participants during June 21-September 9, 2020. Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 were detected by using an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. Seropositivity ranged from 54.9% (95% CI 50.2%-59.4%) to 83.8% (95% CI 79.1%-87.7%) across communities and showed a pooled mean of 66.1% (95% CI 61.5%-70.6%). A range of other epidemiologic measures indicated that active infection is rare, with limited if any sustainable infection transmission for clusters to occur. Only 5 infections were ever severe and 1 was critical in these young communities; infection severity rate of 0.2% (95% CI 0.1%-0.4%). Specific communities in Qatar have or nearly reached herd immunity for SARS-CoV-2 infection: 65%-70% of the population has been infected

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

Microvascular complications in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus in Assiut governorate, Egypt

Background: Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) carries a long-term burden of increased microvascular complications in the form of nephropathy, retinopathy, and neuropathy. As the incidence of T1DM continues to rise, the burden of microvascular complications will also increase and negatively influence the prognosis of young patients. Microalbuminuria (MA) represents the earliest clinical indication of diabetic nephropathy and is a predictor of increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Our study’s aim was to determine the prevalence of microvascular complications among type 1 diabetic patients in Assiut University Children Hospital, Upper Egypt and to find out its correlation with various risk factors. Methods: The study was cross-sectional one carried on a sample of 180 type 1 diabetic children and adolescents aged from 6 to 21  years. Patients were subjected to full history taking, physical examination, and investigations of HbA1c, lipid profile, early morning spot urine albumin/creatinine ratio as well as fundus examination. Results: The prevalence of microalbuminuria was 20.5%, macroalbuminuria was 7.8%, diabetic retinopathy was 1.1%, and diabetic neuropathy was 5.5%. Patients with microvascular complications had a significantly higher frequency of DKA (39.2% vs. 10.6%, p = 0.000) and hypoglycemic attacks (47.1% vs. 29.5%, p = 0.001) than those without microvascular complications. Furthermore, studied patients with microvascular complications had significantly higher mean ± SD HbA1c (9.99 ± 1.61 vs. 8.51 ± 1.5, p = 0.000) and serum cholesterol (174.98 ± 48.12 vs. 166.26 ± 43.28, p = 0.05) in comparison to patients without microvascular complications. Conclusion: The prevalence rate of microvascular complications was considerably high among diabetic patients in Assiut governorate, Egypt especially with poor glycemic control and dyslipidemia. Regular screening for microvascular complications is recommended for all diabetic patients, as early treatment is critical for reducing cardiovascular risks and slowing the progression to late stages of diabetic nephropathy. Keywords: Microvascular complications, Screening, Type 1 diabetes mellitu

Predictors of glycemic control in children with Type 1 diabetes mellitus in Assiut-Egypt

Background : Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) may lead to severe long-term health consequences, such as renal failure, blindness, as well as heart and cerebrovascular disease. Although a direct relationship between blood glucose control and diabetes complications remains to be established beyond doubt, most diabetologists aim to achieve the best possible glucose control in their patients with T1DM. The aim of this study was to detect the predictors of glycemic control among children with T1DM in Assiut Governorate-Egypt. Materials and Methods : We enrolled 415 children aged 2 to 18 years with type 1 diabetes of >1-year duration. They were subjected to full history including demographic factors and disease-related factors. Examination was done with determination of the body mass index, and assessment of stage of maturity. Investigations included hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and lipid profile. Patients with HbA1c above the recommended values for age by the American Diabetes Association were considered as poor glycemic control group. Results : Of the studied cases, 190 cases (45.8%) were of poor glycemic control. Patients with poor control had significantly higher mean age (16.83 ± 3.3 vs 9.77 ± 3.7, P<0.000). Girls aged 15 years or more had significantly higher prevalence of poor glycemic control than males of the same age group. As regard the disease-related factors, patients with poor control had significantly longer duration of disease (7.94 ± 2.6 vs 2.40 ± 2.0, P<0.000) and were older in age at onset of disease. Insulin regimen which consists of basal bolus insulin plus three injections of regular insulin was associated with more frequency of good glycemic control than other regimens. Patients with poor control had significantly higher mean of cholesterol, triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol than patients with good control. Adjusting for other variables, age of the patients, duration of disease, and serum TG level were significant independent risk factors of poor glycemic control. Conclusions : This study concluded that children more than 15 years, duration of disease more than 5 years, and high serum TG level are the predictors of poor glycemic control of children with T1DM in Assiut - Egypt. Pediatricians need to be aware of factors associated with poor glycemic control in children with T1DM, so that more effective measures can be implemented to prevent deterioration in diabetes control