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.     

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.     

A Simple Rheological Method for the in Vitro Assessment of Mucin-Polymer Bioadhesive Bond Strength

A simple viscometric method was used to quantify mucin-polymer bioadhesive bond strength. Viscosities of 15% (w/v) porcine gastric mucin dispersions in 0.1 N HC1 (pH 1) or 0.1 N acetate buffer (pH 5.5) were measured with a Brookfield viscometer in the absence (_m) or presence (_t) of selected neutral, anionic, and cationic polymers (0.1–2.5%, w/v). Viscosity components of bioadhesion (1%) were calculated from the equation, _t = _m + _p + _b, where _p is the viscosity of corresponding pure polymer solution as measured by an Ostwald viscometer. The forces of bioadhesion (F) were calculated from the equation, F = _b, where is the rate of shear/sec. _b's and F's for polyelectrolytes, e.g., polyacrylic acid, cationic gelatin, and chitosan were always higher in acetate buffer than in HC1. Validity of the technique and the effect of ionic charge, polymer conformation, and rate of shear on _b and F are discussed, as is a comparison of this method to other methods for evaluating bioadhesive materials.     

Optimized Formulation of Magnetic Chitosan Microspheres Containing the Anticancer Agent,Oxantrazole

A combined emulsion/polymer cross-linking/solvent evaporation technique was used to prepare magnetic chitosan microspheres (MCM) containing the anticancer drug, oxantrazole. A central composite experimental design was used to simultaneously evaluate a variety of formulation factors on a number of response variables, such as the percentage of oxantrazole entrapped in the MCM. In association with the study design, statistical optimization procedures indicated the factors that significantly influence MCM preparation and what levels of the factors are needed to produce optimum MCM. Entrapment of anticancer agents into biodegradable microspheres is difficult because of low aqueous drug solubility and porosity of the particles. The latter effect was circumvented by a chitosan cross-linking step that resulted in 3% (w/w) oxantrazole entrapment in the MCM via the optimization procedures. The combined formulation and statistical optimization strategy provide a basis to develop other microparticulate systems and led to a dosage form that can be used for future in vivo investigations.     

International spread of major clones of methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus: nosocomial endemicity of multi locus sequence type 239 in Saudi Arabia and Romania

Phenotypically identified methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains from several hospitals in Romania and Saudi Arabia (n = 103 and 68, respectively) were confirmed to be MRSA by mecA PCR and PBP-2' based latex agglutination. Subsequently, strains were differentiated at the sub-species level using pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of SmaI DNA macro-restriction fragments. Comparison of the PFGE fingerprints identified major clusters of strains, persistently present in the various hospitals. Endemicity of certain strains was identified, amongst others one due to a particularly methicillin resistant type in the burn wound sector of the Romanian hospital. No PFGE-based overlap was found between the Saudi and Romanian strains. However, multi locus sequence typing (MLST), performed for 20% of all strains, revealed that genuine genetic similarity was obscured by the PFGE analysis. In both the Romanian and Saudi hospitals the renowned sequence type (ST) 239 was very over-represented. This was especially apparent in Saudi Arabia, where all strains except two shared the ST 239 genotype. This clonal type has previously been identified in a variety of other countries. Despite the MLST concordance, PFGE data indicate that ST 239 diversifies while maintaining its core genome intact. ST 80, another previously but less frequently identified clone, was introduced in 2000 in the Romanian institutes and persisted over the past 3 years as a frequent cause of infections in a surgical department. The successful MRSA types can acquire prominent positions in hospitals of previously low-endemicity MRSA status.     

Zero-Valent Iron Nanoparticles Remediate Nickel-Contaminated Aqueous Solutions and Biosolids-Amended Agricultural Soil

Nickel (Ni⁺²) accumulation in wastewater treatment sludge poses a potential environmental risk with biosolids-land application. An incubation experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of nanoparticles of zero-valent iron (nZVI) on Ni⁺² sorption in biosolids-treated agricultural soils. Two application rates of biosolids (0, 5%, w/w) and four treatment levels (0, 1, 5, and 10 g/kg) of nZVI were examined, either separately or interactively. The results of this study showed significant differences in Ni⁺² sorption capacity between different nZVI treatments. The initial Ni⁺² concentration in biosolids-amended soil significantly affected Ni sorption in the soil treated with nZVI. The “H-shape” of sorption isotherm in nZVI-treated soil reflects strong interaction between the Ni concentration and the nZVI treatment, while the C-shape of sorption isotherm in biosolids-amended soil without the nZVI treatment indicates intermediate affinity for Ni⁺² sorption. Nickel retention in soil was increased with the increase of nZVI levels. The removal efficiency of Ni⁺² by nZVI from solution was increased with the increase of pH from 5 to 11 and reached a maximum of 99.56% at pH 11 and nZVI treatment of 10 g/kg. The Ni⁺² desorption rate decreased from 92 to 7, 4, and 1% with increasing nZVI treatment levels from 0 to 1, 5, and 10 g/kg, respectively, with a soil Ni⁺² concentration of 50 mg/L. The maximum adsorption capacity (𝑞_max) of 10 g/kg nZVI-treated soil was 333.3 mg/g, which was much higher than those from the other treatments of 0 (5 mg/g), 1 (25 mg/g), and 5 g/kg (125 mg/g). The underlying mechanism for Ni⁺² immobilization using nZVI in an aquatic environment is controlled by a sorption process, reduction of metal ion to zero-valent metal, as well as (co)precipitation. Moreover, increasing the nZVI treatment level in biosolids-amended soil significantly decreased bioavailable Ni⁺² concentrations in the soil.     

Efficacy of multi-wave locked system laser therapy on nerve regeneration after crushing in Wister rats

[Purpose] To investigate the efficacy of the multi-wave locked system laser therapy on the regeneration of peripheral nerve injuries by evaluating the functional, electrophysiological, and morphological changes of the crushed sciatic nerve in Wistar rats. [Materials and Methods] Sixty male Wistar rats (200–250 g) were randomly assigned to control negative, control positive, or laser groups and subjected to no laser therapy or crushing, to crushing without laser therapy, or crushing followed by multi-wave locked system laser therapy five times/week for four weeks (power=1 W, energy density=10 J/cm², total energy=100 J), respectively. Functional, electrophysiological, and morphometric analyses were performed before and 7, 15, 21, and 28 days after crushing. The sciatic functional index, compound motor action potential amplitude, motor nerve conduction velocity, and nerve and myelin sheath diameters were measured. [Results] The sciatic functional index value decreased significantly, while the compound motor action potential amplitude, motor nerve conduction velocity, nerve diameter, and myelin sheath diameter increased significantly in the laser group post-treatment compared to the values in the control groups. [Conclusion] Multi-wave locked system laser therapy was effective in accelerating the regeneration of crushed sciatic nerves in Wistar rats.