MICROBIAL CONTAMINATION OF COSMETICS AND PERSONAL CARE ITEMS IN EGYPT—EYE SHADOWS, MASCARAS AND FACE CREAMS

We examined a total of 150 samples, including 27 eye shadows, 27 mascaras and 96 face creams, for their microbial contents. Mascaras were generally more contaminated than eye shadows. More than 75% of the examined eye shadows contained fewer than 100 c.f.u./g aerobic bacterial count compared to 63% of the mascaras examined. Viable bacteria were not recovered from 61% and 48% of the eye shadows and mascaras respectively. While 4% of the eye shadows were heavily contaminated (contained more than 10(4) c.f.u./g), 15% of the mascaras were as heavily contaminated (with more than 10(4) c.f.u./ml of bacteria). Face creams were generally more heavily contaminated than eye shadows and mascaras. More than 70% of the examined creams contained more than 100 c.f.u./g of bacteria compared to 23% and 37% of eye shadows and mascaras respectively. Only 5% of the face creams were heavily contaminated. However, 27% of the creams were contaminated with more than 10(3)-10(4) c.f.u./g of bacteria compared to none in this range for both eye shadows and mascaras. Qualitative tests for detection of hazardous bacteria showed that none of the eye shadows were contaminated with any of those micro-organisms. Out of nine items of a specific brand of mascara, three isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, one isolate of Citrobacter freundii and one isolate of Klebsiella pneumonia were detected. Among the creams, two brands showed the highest contamination levels with more than 85% of the tested samples containing more than 10(3) c.f.u./g fungi and at least 10(4) c.f.u./g bacteria.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Influence of Temik (aldicarb) on herbicide persistence in cultivated cotton field soil under field conditions.

The effect of the insecticide Temik on the persistence of the herbicides Cotoran and Cobex was investigated in cultivated cotton fields. Temik was applied to the soil which had also been treated with Cotoran or Cobex. Residues were determined at 15 day intervals for four months. Temik was found to inhibit the degradation of both compounds as long as it persisted. As Temik disappeared the degradtation of Cotoran and Cobex increased, attaining after the 15th day the rates shown by Cotoran and Cobex when applied in isolation.     

Synthesis of 1,3,4-thiadiazoles, imidazo[2,1-b]1,3,4-thiadiazoles and thiadiazolo[3,2-a]pyrimidines derived from benzimidazole as potential antimicrobial agents

Several new 1,3,4-thiadiazole, imidazo[2,1-b]1,3,4-thiadiazole and thiadiazole[3,2-al]pyrimidine derivatives of benzimidazole were synthesized. The compounds were obtained from 1-ethyl or benzyl 2-(2-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazol-5-yl)thiomethylbenzimidazole. The antimicrobial activity of the prepared compounds was studied.     

Modified muscle sparing posterolateral thoracotomy.

A modified posterolateral thoracotomy is described that combines the advantages of complete muscle sparing through a thoracolumbar fascial slide with excellent exposure. The technique is easy to perform. The procedure was associated with relatively little postoperative pain, coughing was effective, and early ambulation was achieved. Experience with this approach in the first 49 patients suggests that it offers an attractive alternative to the standard muscle cutting posterolateral thoracotomy approach for elective procedures.     

Effect of parental age on fertilization and pregnancy characteristics in couples treated by intracytoplasmic sperm injection

The purpose of this study was to investigate any influence of maternal and/or paternal age on gamete characteristics and pregnancy outcomes in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles. In all, 821 consecutive ICSI cases were analysed retrospectively. While a significant linear decline in semen volume was detected, no significant differences in the concentration, motility or morphology of the spermatozoa were found with paternal ageing. A significant decline in the number of oocytes retrieved and the number of mature oocytes obtained was found with advancing maternal age. An increase in the occurrence of digyny was noted with parental ageing, while no difference in single or bipronuclear fertilization was found. Older women had a decreased incidence of single pronucleus formation and an increase in digyny, but no significant difference in the percentage of oocytes that underwent two-pronuclear fertilization was detected with regard to maternal ageing. Pregnancy outcomes were not influenced by the age of the male partner, while a strong negative correlation was found with maternal ageing. To better analyse male partner ageing as a factor affecting pregnancy outcome, we analysed a subgroup of patients with a female partner aged <35 years who underwent ICSI. No paternal influence on ICSI pregnancy outcome was found in this subgroup of patients. We conclude that the influence on pregnancy outcome after ICSI is related mostly to maternal and not paternal age.      

Quantitative coronary arteriography: design and validation

The authors assessed the performance of an automatic and rapid coronary quantification method by evaluating its accuracy in a stenosis phantom. Measurements were obtained with a lucite phantom with 2-, 3-, and 4-mm vessel diameters and concentric stenoses of 33%, 50%, 67%, and 75%. Direct digital angiographic images as well as 10 X 10 spot films and 35-mm cine angiography films were acquired with and without structural noise and mask subtraction. The films were digitized with magnification factors of one and two. An interactive analysis program was used to automatically determine the vessel edges with a Gaussian fit to the cross-sectional density profiles perpendicular to the center line of the vessel. Relative changes of the densitometric cross-sectional area along the vessel were used to assess the percentage of stenosis. Densitometric measurements were comparable in both digital and cine angiograms (r = .99 and r = .98, respectively); however, diameter measurements showed a higher variability and were dependent on the amount of magnification applied to the images.     

Effect of linkage of transduction domain sequences to a lymphoma idiotype DNA vaccine on vaccine effectiveness

Patient idiotype-specific vaccines for treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma have shown promise in clinical trials, encouraging efforts to enhance the effectiveness of idiotype vaccines further. It has previously been found that for some other types of experimental vaccines, the addition of transduction domains has improved vaccine immunogenicity. Transduction domains are short amino acid sequences that are capable of increasing transport through cellular membranes. In this study, we tested murine B cell 38C13 lymphoma idiotype DNA vaccines with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) Tat-derived transduction sequences for efficacy against 38C13 challenge. The rate of tumor onset was similar for the idiotype and transduction domain-conjugated idiotype vaccine groups. At days 22-23 postchallenge, the number of surviving mice was significantly higher in the group that had received a DNA vaccine consisting of the 38C13 idiotype sequence plus modified Tat transduction sequence, in comparison with the group that received idiotype-only vaccines. Although the overall survival difference was not statistically significant following day 24, a trend toward an increased survival rate for mice receiving idiotype plus Tat-derived transduction domains was maintained through day 106 postchallenge. Thus, the addition to idiotype vaccines of specific sequences that facilitate intracellular transport may have potential to improve the effectiveness of such vaccines.