Dielectric properties of Cu0.5Tl0.5Ba2Ca2Cu3O10-δ superconductor added with nano-Fe2O3

A series of high-temperature superconducting samples of type Cu0.5Tl0.5Ba2Ca2Cu3O10-δ, (Cu0.5Tl0.5)-1223, added with nano-Fe2O3 (0.0- 1.0 wt. %) was prepared by a solid-state reaction technique via short time preparation procedure and under ambient pressure. The prepared samples were characterized using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) for phase analysis and microstructure examination. The volume fraction results indicated that nano-Fe2O3 addition was significant in enhancing the formation rate of the (Cu0.5Tl0.5)-1223 phase, especially for x ≤ 0.2 wt. % samples. The electrical resistivity of the prepared samples was measured by the conventional four-probe technique from room temperature down to the zero superconducting transition temperature (T0). An increase in the superconducting temperature, Tc, is observed up to x = 0.2 wt. %, followed by a systematic decrease with increasing nano-Fe2O3 addition. The dielectric constants (ε\u27 and ε\u27\u27), dissipation factor (tan Δ) and real ac conductivity (σ\u27ac) were investigated as a function of temperature (113- 293 K) and frequency (102- 106 Hz). The results clarified that all these dielectric parameters show a strong dispersion with temperatures at low and moderate frequency ranges. Moreover, they are strongly dependent on nano-Fe2O3 addition. Furthermore, the high content of nano-Fe2O3 addition (x = 1.0 wt. %) enhanced ε\u27 and reduced tan D of (Cu0.5Tl0.5)-1223 phase, which is a desirable demand for practical applications

Effect of Earplugs and Eye Mask on Sleep Quality Among Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome at Assiut University Hospital

Background: Sleep disturbance can cause multiple negative cardiovascular effects among patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS). Aim: this study carried out to investigate effect of earplugs and eye mask on sleep quality among patients with ACS. Design: a quasi-experimental design. Setting: Coronary Care Unit at Assiut University Hospital. Subjects: Convenience sampling of 60 male and female adult patients were assigned randomly to two equal groups (30 each). Tools: Four tools were utilized to collect data of study, which were: Tool I Acute Coronary Syndrome patient assessment sheet Tool II: Factors affecting sleep quality among patients with ACS during night Tool III: 0–10 Numeric Pain Rating Scale Tool IV: ST Mary’s Hospital Sleep Questionnaire (SMHSQ). Methods: Researcher assessed factors affecting sleep quality during night as base line data and on daily basis for 3 consecutive days. Then, earplugs and eye mask were placed for study group between 7:10 PM. On morning, sleep quality was assessed for study and control groups by using (SMHSQ) between 7:8 AM. Results: Finding of this study supported stated research hypotheses with statistical significant difference between study and control groups regarding total mean of sleep quality score during 1st and 2nd nights of intervention (P=0.000**, P= 0.014*) respectively as well as some of environmental factors affecting sleep quality with P. value < 0.05. Conclusion Earplugs, eye mask significantly improve sleep quality of patients with ACS. Therefore, offering earplugs and eye mask as a part of routine nursing practice for all ACS patients is highly recommended.                                                                                        Key words: earplugs and eye mask, sleep quality, acute coronary syndrome patient

Ceramide 24 Level in Hepatitis C Virus- Patients and Healthy Persons

Background: There are 170 million people in the globe living with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, which causes inflammation and hepatic fibrosis in various degrees. A portion of these patients will develop cirrhosis and other end-stage liver disease problems over the course of twenty to forty years. Low levels of serum ceramide 24 (Cer24) are linked to severe liver fibrosis and poor response to antiviral therapy in those with chronic HCV infection. Objective: This study was designed to assess level of ceramide 24 in chronic HCV and normal individuals. Subjects and Methods: The study was carried out as a case control study at Tropical Medicine Department, Clinical Pathology Department in Zagazig University Hospitals and at Viral Hepatitis Treatment Unit in Al-Ahrar Teaching Hospital. The study included 60 individuals who were divided into 2 groups. Group 1 included 30 case and group 2 was 30 healthy subjects as control. All patients were clinically evaluated, had routine laboratory investigations and measurements of circulating levels of ceramide 24. Abdominal ultrasonography was done. Results: Serum ceramide 24 level in HCV patients (cases) is 15.16 ± 6.93 while its level in normal individuals (control) is 65.01 ± 65.84. Conclusion: It was found that serum ceramide 24 level was significantly reduced in case group

The Effect of two Schedules of Intermittent Enteral Feeding on the Development of Gastric Colonization

Nutritional support is an important aspect of the care of traumatized patients and it can result in improving wound healing, decreasing catabolic response to injury, enhancing immune system function, improving gastrointestinal structure and function, and improving clinical outcomes. However, many complications are associated with enteral feeding including gastric colonization. Routine enteral feeding schedule is not allowing time to acidify stomach with gastric pH. This may predispose the traumatized patients to acquire gastric colonization which may predispose to aspiration pneumonia. Aim: this study was carried out to investigate the effect of two schedules of intermittent enteral feeding on the development of gastric colonization Design: a quasi-experimental design. Setting: trauma ICU at Assiut University Hospitals, Egypt. Patients: A convenience sample of 80 adults' traumatized patients on enteral feeding constituted the study sample. The patients were assigned into two equal groups (group 1 and group 2, 40 patients each). Methods: The only manipulation was in the rest period and time interval in which the group 1 patients were rested 8hours at night as compared to 6hours for the group 2 ones, as well group 1 patients were having 4hours time interval between each two consecutive feeding as compared to 2hours for group 2 patients. Results: ninety percent of group 2 patients developed gastric colonization as compared to 40% of the group 1 patients with a highly significant statistical difference between both groups in this regard (p= 0.000).Conclusion: intermittent 4-hour interval enteral feeding schedule inhibit the development of gastric colonization. Keywords: intermittent enteral feeding, gastric colonization

Design, synthesis, and biological profile of novel N-(5-aryl-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl) hydrazinecarboxamides

New series of arylthiadiazole hydrazinecarboxamides (5a-e) have been synthesized by hydrazinolysis of carbamates (4a-e) and spectrally characterized. The new candidates have been screened for their anticonvulsant and immunomodulatory activities. Compound 5e was the most potent anticonvulsant candidate as it showed 100% protection against both maximal electroshock seizure (MES) and subcutaneous pentylenetetrazole (scPTZ) screens without neurotoxicity at 100 mg/kg (0.318 mmol/kg). With respect to immunomodulation, compounds 5a and 5d revealed immunostimulatory activity while compounds 5b, 5c, and 5e had immunosuppressive responses based on ELISA detection of IgM and IgG levels, counting the total mesenteric lymph nodes lymphocytes, and histo-pathological examinations

Global, regional, and national burden of chronic kidney disease, 1990–2017 : a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017

Background Health system planning requires careful assessment of chronic kidney disease (CKD) epidemiology, but data for morbidity and mortality of this disease are scarce or non-existent in many countries. We estimated the global, regional, and national burden of CKD, as well as the burden of cardiovascular disease and gout attributable to impaired kidney function, for the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2017. We use the term CKD to refer to the morbidity and mortality that can be directly attributed to all stages of CKD, and we use the term impaired kidney function to refer to the additional risk of CKD from cardiovascular disease and gout. Methods The main data sources we used were published literature, vital registration systems, end-stage kidney disease registries, and household surveys. Estimates of CKD burden were produced using a Cause of Death Ensemble model and a Bayesian meta-regression analytical tool, and included incidence, prevalence, years lived with disability, mortality, years of life lost, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs). A comparative risk assessment approach was used to estimate the proportion of cardiovascular diseases and gout burden attributable to impaired kidney function. Findings Globally, in 2017, 1·2 million (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 1·2 to 1·3) people died from CKD. The global all-age mortality rate from CKD increased 41·5% (95% UI 35·2 to 46·5) between 1990 and 2017, although there was no significant change in the age-standardised mortality rate (2·8%, −1·5 to 6·3). In 2017, 697·5 million (95% UI 649·2 to 752·0) cases of all-stage CKD were recorded, for a global prevalence of 9·1% (8·5 to 9·8). The global all-age prevalence of CKD increased 29·3% (95% UI 26·4 to 32·6) since 1990, whereas the age-standardised prevalence remained stable (1·2%, −1·1 to 3·5). CKD resulted in 35·8 million (95% UI 33·7 to 38·0) DALYs in 2017, with diabetic nephropathy accounting for almost a third of DALYs. Most of the burden of CKD was concentrated in the three lowest quintiles of Socio-demographic Index (SDI). In several regions, particularly Oceania, sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America, the burden of CKD was much higher than expected for the level of development, whereas the disease burden in western, eastern, and central sub-Saharan Africa, east Asia, south Asia, central and eastern Europe, Australasia, and western Europe was lower than expected. 1·4 million (95% UI 1·2 to 1·6) cardiovascular disease-related deaths and 25·3 million (22·2 to 28·9) cardiovascular disease DALYs were attributable to impaired kidney function. Interpretation Kidney disease has a major effect on global health, both as a direct cause of global morbidity and mortality and as an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. CKD is largely preventable and treatable and deserves greater attention in global health policy decision making, particularly in locations with low and middle SDI

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

Burnout among surgeons before and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: an international survey

Background: SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has had many significant impacts within the surgical realm, and surgeons have been obligated to reconsider almost every aspect of daily clinical practice. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study reported in compliance with the CHERRIES guidelines and conducted through an online platform from June 14th to July 15th, 2020. The primary outcome was the burden of burnout during the pandemic indicated by the validated Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure. Results: Nine hundred fifty-four surgeons completed the survey. The median length of practice was 10 years; 78.2% included were male with a median age of 37 years old, 39.5% were consultants, 68.9% were general surgeons, and 55.7% were affiliated with an academic institution. Overall, there was a significant increase in the mean burnout score during the pandemic; longer years of practice and older age were significantly associated with less burnout. There were significant reductions in the median number of outpatient visits, operated cases, on-call hours, emergency visits, and research work, so, 48.2% of respondents felt that the training resources were insufficient. The majority (81.3%) of respondents reported that their hospitals were included in the management of COVID-19, 66.5% felt their roles had been minimized; 41% were asked to assist in non-surgical medical practices, and 37.6% of respondents were included in COVID-19 management. Conclusions: There was a significant burnout among trainees. Almost all aspects of clinical and research activities were affected with a significant reduction in the volume of research, outpatient clinic visits, surgical procedures, on-call hours, and emergency cases hindering the training. Trial registration: The study was registered on clicaltrials.gov "NCT04433286" on 16/06/2020