The impact of partial termination of food subsidy programme on food consumption pattern.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the public opinion towards the possible replacement of ration cards by cash payment and to investigate the effect of partial termination of food price subsidy programme on food consumption by families from different income brackets. A purposive sample of 300 families from Alexandria Governorates were interviewed to assess the attitude of the consumer towards the possible termination of current food subsidy programme. After one year, during which the subsidy programme was reduced, a follow up sample of 240 were interviewed. The results show that a large proportion of the families prefer the continuation of the current programme (80-81.2%), meanwhile, around 90% of them believed that subsidized foods do not reach the target group. The data show that subsidized meat and poultry are consumed by high income families while frozen subsidized fish was mostly consumed by poor families. The partial termination of the subsidy programme forced the families to reduce their consumption from sugar, tea, oil, and rice. During the second phase of the study. However the results show that high income families were least affected by the partial termination of the subsidy programme.     

Oxazole,pyrazole and piperidine derivatives having an o-hydroxyaryl moiety with anticipated molluscicidal activity

The condensation reactions of hippuric acid and its furyl derivative with salicylaldehydes or that of salicylhippuric acid analogues with furaldehyde led to the corresponding oxazoles. These were subsequently treated with hydrazine hydrate, hydroxylamine or subjected to alkaline hydrolysis to yield new o-hydroxyaryl or salicyl containing derivatives. 5-Substituted salicylanilides were treated with piperidine and formaldehyde in a Mannich type reaction affording the corresponding 3-(N-piperidinomethyl) salicylanilides. It was noticed that the presence of an electron donating group in position 3 in the salicylanilide moiety decreases the molluscicidal activity.     

脑膜瘤生物学特性的研究——流式细胞计对脑膜瘤DNA含量的分析及其生物学行为的相关研究

为了定量测试脑膜瘤WHO分级法的价值,作者应用倍体分类、增殖指数和S期细胞比率三项参数进行分析,发现这三项指标与WHO分级密切相关。脑膜瘤异形细胞、坏死、核分裂及脑浸润的出现与肿瘤WHO分级增加和肿瘤复发密切相关。这些结果特别对肿瘤的异质性和测量技术差异问题给予小心评价。     

Burns during pregnancy: a gloomy outcome

The effect of burns on fetal and maternal survival is known to be detrimental. This prospective study describes the performance of pregnant burned patients who were managed and followed up for fetal and maternal outcomes at Ain Shams University's burn unit and Maternity Hospital during the period from October 1995 to September 1996. During the 12-month period, 27 pregnant burned patients were managed. Fetal and maternal mortality correlated with the total body surface area (TBSA) burned, the mortality rate being 63 per cent for both mothers and fetuses in the 25–50 per cent TBSA group. A fetal loss of 56 per cent with no maternal loss were recorded in the 15–25 per cent TBSA group. Experience in dealing with pregnant burned patients proves that early surgical excision and skin grafting, with timely termination of pregnancy are the best lines of treatment. Prevention or minimizing the effects of the burns may be achieved by proper education and guidance of the pregnant woman.     

Human papillomavirus infection in Egyptian esophageal carcinoma: correlation with p53, p21, mdm2, C-erbB2 and impact on survival

The etiological role of human papillomavirus (HPV) in esophageal carcinoma (EC) in relation to p53, mdm2, p21(waf), c-erbB2 and the overall survival (OS) rate was investigated. Tumor and normal tissues from 50 EC were evaluated by polymerase chain reaction and InnoLiPA for HPV. Single strand conformation polymorphism/sequencing were used to detect p53 gene mutations. Immunohistochemistry was performed to determine p53, mdm2, p21(waf)and c-erbB2 expression. Human papillomavirus was detected in 54% of tumors and in 24% of normal tissues. p53, mdm2 and c-erbB2 overexpression was detected in 68%, 70% and 60% of tumors and in 14%, 16% and 10% of normal samples, whereas loss of p21(waf) was evident in 64% of tumors. p53 mutations were detected in 20% of cases. Exon 8 and 5 showed the highest mutation rate (40% each), followed by exons 6 and 7 (10% each). There was a significant correlation between HPV and p53, mdm2, c-erbB2 overexpression. The OS was significantly associated with overexpression of p53 and loss of p21(waf). Human papillomavirus infection is frequent in Egyptian EC. Both p53-dependent and p53-independent pathways seem to be involved in HPV-associated EC. mdm2 and c-erbB2 are possible targets for HPV in the p53-independent pathway. However, only advanced stage and aberrant expression of p53 and p21(waf) are independent prognostic markers.     

Ethnic variation in the HER-2 codon 655 genetic polymorphism previously associated with breast cancer

HER-2, a protooncogene located on chromosome 17q21, encodes a transmembrane glycoprotein (p185) with tyrosine kinase activity. Alterations of the HER-2 gene have been implicated in the carcinogenesis and prognosis of breast cancer and other solid tumors. It is also a cancer-therapeutic target for antibody-based therapy against the HER-2 protein. A single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at codon 655, resulting in a G-to-A transition (Ile655Val) in the transmembrane domain-coding region of this gene has been associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, particularly among younger women. To understand the importance of this finding throughout the world, we evaluated this polymorphism in Ghanaian, Kenyan, Sudanese, Caucasian, African–American, Saudi, and Filipino subjects using a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism assay. The frequency of the Val allele, which is associated with increased breast cancer risk, was highly variable between populations (0%–24%). Continental African populations had a lower frequency of the Val allele than did Saudi, Chinese, Filipino, Caucasian, and African–American subjects. The data suggest that this SNP has variable frequency in different ethnic groups. The findings in this study correspond with the lower incidence and lower risk of breast cancer in African women compared with Caucasian and African–American women. Received: December 13, 2001 / Accepted: January 16, 2002     

Fc receptor-mediated accumulation of macrophages in crescentic glomerulonephritis induced by anti-glomerular basement membrane antibody administration in WKY rats

Anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) glomerulonephritis induced in WKY rats is characterized by glomerular accumulation of CD8(+) T cells and monocytes/macrophages, followed by crescent formation. The mechanism of leukocyte accumulation after antibody binding to GBM is still unclear. To unveil an involvement of Fcgamma receptors (FcgammaR) in leukocytes recruitment we examined the expression of FcgammaR in glomeruli and the effects of the administration of F(ab')(2) fragment of anti-GBM antibody or FcgammaR blocking on the initiation and progression of this model. A gradual increase of FcgammaR mRNA expression in glomeruli during the time course of disease suggested their significance in the development of glomerulonephritis. Glomerular lesions and proteinuria were induced only in rats injected with intact IgG of anti-GBM antibody, but not with the F(ab')(2) fragment. In vivo blocking of FcgammaR by administering heat-aggregated IgG led to the decrease of mRNA expression for all types of FcgammaR (types 1, 2 and 3) and a significant amelioration of glomerulonephritis manifestations. By flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry FcgammaR2-expressing cells in glomeruli were identified as macrophages, but not CD8(+) T cells. The expression of FcgammaR1 and 3 was significantly decreased, and that of FcgammaR2 became undetectable in CD8(+) T cell-depleted rats. Thus, CD8(+) T cells may stimulate FcgammaR expression on macrophages, contributing to their glomerular accumulation and injury. These studies provide direct evidence for a crucial involvement of IgG Fc-FcgammaR interaction in glomerular recruitment of macrophages and following induction of anti-GBM glomerulonephritis in WKY rats.