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Worldwide, acute antipsychotic poisoning results in high morbidities and mortalities. Though extrapyramidal syndromes are commonly associated, the extent of extrapyramidal syndromes in relation to the severity of antipsychotic poisoning has not been addressed yet. Thus, this study aimed to assess the Global Dystonia Rating Scale (GDRS) as an unfavorable outcomes predictive tool in acute antipsychotic poisoning. A cross-sectional study included 506 antipsychotic-poisoned patients admitted to Tanta University Poison Control Center, Egypt, over three years was conducted. The mean GDRS was 9.1 ± 16.7 in typical antipsychotic poisoning, which was significantly higher than that of atypical antipsychotics (4.2 ± 11.5) (p = 0.003). Patients with GDRS> 20 showed significantly higher liability for all adverse outcomes (p < 0.05). However, poisoning with typical antipsychotics was associated with significantly more cardiotoxicity (p = 0.042), particularly prolonged QRS (p = 0.005), and intensive care unit (ICU) admission (p = 0.000). In contrary to the PSS, which failed to predict the studied adverse outcomes, GDRS significantly predicted all adverse outcomes (p < 0.000) for all antipsychotic generations. In atypical antipsychotics, GDRS above three accurately predicted cardiotoxicities, prolonged QTc interval, and respiratory failure with Area under curves (AUC) of 0.937, 0.963, and 0.941, respectively. In typical antipsychotic poisoning, at higher cutoffs (7.5, 27.5, 18, and 7.5), cardiotoxicities, prolonged QTc interval, and respiratory failure were accurately predicted (AUC were 0.974, 0.961, and 0.960, respectively). GDRS is an objective, substantially useful tool that quantifies dystonia and can be used as an early reliable predictor of potential toxicity in acute antipsychotic poisoning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The present study was used to design simple, accurate and sensitive reversed phase-high-performance liquid chromatography RP-HPLC and high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) methods for the development of quantification of khellin present in the seeds of Ammi visnaga. Materials and Methods: RP-HPLC analysis was performed on a C18 column with methanol: Water (75: 25, v/v) as a mobile phase. The HPTLC method involved densitometric evaluation of khellin after resolving it on silica gel plate using ethyl acetate: Toluene: Formic acid (5.5:4.0:0.5, v/v/v) as a mobile phase. Results: The developed HPLC and HPTLC methods were validated for precision (interday, intraday and intersystem), robustness and accuracy, limit of detection and limit of quantification. The relationship between the concentration of standard solutions and the peak response was linear in both HPLC and HPTLC methods with the concentration range of 10-80 μg/mL in HPLC and 25-1,000 ng/spot in HPTLC for khellin. The % relative standard deviation values for method precision was found to be 0.63-1.97%, 0.62-2.05% in HPLC and HPTLC for khellin respectively. Accuracy of the method was checked by recovery studies conducted at three different concentration levels and the average percentage recovery was found to be 100.53% in HPLC and 100.08% in HPTLC for khellin. Conclusions: The developed HPLC and HPTLC methods for the quantification of khellin were found simple, precise, specific, sensitive and accurate which can be used for routine analysis and quality control of A. visnaga and several formulations containing it as an ingredient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aim: Both nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are common in Egypt, and their coexistence is expected. There is controversy regarding the influence of NAFLD on chronic HCV disease progression. This study evaluates the effect of NAFLD on the severity of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) (necroinflammation and fibrosis) and assesses the relative contribution of insulin resistance syndrome to the occurrence of NAFLD in patients with chronic HCV infection. Patients and Methods: Untreated consecutive adults with chronic HCV infection admitted for liver biopsy were included in this study. Before liver biopsy, a questionnaire for risk factors was completed prospectively, and a blood sample was obtained for laboratory analysis. Results: Our study included 92 male patients. Their mean ± SD age and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) level were 42 ± 7.7 years (range 20-56) and 68 ± 41.7 U/L (range 16-214), respectively. The mean insulin level and insulin resistance index were 15.6 ± 18.3 mIU/mL (range 5.1-137.4) and 5.9 ± 15.2 (range 0.9-136.2), respectively. Fifty four percent of patients had steatosis and 65% had fibrosis. In multivariate analyses, steatosis was associated with insulin resistance and fibrosis was associated with high AST level, age ≥40 years, and steatosis. Conclusions: Steatosis is a histopathologic feature in >50% of patients with chronic HCV infection. Insulin resistance has an important role in the pathogenesis of steatosis, which represents a significant determinant of fibrosis together with high serum AST level and older age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the importance of digital filters design educational software to enhance the abilities of electrical engineering students in Egypt. The author emphasizes that immune and genetic algorithms, together with quasi-Newton line search algorithm (QNLS) are applied to develop Fast Infrared (FIR) and Infinite Impulse Response (IIR) designs. It found that the students were able to respond effectively in learning arbitrary magnitude of digital filters.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine if cleansing the birth canal with an antiseptic solution at delivery reduces infections in mothers and their newborn babies. Methods: Women giving birth in the University Hospital, Alexandria, and their newborns were studied. No intervention for 3 months was followed by 3 months of intervention. Intervention consisted of manually wiping the maternal birth canal with a 0.25% chlorhexidine solution at admission and at every vaginal examination before delivery. Babies were also wiped with chlorhexidine. Results: The study enrolled 4415 women and 4431 newborns. The nonintervention phase comprised 2128 mothers and 2138 newborns, and 2287 mothers and 2293 babies were enrolled in the intervention phase. There were no adverse reactions related to the intervention among the mothers or their children. There was no difference in the overall number of neonatal admissions in both groups, but the admissions because of infection, deaths, and mortalities from infection were significantly less in the intervention group. Among mothers receiving the intervention, admissions, deaths, and infections were significantly reduced. Conclusions: Cleansing the birth canal with chlorhexidine reduced neonatal and maternal postpartum infections. The safety, simplicity, and low cost of the procedure suggest that it should be considered standard care for the reduction of infant and maternal morbidity and mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ypresian/Lutetian boundary duration calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy and bioevents from three sections, two from Sinai, Egypt (Wadi Ferian and El Mishatii; west-central and north-east Sinai, respectively) and one from Jordan (Outherite), are presented for the first time. Fifty-three calcareous nannofossil species are identified from 86 samples, spanning the calcareous nannofossil Zone NP14 (= Zone CP12; early‒middle Eocene). In the present study, the early/middle Eocene (Ypresian/Lutetian) boundary is defined by the Lowest Occurrence (LO) of Blackites inflatus , positioned at the base of NP14b/CP12b zones. The LO of B. inflatus is slightly above the LO of Turborotalia frontosa. In general, the present data is largely consistent with what is known from the GSSP (Gorrondatxe section, Spain, Basque Provinces) of the base of Lutetian, where the LO of B. inflatus also marks the base of NP14b/CP12b subzones. In the present study, the LO of B. inflatus is reaffirmed as a reliable marker for correlating the base of the Lutetian. Discoaster sublodoensis , D. saiipenensis , D. bifax , D. martini and Tribrachiatus orthostylus show diachronous occurrences. • Calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy and bioevents across the Ypresian/Lutetian boundary in Egypt and Jordan • The Ypresian/Lutetian boundary is defined by the Lowest Occurrence (LO) of Blackites inflatus. • The LO of B. inflatus is slightly above the LO of Turborotalia frontosa. • The LO of B. inflatus is reaffirmed as a reliable marker for correlating the base of the Lutetian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aim: Imaging guided microwave ablation (MWA) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has become a widely used method over recent years. Tumors close to the diaphragm, gastrointestinal tract, gallbladder, pancreas, hepatic hilum and major bile duct or vessels are generally considered relative contraindications for microwave ablation. This study was conducted to assess the effectiveness and safety of ultrasonography-guided MWA in treating patients with HCC in difficult anatomical sites in comparison to those in conventional sites. Patients and methods: Eighty-eight patients were included and divided into two groups: the study group of 44 with 46 lesions lying <5mm from the diaphragm, hepatic capsule, gall bladder (GB) or large vessel; and the control group of 44 patients with 50 lesions in non-risky sites. Each lesion was ablated using an ultrasound guided microwave probe using a detailed protocol. Results: Most of the patients were males, with a mean age of 57.8 years. In the study group, two patients had lesions adjacent to the GB, twelve were perivascular and 32 were subcapsular. The overall successful ablation rates were 84.8% and 92% in the study and control groups, respectively. Within the study group, ablation rates were 100%, 75% and 87.5% for lesions close to the GB, perivascular lesions and subcapsular lesions, respectively. One patient developed a subcutaneous abscess, with good outcome after proper treatment. Fever, pain and asymptomatic pleural effusion were reported after ablation without statistically significant difference between the groups or among subgroups. In conclusion: MWA for HCC in difficult anatomical sites is as effective and safe as for ordinary sites., (Creative Commons Attribution License)

Background: The aim of this study is to estimate the epidemiological features of epilepsy in a representative governorate of Upper Egypt., Materials and Methods: A door-to-door community-based survey study was performed using a sample of 10 areas among various districts of the Qena governorate in Upper Egypt. Six were classified as rural areas, and the remaining four were classified as urban areas, with a total population of 8027 inhabitants. The population was screened using an epilepsy-screening questionnaire. Positive cases with suspected epilepsy were referred to Qena University Hospital to be further evaluated by a qualified neurologist and for further investigations, such as neuroimaging and electroencephalography., Results: One hundred patients had a confirmed diagnosis of epilepsy, with a lifetime prevalence of 12.46/1000. The active prevalence rate of epilepsy was 2.12/1000, while the incidence rate was 123/100000. Seventy-six percent of the patients had idiopathic epilepsies, while 24% had symptomatic epilepsy. Generalized epilepsies were more common (70.1%) than partial epilepsy (26.3%), meanwhile epilepsies with mixed seizure types were 2.6%. The most common seizure type was generalized tonic clonic seizures (51.8%). The age-specific prevalence rate of epilepsy was much higher in infancy and early childhood (62.5 and 37.04/1000, respectively), which regressed steadily with age. Idiopathic epilepsies were significantly more common in urban areas than in rural areas (P=0.01), while symptomatic epilepsies were more common in rural areas than in urban areas (P<0.005)., Conclusion: Upper Egypt is characterized by a relatively high incidence and prevalence of epilepsy and epilepsy-related medical service, and more cultural education should be directed to those areas in Egypt., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)