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In a proof-of-principle measurement, the Maya active target detector was employed for a C( p, p) resonant elastic scattering experiment in inverse kinematics. The excitation energy region from 0 to 3MeV above the proton breakup threshold in N was investigated in a single measurement. By using the capability of the detector to localize the reaction vertex and record the tracks of the recoiling protons, data covering a large solid angle could be utilized, at the same time keeping an energy resolution comparable with that of direct-kinematics measurements. The excitation spectrum in N was fitted using the R-matrix formalism. The level parameters extracted are in good agreement with previous studies. The active target proved its potential for the study of resonant elastic scattering in inverse kinematics with radioactive beams, when detection efficiency is of primary importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Naming is an important part of human communication. The precision of medical terms greatly influences the patients and their caregivers. "Alsara'الصرع " is the Arabic term defining epilepsy. However, it has a highly negative impact on patients, as reported by many caring physicians., Methods: A multiple-choice face-to-face questionnaire was designed to assess stigma among patients with epilepsy (PwE), causes, impact on quality of life, impression of PwE about the Arabic terminology of epilepsy Alsara', and their opinion regarding changing it to precise term "itrab fi kahrabeit el mokh" اضطراب في كهربية المخ" which means disturbance of the electrical brain activity. Stigma was assessed using a three-item stigma scale.The interviewed subjects were recruited from Cairo, Beni Suef, and Sohag University hospitals consecutively during a period from 15 August 2023 to 30 December 2023., Results: Three hundred seventy-two PwE responded to the survey. Three hundred fifty-one (94.4 %) PwE felt a disease stigma. About 50 % of them attributed this stigma to the Arabic name of the disease. Eighty-four percent accepted changing the name Alsara' into "itrab fi kahrabeit el mokh" and 77.2 % suspected a positive impact of this amendment on society. The occurrence of generalized tonic-clonic seizures was found to be an independent risk factor for epilepsy-associated stigma., Conclusion: The Arabic nomenclature of epilepsy "Alsara'" is not an accurate term for epilepsy. In addition to being associated with many poor misconceptions and stigma. We hope this study will pave the way to replace it with a more appropriate and less defaming term., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None of the authors has any conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background & Objectives: Postpartum depression is a debilitating mental health condition that consequently can negatively impact the mother/infant unit. This study aimed to screen for postpartum depression among women with epilepsy (WWE) versus healthy women and its consequences on establishing a proper mother-infant bonding., Methods: A group of WWE (n = 102) and a control group of healthy women (n = 119) were evaluated 4-6 weeks postpartum. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire (PBQ) were used., Results: The median scores of EPDS did not significantly differ between WWE and the control group (P = 0.077). The median scores of infant-focused anxiety of PBQ were significantly lower in WWE than in the control group, while the median scores of risk of abuse were significantly higher in the former than in the latter group. Scores of EPDS and PBQ didn't significantly differ between groups of different seizure types, etiologies, and ASMs regimens. However, the EPDS scores were significantly higher in WWE, who experienced seizure exacerbation, than in others (P = 0.049). Also, EPDS scores were significantly correlated with PBQ scores. By linear regression analysis, the only independent predictor of EPDS score was seizure exacerbation during pregnancy., Conclusion: The current postpartum screening report revealed that WWE are not at an increased risk of postpartum depression than healthy women. However, WWE who experience seizure exacerbations during their pregnancy need to be cautiously screened for postpartum depression, which may negatively impact mother-infant bonding. Strenuous efforts should be made to improve the mental health services for those women., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: The burden of stroke weighs heavily in developing countries where recurrence rates clearly exceed that of developed countries. The impact of nonadherence to antithrombotic treatment within this context has been poorly investigated., Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate patients with recurrent ischemic stroke in Egypt and Germany with focus on stroke subtype distribution and adherence to antithrombotic therapy., Methods: We conducted a comparative cross-sectional retrospective cohort study enrolling consecutive patients hospitalized for recurrent ischemic stroke in 2017 in 2 academic centers. Data were collected on demographics, risk factors, stroke subtypes, and medication adherence. Nonadherence to antithrombotic agents was analyzed at the time point of index stroke (recurrent stroke). Predictors of nonadherence were analyzed using logistic regression., Results: A total of 373 Egyptian and 468 German patients with ischemic stroke were included. The proportion of recurrent ischemic stroke among all patients was higher in the Egyptian cohort compared to the German cohort (33 vs. 10%, p < 0.05). Small-vessel occlusion stroke was the most frequent subtype in Egyptians, with a significantly greater proportion than in Germans (45 vs. 26%, p < 0.05). Nonadherence to antiplatelets at the time point of the recurrent stroke was higher in Egyptians than in Germans (82 vs. 19%, p < 0.001). Low educational attainment among Egyptians (OR 0.14, 95% CI [0.00-0.19], p < 0.01) and high comorbidity scores among Germans (OR 2.45, 95% CI [1.06-5.66], p < 0.05) were found to be predictors of nonadherence to antithrombotic treatment., Conclusions: The large stroke recurrence burden in Egypt may be partly explained by differing adherence to secondary preventative antithrombotic pharmacotherapy. Predictors of medication nonadherence have to be addressed to reduce stroke recurrence disparities., (© 2021 S. Karger AG, Basel.)