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E-mental health interventions may offer innovative means to increase access to psychological support and improve the mental health of refugees. However, there is limited knowledge about how these innovations can be scaled up and integrated sustainably into routine services. This study examined the scalability of a digital psychological intervention called Step-by-Step (SbS) for refugees in Egypt, Germany, and Sweden. We conducted semi-structured interviews (n = 88) with Syrian refugees, and experts in SbS or refugee' mental health systems in the three countries. Data collection and analysis were guided by a system innovation perspective. Interviewees identified three contextual factors that influenced scalability of SbS in each country: increasing use of e-health, the COVID-19 pandemic, and political instability. Nine factors lay at the interface between the innovation and potential delivery systems, and these were categorised by culture (ways of thinking), structure (ways of organising), and practice (ways of doing). Factors related to culture included: perceived need and acceptability of the innovation. Acceptability was influenced by mental health stigma and awareness, digital trust, perceived novelty of self-help interventions, and attitudes towards non-specialist (e-helper) support. Factors related to structure included financing, regulations, accessibility, competencies of e-helpers, and quality control. Factors related to practice were barriers in the initial and continued engagement of end-users. Many actors with a potential stake in the integration of SbS across the three countries were identified, with nineteen stakeholders deemed most powerful. Several context-specific integration scenarios were developed, which need to be tested. We conclude that integrating novel e-mental health interventions for refugees into routine services will be a complex task due to the many interrelated factors and actors involved. Multi-stakeholder collaboration, including the involvement of end-users, will be essential.

E-mental health interventions may offer innovative means to increase access to psychological support and improve the mental health of refugees. However, there is limited knowledge about how these innovations can be scaled up and integrated sustainably into routine services. This study examined the scalability of a digital psychological intervention called Step-by-Step (SbS) for refugees in Egypt, Germany, and Sweden. We conducted semi-structured interviews (n = 88) with Syrian refugees, and experts in SbS or refugee' mental health systems in the three countries. Data collection and analysis were guided by a system innovation perspective. Interviewees identified three contextual factors that influenced scalability of SbS in each country: increasing use of e-health, the COVID-19 pandemic, and political instability. Nine factors lay at the interface between the innovation and potential delivery systems, and these were categorised by culture (ways of thinking), structure (ways of organising), and practice (ways of doing). Factors related to culture included: perceived need and acceptability of the innovation. Acceptability was influenced by mental health stigma and awareness, digital trust, perceived novelty of self-help interventions, and attitudes towards non-specialist (e-helper) support. Factors related to structure included financing, regulations, accessibility, competencies of e-helpers, and quality control. Factors related to practice were barriers in the initial and continued engagement of end-users. Many actors with a potential stake in the integration of SbS across the three countries were identified, with nineteen stakeholders deemed most powerful. Several context-specific integration scenarios were developed, which need to be tested. We conclude that integrating novel e-mental health interventions for refugees into routine services will be a complex task due to the many interrelated factors and actors involved. Multi-stakeholder collaboration, including the involvement of end-users, will be essential.

Freely available for first 60 days from publisher: https://www.euppublishing.com/doi/10.3366/jlaibs.2022.0009 This article examines the names of authors appearing in the front matter of our single most important witness to the Greek Alchemical Corpus, Marcianus graecus 299 (ca. tenth century). The names appear in the table of contents and in a list of authors, both original to the manuscript. The aim is to understand how these authorial attributions would have resonated with readers. What was the portrait of the textual tradition of the Sacred Art that the authorial collectivity implied? The answer, in short: philosophical, imperial, and linked not only with Egypt but also with Persia and the Levant.

Field survey study was conducted season (2017). Soybeans and weeds were weekly sampled randomly. Thrips adults were identified and counted. Detection of the virus isolate and the natural incidence was determined using; Mechanical transmission, host range, DAS-ELISA, RT-PCR. The natural incidence thrips individuals was detected depending on the SVNV% in thrips individuals and weeds hosts. Ten thrips species were associated with soybean plants in the field. The most abundant species was T. tabaci, average 256.5 average no.of individuals, followed by F. occidentalis (142.5 average no. of individuals), then N. variabilis (86.6/ average no. of individuals). Fourteen thrips species occurred on 5 legumes field crops and 41 weed plant species within soybean field. The highest average number 40.6.of individuals were recorded on Ammi majus. While the lowest one 3.3 average no. of individuals were on Urtica urens. Only 21diagnostic plant species were susceptible to infection with SVNV. G. max and Vigna radiate, were the highest percentage of infection 80% followed by V. unguilata & N. benthamiana, 75%. Egyptian isolate of Soybean vein necrosis virus (SVNV) in this study showed a high degree of similarity and it is closely related to TSWV from Egypt (DQ479968) and TCSV from USA (KY820965) with nucleotide sequence identity of 78%. Four thrips species transmitted SVNV (F. fusca 4.0%, F. schultzei 4.3%, F. tritici 3.3% and N. variabilis 68.0% transmission). Both C. phaseoli and M. sjostedti can acquire the virus but unable to transmit it. The following species; T. tabaci, F. occidentalis, S. dorsallis and T. palmi cannot acquire or transmit SVNV. The incidence of SVNV in the field started by the end of July then increased gradualy from 12.7 to 71.3% by the end of the season. In conclusion, few thrips individuals invaded soybean crops are enough to transmit high rate of SVNV within the crop. Furthermore, several vector species are also abundant on weeds, which are the major sources of soybean viruses transmitted to the crops. This information might be important for control and reduce the incidence of SVNV infection.

Pseudomonas fluorescens is one of the main causes of septicemic diseases among freshwater fish, causing severe economic losses and decreasing farm efficiency. Thus, this research was aimed to investigate the occurrence of P. fluorescens in Nile Tilapia (O. niloticus) fish in Egypt, gene sequencing of 16SrDNA gene, and antimicrobial susceptibility. P. fluorescens strains were detected in 32% (128\400) of apparently healthy (9%; 36\400) and diseased (23%; 92\400) Nile tilapia fish. The highest prevalence was observed in gills of fish, 31.3% followed by intestine 26.9%, liver 24.2%, and kidneys 17.6%. The PCR results for the 16SrDNA gene of P. fluorescens showed 16SrDNA gene in 30% of examined isolates. Moreover, Homogeny and a strong relationship between strains of P. fluorescens was confirmed using 16SrDNA sequences. Beside the responsibility of 16SrDNA gene on the virulence of P. fluorescens. The results of antimicrobial susceptibility tests revealed that all strains were resistant to piperacillin (100%), followed by ceftazidime (29.7%), and cefepime (25.8%). The strains of P. fluorescence were highly sensitive to cefotaxime (74.2%), followed by ceftriaxone and levofloxacin (70.3% each). Interestingly, 29.7% of strains of P. fluorescens were multiple antimicrobial-resistant (MAR). Resumo Pseudomonas fluorescens é uma das principais causas de doenças septicêmicas em peixes de água doce, causando graves perdas econômicas e diminuindo a eficiência da fazenda. Assim, esta pesquisa teve como objetivo investigar a ocorrência de P. fluorescens em peixes de tilápia-do-nilo (O. niloticus) no Egito, sequenciamento do gene 16S rDNA e suscetibilidade antimicrobiana. Cepas de P. fluorescens foram detectadas em 32% (128\400) de peixes tilápia-do-nilo aparentemente saudáveis (9%; 36\400) e doentes (23%; 92\400). A maior prevalência foi observada nas brânquias dos peixes, 31,3%, seguida pelo intestino 26,9%, fígado 24,2% e rins 17,6%. Os resultados da PCR para o gene 16SrDNA de P. fluorescens mostraram o gene 16SrDNA em 30% dos isolados examinados. Além disso, a homogeneidade e uma forte relação entre cepas de P. fluorescens foi confirmada usando sequências de 16SrDNA. Além da responsabilidade do gene 16SrDNA na virulência de P. fluorescens. Os resultados dos testes de suscetibilidade antimicrobiana revelaram que todas as cepas foram resistentes à piperacilina (100%), seguida pela ceftazidima (29,7%) e cefepima (25,8%). As cepas de P. fluorescens foram altamente sensíveis à cefotaxima (74,2%), seguida pela ceftriaxona e levofloxacina (70,3% cada). Curiosamente, 29,7% das cepas de P. fluorescens eram multirresistentes a antimicrobianos (MAR).

El estudio de la imagen de las minorías religiosas (copta y judía) y la convivencia en la trilogía de Ibn Dāniyāl no han recibido el interés necesario, a pesar de que estas minorías tuvieron un impacto significativo a nivel social, económico e intelectual en la época de los sultanes mamelucos. Por ello, el presente trabajo pretende estudiar y traducir los pasajes relacionados con este importante aspecto. La metodología del estudio se inspira en determinados postulados teóricos: el carnaval, la parodia y el humor, partiendo de las ideas que la crítica literaria contemporánea destaca. Los resultados logrados revelan que el texto de Ibn Dāniyāl no solo se trata de un texto literario de alto vuelo, sino también de un documento sobre la atmósfera sociopolítica y cultural que debe ser leído en su contexto para tener conocimiento de la situación de las minorías en su época. El examen sistemático de los episodios traducidos descubre también la presencia determinante de la cultura popular y fol-klórica, impregnada de la cosmovisión carnavalesca, que vive a la sombra de la cultura oficial sustentándose en la tradición oral y la realidad cotidiana., Topics such as the image of religious minorities (Coptic and Jewish) and coexistence in Ibn Dāniyāl's trilogy have not been sufficiently studied. These minorities had a significant social, economic and intellectual impact during the period of the Mamluk sultans. This paper studies and offers a translation of the passages related to this subject. The methodology of the study is inspired by certain theoretical postulates: carnival, parody and humour, using ideas frequently highlighted in contemporary literary criticism. The results reveal that Ibn Dāniyāl's text is not only a high-flying literary text, but also a document about the socio-political and cultural atmosphere that must be read in context in order to understand the situation of minorities in that period. The systematic examination of the translated episodes also reveals the decisive presence of popular culture and folklore, impregnated with the carnival worldview, which lives in the shadow of official culture and is supported by oral tradition and everyday reality.

The present study was carried out to record the clinical signs of equine herpesviruses (EHVs) infection and to detect the prevalence of EHVs infection among working equids in different provinces of Egypt. A total number of 115 working equids (92 horses and 23 donkeys) were clinically examined and sampled from November 2018 till November 2019 for this study. Two samples were collected from each animal (nasal swab and blood sample) and were subjected to multiplex-PCR to detect the prevalence of different EHVs infection among equids. In the current study, the overall prevalence of EHVs infection among equid populations in Egypt was 80% by using multiplex-PCR. Moreover, the most prevalent equine herpesvirus (EHV) among equids in Upper Egypt was EHV-2 (61.74%), followed by EHV-5 (43.48%), EHV-1 (20%), and EHV-4 (13.04%). The recorded clinical signs of the examined equids harbored EHVs (PCR-positive) can be summarized as follow: a higher percentage was detected among equids with a history of acute onset (59.78%), pyrexia (57.61%), and/or systemic illness (45.65%) with or without respiratory signs (56.52%) and ocular signs (35.87%). Furthermore, 4.35% and 1.09% of EHV-1 PCR-positive equids displayed neurological signs and abortion, respectively.

This article studies Egyptian and Tunisian transitions by investigating the effect of two factors; namely electoral system choice and the presence of competitive opposition parties. It suggests that electoral system choice and the presence of competitive political parties contributed to the transition to democracy in Tunisia while the same two factors were causes of the failed transition in Egypt. It concludes by arguing that during transitional phases, electoral system choice and presence of competitive political parties help institutionalization of normal, limited political uncertainty in a polity. Accordingly, these two factors compel cooperation and negotiation between different political actors, which in turn help democracy to survive transitions., This article studies Egyptian and Tunisian transitions by investigating the effect of two factors, namely electoral system choice and the presence of competitive oppositionparties. It suggests that, between 2011 and 2015, the electoral system choice and the presence of competitive political parties contributed to the transition to democracy inTunisia while the same two factors were causes of the failed transition in Egypt. It concludes by arguing that during transitional phases, electoral system choice andpresence of competitive political parties help institutionalization of normal, limited political uncertainty in a polity. Accordingly, these two factors compel cooperation andnegotiation between different political actors, which in turn help democracy survive transitions.

This article analyses how a creative writing workshop in 2017 Cairo dynamically engaged with cultural memories of the 1967 defeat of the Arab armies. The article first situates 1967 as a crucial reference point in discursive attempts to tie personal life stories to national history and in making sense of a widespread feeling of postcolonial disenchantment. It is in the ruinous aftermath of the 2011 uprisings, when a view on a political horizon beyond the stifling present temporarily was reopened, that the workshop critically examined the relations between cultural memory, family history, and everyday life with, at its center, the notion of defeat in all its shapes and intensities. The article argues that the workshop can be seen as ‘an intimate public,’ carving out a space for survival lying largely outside of the sphere of politics. Nevertheless, in its affective plurality that stimulated modes of irreverence, the workshop tentatively opened up new political dispositions under the strenuous conditions of post-2013 Egypt.

The women representation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields in Egypt is spanning hundreds and even thousands of years back. Yet, there is efforts needed to show women's contributions in recent history and current time. This paper highlights the role of women in STEM and their role as main partners in the science, technology and innovation system, participation of women in science for both decision-making and the scientific community. The survey has been designed to look at and support the participation and progression of women in STEM professionals and to encourage more girls and women to continue their studies and practical life in the STEM Fields. Literature, and particularly analytical literature, available around women in STEM in Egypt is limited; it is often tackled within the scope of women’s employment, women’s economic empowerment, or education.The paper reviews many challenges faced by women in science, technology and engineering and mathematics but from a practical point of view, where the questions are designed to reflect the scientific and leadership background as well as entrepreneurship and the relationship with the industry and to identify the obstacles that women face in being a business leader and the obstacles that women face in dealing with industry. Through the case study we unpack and examine the multiple thresholds of women and girls in higher education and employment in STEM fields in Egypt. The case study sample shows that while women are engaging in STEM at the tertiary education level, it is the integration into the labor force which makes it difficult for there to be a more equitable distribution of women across all STEM-related sectors. Egypt has a strong tradition of female empowerment and development but remains patriarchal in many aspects of progress and opportunity; the number of women in STEM education does not translate to those in the work force.

Aim: to compare patterns of delivery at an urban and a rural district in Egypt over 3 years. Methods: This retrospective study included 500 women and 50 obstetricians from each district from January, 2013 till December, 2015. Women answered a questionnaire about their deliveries. Obstetricians answered a questionnaire about their practiceof CS. Results: CS rate in the rural district was 57.2% compared to 54.8% in the urban district in 2013. In 2014 and 2015, CS rates increased to 65.3% and 69%, respectively in the rural district compared to 56% and 57.7%, respectively in the urban district. 66% of obstetricians in the rural district performed CS for more than 50% of their patients compared to 76% of obstetricians in the urban district. 52% and 4% of obstetricians in the rural and urban districts, respectively, performed CS upon maternal request. 70.3% of women in the rural district who delivered by CS preferred to deliver vaginally. 51.4% of urban women who delivered by CS preferred to deliver vaginally. Level of education was the only factor showing statistical significance. Conclusion: CS rates increased over time with higher rates in the rural area. Level of women's education was the only factor affecting delivery choice. Keywords: Cesarean sections; CS rate; urban area; rural area; Egypt; obstetricians.

Tags made of mudstone are predominantly found in ancient Egyptian Predynastic cemetery contexts. This study examines the symbolism and significance of mudstone tags with the recurved horns of hartebeests and crescent-shaped mudstone tags. The use of syncretic imagery on these tags provides evidence for the fluidity of artistic perceptions in Predynastic Egypt. Available data suggests that individuals buried with mudstone hartebeest and crescent tags were almost exclusively female. Evidence for use wear and the find locations of the tags in burials indicates these artefacts were likely associated with rituals performed by female individuals.

A building permit is the green light in housing development projects, without the permit issued from the local authority, no construction can legally take place. The process of issuing buildings permits is complex and faces many problems and difficulties. The current permitting system in Egypt is a traditional manual system, resulting in a set of consequences such as loss of time, the possibility of human error, the possibility of losing permit papers, and other consequences. Therefore, the presence of an electronic online system capable of applying and submitting the permit requirements will be necessary to facilitate the work of the local authorities’ employees, as well as to facilitate the process of obtaining building permits for the citizens. The electronic online permitting system speeds up the building permit process for individuals, contractors, employees, and plan reviewers. This system changes the way governments provide services to the community by speeding the process for the citizens and providing better and more timely information to the local authority’s staff, decision-makers, and city officials. The objective of this paper is to develop a conceptual framework for an electronic online system for issuing building permits in the Egyptian context regarding its laws and regulations to support citizens and local authority’s staff in issuing buildings permits. It also discusses the organizations involved in issuing buildings permits, their responsibilities and the requirements and data needed for the online system.

After the Arab Uprisings, Salafi movements that had previously exalted their separation from mainstream society mobilised to participate in political institutions. This thesis explores how Salafis in post-revolutionary Egypt and Tunisia addressed this development. It answers the following questions: How was the transition from social movement to party managed? What transformations in ideology or identity accompanied this shift? What effects did Salafi participation have on the political opportunity structure? This thesis utilises an across- and within-case study comparison among four Salafi movements: Jabhat al-Islah and Itilaf al-Karama in Tunisia, and Hizb al-Nour and Hazem Salah Abu Ismail in Egypt. It adopts a Social Movement approach treating Salafi movements as imbricated in opportunity structures. Four opportunity variables are analysed: religio-political competition; relations between formal and informal politics, degree of polarisation and revolutionary reform. Using data extracted from the Facebook pages of each Salafi actor, the thesis explores how these variables were discursively interpreted through Salafis’ diagnostic, prognostic and motivational frames. This dissertation finds that Salafis entered formal politics by emphasising either identity or ideology. The first trajectory involved forming a niche party based on ideology to advocate for a strict interpretation of religiosity, while de-emphasising Salafism’s counter-cultural aspects to ally with institutional actors. The other trajectory entailed adopting a populist master frame premised on an ‘outsider’ identity that embraced nationalist and revolutionary logics and reshaped the political field by reworking the secular-elite division into an elite-people dichotomy. This thesis divides into four primary chapters. Chapter One situates the thesis within the literature on Salafism as an identity and ideology. Chapter Two presents the case for a social movement perspective on Salafi politicisation and outlines a typology of political Salafism. Chapters Three and Four discuss the Tunisian and Egyptian cases, presenting a comparative analysis of political Salafis’ responses to opportunity.

Acabada la Segunda Guerra Mundial en 1945, Estados Unidos y la Unión Soviética iniciaron un periodo de tensión y enfrentamientos conocido como la Guerra Fría, que duró hasta los años noventa. El cine estadounidense aprovechó para transmitir las ideologías y mensajes políticos que interesaban al poder en películas ambientadas en la Antigüedad como Sansón y Dalila, Los diez mandamientos o Salomón y la reina de Saba. En este artículo se realiza un análisis del patrimonio cinematográfico de esta época como vehículo transmisor de ideologías del momento que fueron trasladadas a las épocas más remotas de nuestro pasado. When World War II concluded in 1945 the United States and Soviet Union began a period of tension and confrontation known as the Cold War, which lasted until the 1990s. American cinema took advantage of this historical period to convey ideological messages dictated by the political elite through films set in the Antiquity, such as Samson and Delilah, The Ten Commandments and Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. This article aims to analyse the cinematographic heritage in order to understand its function as a vehicle for the transmission of contemporary ideologies to the historical periods in which those movies were set.

Studying the association between the occupational exposure to Pb, As, Cd, and Cu with the serum levels of 2 novel biomarkers of cardiovascular stress; growth differentiation factor 15 and soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2, in some Egyptian Cu smelter workers.Forty-one exposed workers and 41 administrative controls were clinically evaluated. Serum/blood levels of heavy metals and biomarkers were measured for both groups.The smelter workers showed significantly elevated levels of heavy metals and biomarkers compared with controls. The elevated serum levels of both biomarkers were significantly and positively correlated with each other, the levels of heavy metals, and the duration of employment of the exposed workers.There was a significant association between the levels of heavy metals and both biomarkers among the smelter workers. Further prospective studies should be performed.

This scoping review provides overview on the historical and major developments, current status, quantitative magnetic resonance (MR) studies and the role of medical physics bodies in MR imaging in Africa. The study analyzed MRI availability in 32 (59 %) of the 54 African countries. South Africa and Egypt have the most dominant MR systems. Number of MR systems in the 4 northern countries (Egypt, Morocco, Algeria and Libya) alone constitute 53 % of the total number of machines in the studied countries. Less than one-third of the countries have 1 MR system serving less than a million population. Libya recorded the most MR systems per million population. The studied countries altogether have an average of 1 machine per million population. The private sector far dominates number of installed MR systems across the region, making up two-thirds of the distribution. A major challenge was revealed where less than 3 % of Medical Physicists in the studied countries are engaged in MRI facilities. Review of MRI published studies in the last 5 years indicates dominance of literature on brain studies and most of such published works coming from Nigeria. Only 7 out of 27 published studies reviewed were quantitative. The African region has no dedicated MRI physics societies; however, the regional medical physics body and national associations have big roles to play in developing MRI through education, research, training and leveraging on awareness creation. Thisreview is the first of such wide scale study on MRI availability and quantitative studies in the African region.

Remediation and mitigation processes can recover the ecosystems affected by mining operations. Zygophyllum coccineum L. is a native indigenous xerophyte that grows in Egypt's Western Desert, particularly around the iron mining ore deposits, and accumulates high rates of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in its succulent leaves. The present study evaluated the genetic variation and molecular responses of Z. coccineum to heavy metal stressful conditions in three sites. Results revealed that Z. coccineum bioaccumulation capacity was greater than unity and varied amongst the three locations. In response to heavy metal toxicity, Z. coccineum plants boosted their antioxidative enzymes activity and glutathione levels as a tolerance strategy. Anatomically, a compact epidermis, a thick spongy mesophyll with water storage cells, and a thicker vascular system were observed. Protein electrophoretic analysis yielded 20 fragments with a polymorphism rate of 85%. The antioxidant genes (CAT: catalase, POD: peroxidase and GST: polyphenol oxidase) showed greater levels of expression. In addition, DNA-based molecular genetic diversity analyses using Start Codon Targeted (SCoT) and Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) markers yielded 54 amplified fragments (i.e. 24 monomorphic and 30 polymorphic), with 12 unique fragments and a polymorphism rate of 55.5%. The greatest PIC values were recorded for SCoT-6 (0.36) and for both of the 14 A and 44 B ISSR primers (0.25). Diversity index (DI) of all SCoT and ISSR amplified primers was 0.23. The present findings reveal the distinct heavy metal's adaption attributes of Z. coccineum, indicating its improved survival in severely arid mining environments.

Management of thyroid disorders depends on accurate clinical assessment, appropriate investigations and radionuclide imaging, which plays an established important role either qualitatively or quantitatively. The aim of this study was to assess the utility of the thyroid/salivary ratio (TSR) as an alternative to technetium-99m (Tc99m) pertechnetate thyroid uptake (TcU) percentage in the evaluation of thyroid function and in the same time to establish reference range for the thyroid uptake of Tc99m-pertechnetate and TSR among Egyptian populations.This retrospective study enrolled 270 patients, out of which 250 with different thyroid disorders and 20 without thyroid diseases, as a control group who all underwent full clinical examination, thyroid function tests and Tc99m pertechnetate thyroid scintigraphy. The TcU percentage and TSR were calculated and then correlated to the thyroid hormonal profile.The normal reference ranges of TcU and TSR were 0.75-3.5% and 1.25-4.8%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of TSR to diagnose hyperthyroidism were slightly lower compared with TcU (84.5 and 92.3% vs. 86.2 and 98.3%, respectively) at TSR cutoff value of more than 4.8 and TcU cutoff value of more than 3.5. Meanwhile, they had comparable sensitivity and specificity to diagnose hypothyroidism (86.0 and 93.3% vs. 86.5 and 94.5%) at cutoff values0.75 and1.25, respectively.The current study established a reference range for TcU and TSR in our institution. TSR is comparable to TcU in the evaluation of thyroid function among hyper-and hypothyroid patients and TSR can be used in doubtful cases of mal-thyroid function for confirmation of the diagnosis.

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the high mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1) serum and urinary levels and gene polymorphisms on systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) development and investigate their link to lupus nephritis (LN). Methods We enrolled 120 Egyptian SLE patients and 120 healthy controls. Thorough medical and clinical evaluation were carried out, and SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) was assessed. Lupus patients were divided into two groups according to the presence of LN. Measurement of HMGB1 serum and urinary levels was done using ELISA and genotyping for HMGB1 ( rs1045411) was performed. Results There were statistically significantly higher HMGB1 serum and urinary levels in SLE patients ( p < 0.001). There was a marginally significant association between lupus and alleles ( p = 0.059, φ = −0.086). ‘C’ allele was marginally significant risk allele for SLE. After classifying SLE patients based on the presence or absence of LN, there was no significant difference as regard sex ( p = 0.387), age ( p = 0.208) and disease duration ( p = 0.094).However, there was a significant difference between the 2 groups in regard to the frequency of musculoskeletal manifestations ( p = 0.035), SLEDAI score ( p < 0.001), both serum ( p < 0.001) and urinary HMGB1 levels ( p < 0.001) in addition to the frequency of HMGB1 genotypes ( p = 0.003). Lupus patients with C/T-T/T HMGB1 genotypes had 3.5-times higher odds to exhibit LN. Conclusions Serum and urine HMGB1 measurements are helpful in the diagnosis of SLE and the prediction of LN. There is a link between HMGB1 gene variations and the risk of SLE, with evidence that the C/T-T/T HMGB1 genotype is linked to a significantly greater risk of LN in the Egyptian population.

The present investigation was prepared to give a complete ultrastructural characterization of the pecten oculi of the diurnal European wild Quail to describe their adaptation habits to the Northern Egyptian coast. Our work declares the first endeavor is the elemental analysis using scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) to show the migration effect on their eye. The intra-ocular quadrilateral trapezoid black pigmented plicated type pecten oculi were observed on the postero-inferior wall of the eyeball with craniocaudal and posterio-anterior directions along the fetal fissure. The pecten oculi consist of three parts: the basal, body, and apical. The basal part originated behind the optic nerve, forming the slightly elevated border, while the apical part was directed toward the ciliary body. There are 10-11 pleats with interpleat space. The coiled surface refers to numerous capillary vessels. The smooth head of each pleat was kidney-like, strongly attached to a bridge. The vitreopecteneal limiting membrane separated the pecten oculi from the vitreous body. There are numerous melanosomes and little hyalocytes on the pecteneal pleat's outer surfaces. The thick basal part of each pleat had numerous thick longitudinal microfolds that refer to the numerous blood capillaries attached to the retina as supporting roots. SEM/EDX elemental analysis revealed that carbon is the highest element (half), while oxygen represents about one-third. In the meantime, the lowest element is the phosphate at the apical part, while the lowest element in the rest is the sulfate. Finally, the pecten oculi are thought to be a reflection of the avian lifestyle and ecological adaptations. HIGHLIGHTS: Our work is the first description of the elemental analysis using SEM-EDX to show the migration effect on their eye. The quadrilateral trapezoid black pigmented plicated type pecten oculi were observed on the postero-inferior wall of the eyeball with cranio-caudal and posterio-anterior directions along the fetal fissure. The basal part of the pecten oculi originated behind the optic nerve, forming the slightly elevated border, while the apical part was directed toward the ciliary body. There are 10-11 pleats with interpleat space. The vitreopecteneal limiting membrane separated the pecten oculi from the vitreous body. There are numerous melanosomes and little hyalocytes on the pecteneal pleat's outer surfaces. SEM/EDX elemental analysis revealed that carbon is the highest element (half percent), while oxygen represents about one-third of the element's percent meanwhile, the lowest element is phosphate at the apical part, while the lowest element in the rest is the sulfate.

This study investigated the impact of tourism development on a rural minority community, with a specific focus on gender relations. The study was conducted with the Siwan community, an ethnic minority group native to Siwa Oasis in the western desert of Egypt, where the inhabitants belong to Berbers, an ethnic minority indigenous to North Africa. The study sought to understand the impact of the government-initiated rural tourism development that aimed to bring economic and social benefits to the rural community by “opening to and interacting with the world”. Gender relations and dynamics are major elements that regulate the community’s social engagement. While gender in tourism is a major research agenda, the majority of studies so far have focused on women’s perspectives. In the context of rural MENA, social engagement is largely determined by men. Therefore, it was deemed necessary to uncover men’s perspectives to understand gender dynamics as a determining factor of social engagement within the community. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews and participant observations with 18 male participants in Siwa Oasis during 2019. Analysis of data showed that tourism development in the Siwa Oasis has resulted some opportunities for both men and women to work and earn money for the community. Despite these changes, the men demonstrated a desire to protect fundamental features of traditional gender roles including, men being the primary income provider and the guardian of the family. The findings show a perceived shift in gender roles; however, such changes are limited due to the nature of public and private spaces in the community and Islamic tradition. The study suggests that for tourism to benefit the communities, policymakers and planners and developers should form an approach appropriate to the communities themselves.

Soil and water in Egypt have become contaminated with multiple pollutants. These contaminants arise from diverse sources, including misuse of fertilizers, industrial effluent discharged into irrigation water, discharge of wastewater in rural areas, and mining activities discharging wet and dry atmospheric deposits and heavy metal contamination. The pollutants can directly affect the quality of air, water, and food and have an adverse effect on human health. About 33% of the cultivated lands in Egypt are salinized due to extreme conditions like high temperatures and aridity. The presence of elevated salt levels in the soil leads to grave consequences for seed germination, plant biochemical processes, development, and reproduction, all of which result in the output of reactive oxygen species and eventually plant death. Despite the possibility of thermal, chemical, or a combination of the two to remediate contaminated soils, their applications are complicated and costly. Some plants, called hyperaccumulators, exhibit the potential to clean up pollutants safely from the soil and water at a low cost. All the technologies used in soil decontamination are called phytoremediation. Some physiological (e.g., phytoextraction, phytostabilization, phytotransformation, rhizofiltration, phytostimulation, phytovolatilization, phytodegradation, and phytodesalination) and molecular parameters (e.g., genes, peptides, and proteins) are involved in heavy metals accumulation of these plants. Although trees are not classified as hyperaccumulators, they have recently proved higher phytoremediation potential than herbaceous plants due to their deeper root system and greater biomass growth. Indeed, this review sheds the light on the application of trees for the phytoremediation of salts and heavy metals in Egypt.

Kidney stone disease (KSD) represents an urgent medical problem because of increasing its prevalence. Several functional polymorphisms in genes involved in the renal handling of calcium were associated with KSD pathogenesis. Among those, the rs4236480 of transient receptor potential vanilloid member 5 (TRPV5) gene, the rs1801725 of calcium-sensing receptor (CASR) gene, and the rs1801197 of calcitonin receptor (CALCR) gene appear to be of great importance. Due to the scarce data on the Egyptians, this study aimed to evaluate the association of these candidate genetic variants with the risk of developing KSD in an Egyptian population. To do so, the biochemical parameters were measured along with the genotyping of the three polymorphisms using allelic discrimination assay in 134 KSD patients and 86 age and sex-matched healthy subjects. The results showed that the genotypic distributions and allelic frequencies of the studied variants were significantly different between cases and controls. The three polymorphisms increased the risk of KSD significantly under all the tested genetic models (OR ranges from 2.152 to 5.994), except for the recessive model of the CALCR rs1801197 polymorphism after Bonferroni correction. The gene–gene interaction analyzed by multifactor dimensionality reduction selected the three-locus combination as the best model associated with the susceptibility to KSD with OR 9.706. Further, synergistic interactions were identified between TRPV5 rs4236480 and CALCR rs1801197 variants and CASR rs1801725 and CALCR rs1801197 variants. In conclusion, the TRPV5 rs4236480, CASR rs1801725, and CALCR rs1801197 polymorphisms showed a significant association with the risk of KSD in the Egyptian population. Furthermore, their complex interactions might have an impact on the genetic susceptibility to develop KSD.

Occult hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (OCI) is diagnosed based on the detection of HCV-RNA in non-serum reservoirs, such as peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and/or hepatocytes with undetectable HCV-RNA in the serum. The current study was designed to shed more light on the presence of occult HCV in a population of cases who achieved an SVR after receiving treatments for HCV-infection and its significance.This cross-sectional study evaluated 111 chronic HCV patients treated at Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Egypt and achieved a sustained virological response (SVR) 12 -24 weeks after treatment with Direct acting antiviral drugs (DAAs). The treatment lasted 12 or 24 weeks using generic medications including Sofosbuvir (SOF) 400 mg/day and Daclatasvir (DCV) 60 mg/day ± weight-based Ribavirin (RBV) 600-1000 mg/day. After achieving the SVR 12 -24 weeks, all patients were subjected to clinical examination and full laboratory investigations. All the candidates were assessed for fibrosis pre/post-treatment by transient elastography (Fibroscan©). Eighty-seven patients (78.4%) received dual therapy (SOF/DCV) and 24 patients (21.6%) received triple therapy (SOF/DCV/RBV). One hundred and seven patients received the regimen for 12 weeks (96.4%) and only four patients received the regimen for 24 weeks (3.6%). All patients were examined in terms of HCV RNA in plasma and PBMCs.Nine patients (8.1%) were positive for PBMCs HCV RNA. The presence of Occult HCV infection (OCI) was significantly correlated with age, level of AFP, and the degree of liver stiffness.The OCI was present in 8.1% of the patients who achieved an SVR 12 - 24 weeks. These patients were mostly aged and with elevated AFP and advanced fibrosis. Monitoring and follow-up of those patients may help to assess the outcomes.

To analyze the prevalence and the hazard of polypharmacy in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients with different CKD stages in an Egyptian nephrology clinic.A cross-sectional observational study was performed between November and December 2021 in a private nephrology clinic in Egypt. Patients diagnosed with CKD were included in the study. They were classified into 5 stages following KDIGO classification. Medications taken were assessed, classified, and distributed according to CKD stage.199 patients were included in the study; their ages ranged from 19 to 87 years. Approximately 30% of the patients had stage 5 CKD. Upon medication analysis, all patients were exposed to polypharmacy and had associated comorbidities. Dietary supplements and anti-hypertensive medications were the most frequently used.Polypharmacy seems to be inevitable in CKD patients specially those who have associated comorbidities which could be managed through proper clinical pharmacy services to minimize medication hazards.

O início do enchimento da grande barragem da renascença etíope, a maior de África, no Nilo Azul, em julho de 2020, e a não obtenção de um acordo sobre a partilha de recursos hídricos, acentuou as divergências entre o Egito, a Etiópia e o Sudão acerca da gestão das águas transfronteiriças do rio Nilo. O principal objetivo da Etiópia é a produção de energia hidroelétrica, mas as operações da nova barragem poderão alterar significativamente os padrões do caudal do Nilo a jusante e afetar tanto o Sudão como, sobretudo, o Egito. Este artigo analisa as disputas pelo controlo do caudal do rio Nilo entre a Etiópia, que procura afirmar o seu poder naquela região, o Egito, que tem sido dominante, e o Sudão, que pode beneficiar da energia produzida na nova barragem. Os resultados evidenciam que a competição geopolítica entre os três Estados existe e encontra-se mesmo num ciclo ascendente.

60,000 km2552,50019942011Surface areaInhabitants in 2017National Project for the Development of Sinai (NPDS) and the Peace CanalGeneral Authority for the Development of SinaiSource: CAPMAS, 2017 In 2018, the population of Sinai was far from the 3 million inhabitants foreseen by the NPDS for 2020. With less than 1% of the resident populace, the demographic weight of Sinai is insignificant even though settlement in the south has been noticeable, experiencing a sixfold increase between 1986 and ...

6.9 kgLE 14-16 61%Quantity of cheese consumed per person in in 2013Price of a litre of pasteurised cow’s milk in 2018 (LE 8-9 in 2014)Market share of pasteurised milk held by Juhayna in 2016Sources: Al-Ahram, 2018; FAOSTAT, 2013; FAO, 2017 Although the State has made the supply of grain and vegetable oil a priority, the consumption of milk products attracted the attention of the public authorities in the 2010s because of its role in the nutritional balance of children and in rural and agro-in...

19591999201123 March 2015Nile Waters Agreement between Egypt and SudanNile Basin InitiativeConstruction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance DamDeclaration of Principles between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt The Nile drainage basin, at 3 million km2, covers 12 countries and is the fourth largest in the world. Over a century, Egypt, the furthest downstream country, exercised a hydro-hegemony, imposing a water management programme on the other countries that was favourable to itself. At the beginning...

1942195720062011Legalisation of trade unionsCreation of the Egyptian Trade Union FederationTextile workers strike in Mahalla el-KobraCreation of the Egyptian Federation of Independent Trade Unions From 1899 to 1907 the initial mobilisations of labour took place through the strikes of cigarette factory workers, most of whom were not Egyptian. The idea of the “strike” spread to Egyptian labour. Workers’ organisations were born at the beginning of the 20th century in connection with the national...

1979Less than 5%353 to 30%Creation of the New Urban Communities AuthorityPercentage of Egyptians living in new townsNew towns in 2019Average occupation rate of new townsSources: NUCA, 2018; Tadamun, 2015; Sims, 2014 In the 1970s, in response to strong demographic growth and urban overpopulation, but also as a means of protecting agricultural land and curbing informal housing, the State began to establish new towns. These initiatives coincided with the infitah* policies and were accompanied by...

68%At 22 years of age87%2017Percentage of the population married in 201745% of women have already had a childPercentage of circumcised women (15-49 years)Itnein Kefaya programme ("Two kids are enough")Sources: CAPMAS, 2017; EHIS, 2015 3.5 Cartoon from Al-Ahram newspaper, 12 June 1979 "Demographic growth. It’s not our fault if medicine is better and kids don’t die any more” 3.6 Marriage in Egypt in 2017 Fertility: complex issues The baby boom that has occurred since 2010 has reignited a rat...

242,000190719792005Number of inhabitants of Luxor in 2017Inauguration of the Winter Palace HotelAncient Thebes listed as a world heritage site by UNESCOExcavation of the Avenue of Sphinxes (Luxor Master Plan 2030)Source: CAPMAS Located in Upper Egypt, more than 600 km from Cairo, the medium-sized town of Luxor has been an international tourist destination since the end of the 19th century and the birth of Egyptology. In 2009 it became capital of the eponymous governorate, covering the modest ...

194531%13,000,0005 piastres*System of food subsidies decreedPercentage of adults qualified as obese in 2015-2017Number of people in 2018 without a bread ration card despite being entitled to onePrice per loaf of baladi flat bread since 1989Source: FAO, 2015-2017 While Egypt may be the “gift of the Nile”, it has paradoxically become an agricultural country faced with a chronic problem of food dependency. In 2016 scarcely 48% of the country’s wheat needs were covered by local production. As the...

40% of GDP45-70%19712015Created by the informal economy in 2018Percentage of jobs estimated to be provided by the informal sectorSadat re-establishes the Ministry of Military ProductionCreation of the Military Production Company for Engineering ProjectsSources: African Development Bank, 2012; Ministry of Planning; Reuters, 2018 Whatever the official figures may say, the Egyptian economy has two particular features: the extent of the “informal” economy, which is typical of a developing country...

19741997200220052015First establishment of free zonesLaw regarding public free zonesCreation of two Special Economic Zones (SEZ)Creation of Qualifying Industrial Zones (QIZ)The Suez Canal zone becomes a ZES A free zone (FZ) is a defined perimeter in which businesses are exempt from the standard operational regime in matters of customs and taxation. In return the State expects that the accredited companies will assist in the increase of national exports, the creation of employment, and the div...

9,470,000197120042016Egyptians abroad in 2017Right to emigrate written into the constitutionFour Freedoms Agreement* between Egypt and SudanLaw no. 82 against illegal migration and immigrant trafficking Given its large population, Egypt is a country of considerable emigration, with a sizable diaspora. It is also, like its North African neighbours, a temporary and permanent destination State, far from the simplistic image of a “transit zone” that the public authorities insist on maintaining. T...

192819481966197714 August 2013Creation of the Muslim BrotherhoodAssassination of Prime Minister El-NokrashiSayyid Qutb hangedFoundation of Da’wa SalafiyyaCrushing of Rabaa Square protest Egypt, historic home of the Muslim Brotherhood “The Prophet is our guide, the Quran is our constitution, Jihad is our way and martyrdom our greatest hope.” (motto of the Muslim Brotherhood) The Muslim Brotherhood (jamaat al-ikhwan al-muslimin), one of the most influential Islamist organisations of the 20th ce...

283 BC19872002Foundation of the Library by Ptolemy IUNESCO calls for the renaissance of the Library of AlexandriaInauguration of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina On the Corniche between the sea and the university, like a solar disc – emblem of the god Amun – inclining towards the shore, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina has become one of the landmarks of Alexandria’s city centre. It stands close to the presumed site of the ancient library in the Eastern Harbour where the Royal Quarter of the Ptolemies w...

19322000201433.5%Primary school obligatory for girlsKhula procedure written into personal status lawsLaw criminalising sexual harassmentPercentage of women over 10 years of age who were illiterate in 2017Source: CAPMAS Women’s rights remain a subject of debate due to the continued existence of inegalitarian laws and discriminatory practices in both the private and public sphere. Demands for the equality of social and political rights for women began at the end of the 19th and beginning of the...

54,000,0001952199225%Rural population in 2017Agrarian reform and the Green RevolutionLiberalisation of the land market (Law no. 96)Percentage of working people engaged in agriculture and fishing in 2016Sources: CAPMAS, 2016 et 2017 With a rural population accounting for 58% of the total in 2017, Egypt retains a strong village and peasant identity (11.9% of GDP in 2016) despite the encroachment on the countryside of multi-storeyed red brick constructions and despite the official definition of ...

63%200875%Percentage of inhabitants of Greater Cairo living in “informal” districts in 2010119 killed in a landslide at Duweiqa, Manshiat NasserPercentage of Egypt’s built environment in the “unplanned sector”Sources : ISDF, 2013 ; Sims, 2010 The increase in so-called informal or ashwaiyyat* (lit. “random”) districts followed the urbanisation curve throughout the 20th century. This tendency has not been reversed since the Informal Settlements Development Fund (ISDF), a governmental agency cre...

6,500,00013th8.6 %1,394 inhabitant/km2Number of inhabitants in 1882most populous country in the world in 2017of national territory home to the resident population in 2017Average density of the inhabited area in 2018Source: CAPMAS As a result of the significant demographic growth that Egypt experienced during the second half of the 20th century the population will soon exceed 100 million. Egypt is the third most populous country in Africa after Nigeria and Ethiopia. Despite an average density ...

94,790,0003.5 + 2,000,000 32.8% 130,000,000Number of inhabitants in 2017Number of children per mother in 2017Population growth per year between 2010 and 2017Percentage of inhabitants aged from 15 to 34 years in 2017Expected population in 2030Source: CAPMAS, 2017 At the end of the 19th century Egypt had a population of less than ten million. In 1947 the country held 19 million, evidence of moderate demographic growth. Since the 1950s the pace has increased with a growth rate varying between 2%...

19%1060.33 m223.4 ºCPercentage of urban households with an air-conditioning unit in 2015Deaths in August 2015 (high of 47° C)Area of green space per inhabitant in 2009 (WHO recommended minimum 9 m2)Average annual temperatureSources: CAPMAS, 2016; Amer Hegazy, Attia, 2009; Meteoblue; Al-Arabiya While an atlas would ordinarily correlate the climate of a town with its topography, urban growth and contemporary lifestyles complicate the meteorological picture of Cairo. The density and sprawl have ...

8th-7th century BC189919702014The Kingdom of Kush rules EgyptAdministrative frontier divides Nubia between Egypt and the SudanLand submerged by the filling of Lake NasserNubian right of return mentioned in the constitution The Nubian people constitute an ethno-linguistic minority of roughly 100,000 speakers in Egypt who use a language of the Nilo-Saharan family among themselves, as well as Arabic as a lingua franca. They are the descendants of a specific civilisation that dates back to Ancien...

11,736 hectares per annum196183%2017Average annual loss of agricultural land in EgyptFirst law protecting agricultural landPercentage of Cairo’s informal housing on fertile landLand recovery campaignSources: Attia, 2011; Ministry of Housing and Reconstruction, 1977; Sims, 2010 As a result of demographic growth and in response to a need for housing as much as any movement to invest in real estate, urban expansion is threatening the already rare arable lands, and raising the threat of their imm...

2015700 km26,500,000$45 billionJanuary 2019The project is launchedProposed surface areaExpected inhabitantsCost of the first phaseInauguration of the cathedral and great mosque During a conference on Egypt’s economic development held at Sharm el-Sheikh in March 2015 President Sisi announced the launch of the New Administrative Capital, to be built some 45 km east of Cairo. This creation ex-nihilo in the desert, mid-way between Cairo and the Red Sea, is one of the great national construction p...

1867187126 January 1952January-February 201124 November 2011Beginning of the new city centre developmentQasr el-Nil bridge completedCairo fire of “Black Saturday”Occupation of Tahrir SquareFirst wall erected on Mohamed Mahmoud Street A "façade à l’Européenne" (A. Raymond) The downtown area of Cairo (Wust el-Balad) was developed at the end of the 19th century at the initiative of Khedive Ismail. On his return from France where he had met Baron Haussmann, the khedive set about transforming Cair...