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This study aims to evaluate the effect of the interaction between crowdsourcing style and cognitive style on the development of research and scientific thinking skills among postgraduate students at Alexandria University, by designing an e-learning environment. The current research used an experimental approach with a quasi-experimental design. The research sample consisted of a random sample of 80 postgraduate students who were specializing in mathematics, educational technology, and other areas at the Faculty of Education. The measurement tools consisted of an achievement test, the observation card, cognitive style scale, and scientific thinking scale. Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA analysis of variance. The results showed that there was a significant difference between crowdsourcing patterns (collaborative/competitive) in favor of the collaborative pattern. There was a significant difference between cognitive style (focusing/scanning) in favor of students who adopted the focusing style. There was a significant effect on the interaction between crowdsourcing patterns and cognitive style for each of the cognitive aspects of research skills in global databases through the e-learning environment based on the crowdsourcing pattern, the observation card of students' performance of those skills, and their scientific thinking. The researchers recommend benefiting from the results of the current research in the design of e-learning environments based on crowdsourced (competitive/collaborative) in general, and crowdsourced collaborative in particular because of their impact on the development of achievement, practical performance, and scientific thinking.

Water scarcity and contamination are pressing challenges, particularly in regions like Egypt, where rapid population growth exacerbates freshwater deficits. As agricultural projects expand to meet food demand, water scarcity becomes a critical factor contributing to the food gap. Alternative sources of irrigation water, Such as wastewater, agricultural drainage water and industrial, are being explored, despite potential heavy metal contamination. Therefore, the primary objective of the study is to assess the effectiveness of utilizing nanoparticles biochar derived from agro wastes in the treatment of wastewater, specifically to make it suitable for irrigation purposes under laboratory experiment. The present study utilized wastewater samples sourced from three different sources [Agricultural drainage water (NO.1), industrial effluents (NO.2) and municipal wastewater (NO.3)]. These samples were evaluated for suitability for irrigation based on international standards. The nanoparticles biochar derived from agro wastes [specifically, rice straw (RS), palm fronds (PF), and sugar cane residues (SCR)] were assessed for their capability to remove heavy metals from the examined wastewater samples. The analysis of wastewater samples from drains NO.1, NO.2, and NO.3 revealed crucial findings regarding their suitability for irrigation and associated environmental and health risks. pH values indicate that all wastewater samples are suitable for irrigation without requiring pH adjustments. Wastewater from drain NO.1 falls within acceptable salinity limits for irrigation. However, samples from drains NO.2 and NO.3 exhibit EC values exceeding acceptable limits, posing challenges for irrigation use. Wastewater from drains NO.2 and NO.3 contains Na+ concentrations surpassing acceptable levels for irrigation, indicating potential hazards. Wastewater samples contain various heavy metals, including aluminum, mercury, silver, barium, calcium, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, lead, potassium, strontium, zinc, arsenic, and bismuth. Some heavy metals like arsenic show exceptionally high concentrations, indicating potential environmental and health risks. On the other hand, Nanobiochar materials derived from rice straw, palm fronds, and sugar cane residues demonstrated strong capabilities in adsorbing and removing contaminants from wastewater. All materials led to reductions in parameter values compared to untreated samples, with the most notable decrease observed in nanobiochar derived from sugar cane residues. These findings underscore the potential of nanobiochar-based treatments in enhancing wastewater quality and promoting sustainable water management practices. Generally, the practical application of nanobiochar materials derived from plant waste sources holds promise for improving wastewater treatment processes, thereby contributing to enhanced water quality and sustainable agricultural practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

THE MINISTRY of Agriculture and Soil Reclamation (MASR) in Egypt is actively pursuing the sustainable expansion of oil crops, particularly through the cultivation of canola to shrank gap and decrease the import gap for various oil products and edible oils. Therefore, a field trials were executed to assess the potential impact of different soil additions, including a control group without soil additions (T1 ), magnesium sulphate at a rate of 30 Kg Mg fed-1 (T2 ), plant residues compost (rice straw + soybean stover) at a rate of 7.0 tons fed-1 (T3 ), and a combined treatment of compost at a rate of 3.0 tons fed-1 plus magnesium sulphate at a rate of 15 Kg Mg fed-1 (T4 ) as the main plots on canola plants. Subplots were also designated for foliar applications of beneficial elements, comprising four groups: F1 (control), F2 (Magnesium sulphate), F3 (Zn-EDTA), and F4 (Fe-EDTA) at a rate of 500 g per feddan for each beneficial element. Various parameters such as plant height (cm) No. of branches plant-1 , chlorophyll (SPAD reading), seed yield (ton ha-1 ), straw yield (ton ha-1 ), oil (%), oil yield (ton ha-1 ), protein (%) and carbohydrates (%) were recorded during the trials. The combined treatment (T4 ) emerged as the most effective soil addition, demonstrating optimal performance. Following closely in effectiveness was the use of compost alone (T3 ), with magnesium sulphate (T2 ) ranking third. In contrast, the control group, which did not receive compost and magnesium sulphate, exhibited the lowest performance among the treatments. As for foliar application treatments, the descending ranking order were: F2 (Mg element) < F3 (Zn element)< F4 (Fe element), 1 (without beneficial elements). Briefly, the combined treatment of T4 x F2 emerged as the most superior among the various interactions studied. These findings underscore the importance of tailored soil amendments and foliar applications to maximize canola crop yields, providing valuable insights for the Ministry's strategic planning. Recommendations include widespread adoption of the T4 x F2 combination, further research on optimal dosage and application methods, and ongoing support for farmers in implementing these practices to bolster Egypt's self-sufficiency in oil production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Cesarean Section (CS) is associated with an increased risk of hemorrhage. Many drugs are used to decrease this risk. We aim to compare the combination of ethamsylate and tranexamic acid, oxytocin, and placebo in women undergoing CS. Methods: We conducted a double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled trial between October and December 2020 in four university hospitals in Egypt. The study included all pregnant women in labor without any complications who accepted to participate in the study between October and December 2020. The participants were divided into three groups. The subjects were randomly allocated to receive either oxytocin (30 IU in 500 ml normal saline during cesarean section), combined one gram of tranexamic acid with 250 mg of ethamsylate once before skin incision, or distilled water. Our main outcome was the amount of blood loss during the operation. The secondary outcomes were the need for blood transfusion, hemoglobin and hematocrit changes, hospital stay, operative complications, and the need for a hysterectomy. The one-way ANCOVA test was used to compare the quantitative variables between the three groups while the Chi-square test was used to compare the qualitative variables. Post hoc analysis then was performed to compare the difference between every two groups regarding the quantitative variables. Results: Our study included 300 patients who were divided equally into three groups. Tranexamic acid with ethamsylate showed the least intra-operative blood loss (605.34 ± 158.8 ml) compared to oxytocin (625.26 ± 144.06) and placebo (669.73 ± 170.69), P = 0.015. In post hoc analysis, only tranexamic acid with ethamsylate was effective in decreasing the blood loss compared to placebo (P = 0.013); however, oxytocin did not reduce blood loss compared to saline (P = 0.211) nor to tranexamic acid with ethamsylate (P = 1). Other outcomes and CS complications showed no significant difference between the three groups except for post-operative thrombosis which was significantly higher in the tranexamic and ethamsylate group, P < 0.00001 and the need for a hysterectomy which was significantly increased in the placebo group, P = 0.017. Conclusion: The combination of tranexamic acid and ethamsylate was significantly associated with the least amount of blood loss. However, in pairwise comparisons, only tranexamic acid with ethamsylate was significantly better than saline but not with oxytocin. Both oxytocin and tranexamic acid with ethamsylate were equally effective in reducing intra-operative blood loss and the risk of hysterectomy; however, tranexamic acid with ethamsylate increased the risk of thrombotic events. Further research with a larger number of participants is needed. Trial registration: The study was registered on Pan African Clinical Trials Registry with the following number: PACTR202009736186159 and was approved on 04/09/2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new pathogenic fungus was noticed in 2020 for the first time as white rot on cuttings of sugarcane-grown fields of El-Mattana district (Luxor governorate), Kom-Ombo district (Asswan governorate) and Qus district (Qena governorate), Egypt. The causal organism was isolated from affected cuttings using Koch's postulates, during 2021 and repeated at 2022, the relationship between the recovered isolate and the observed symptoms had been established. Artificially inoculated cuttings of sugarcane cultivar G.T. 54-9 gave symptoms similar to those appeared on naturally field-infected sugarcane cuttings. Morphological characters and molecular analysis, based on fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS), were carried out to detect the recovered isolate. Identification of fungal pathogen revealed that Efibula tuberculata, Basidiomycota, was the causal organism of the white-rot of cuttings and roots of sugarcane. According to the available literature, this was the first report of occurring E. tuberculata isolate lux in Egypt and also as a sugarcane pathogen globally. Further studies to find the potent strategy to control, determine the susceptibility of different sugarcane cultivars and the fungus host range are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avian coccidiosis is the primary parasitic disease that afflicts poultry and is responsible for significant economic losses. Vaccination has emerged as a viable alternative to chemical treatments for controlling broiler coccidiosis and has shown considerable potential for mitigating its impact. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Fortegra® vaccination in controlling coccidiosis in broiler chickens. A total of 245 unsexed one-day-old broiler chickens obtained from Masr poultry were divided into seven groups, with 35 birds in each group. Four groups (GA1, GA2, GA3, and GA4) were vaccinated with Fortegra® while three groups (GB1, GB2, and GB3) served as non-vaccinated controls. At 6 days of age, all chicks in the vaccinated group were administered Fortegra®, while all groups except GA3 and GB3 were infected with coccidia at day 22. The results showed that vaccination did not prevent infection but resulted in lower lesion scores compared to the conventional and control groups. Body weight in the vaccinated group (GA) was lower than that of the non-vaccinated (GB) groups. Microscopic examination of fecal samples collected at different ages confirmed coccidia infection in all experimental groups. Broiler intestinal mucosa scrapings revealed typical forms of Eimeria species, leading to bloody diarrhea and petechial hemorrhage. After a 72-hour period at 30°C with forced aeration, sporulation occurred, and oocysts were stored in a potassium dichromate solution. Microscopic examination confirmed the presence and shape of oocysts, and experimental samples displayed a 500 bp amplicon size specific to Eimeria spp. While Fortegra® vaccination did not prevent infection, it resulted in lower lesion scores compared to the conventional and control groups. Thus, vaccination may serve as an effective approach for controlling coccidiosis in broiler chickens, but further research is necessary to optimize vaccination protocols and evaluate its long-term effects on broiler production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae are a universal public health alarm frequently identified among humans, animals, and poultry. Livestock and poultry production are a possible source of multidrug-resistant microorganisms, including ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae, which confer antimicrobial resistance to different β-lactam antimicrobial agents. From January to May 2020, a cross-sectional study was carried out in three dairy cattle farms and four poultry farms in different districts of northern Egypt to assess the prevalence of ESBLs, AmpC beta-lactamase-producing E. coli and Klebsiella in livestock, poultry, and human contacts, and to investigate the genetic relatedness of the recovered isolates. In total, 140 samples were collected, including human fecal samples (n = 20) of workers with intimate livestock contact, cattle rectal swabs (n = 34), milk (n = 14), milking machine swabs (n = 8), rations (n = 2), and water (n = 2) from different cattle farms, as well as cloacal swabs (n = 45), rations (n = 5), water (n = 5) and litter (n = 5) from poultry farms. The specimens were investigated for ESBL-producing E. coli and Klebsiella using HiCrome ESBL media agar. The agar disk diffusion method characterized the isolated strains for their phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility. The prevalence of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae was 30.0%, 20.0%, and 25.0% in humans, cattle, and poultry, respectively. Further genotypic characterization was performed using conventional and multiplex PCR assays for the molecular identification of ESBL and AmpC genes. The majority of the ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae showed a multi-drug resistant phenotype. Additionally, blaSHV was the predominant ESBL genotype (n = 31; 93.94%), and was mainly identified in humans (n = 6), cattle (n = 11), and poultry (14); its existence in various reservoirs is a concern, and highlights the necessity of the development of definite control strategies to limit the abuse of antimicrobial agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Urolithiasis is a common problem in Egypt as it lies within the stone belt region extending from Indonesia to Egypt. Economic and dietary factors, dehydration, exposure to heat and possible genetic factors. Urolithiasis is one of the most common problems encountered by urologists. Many factors affect Stone formation like geographical, climatic, ethnic, dietary and genetic factors. The recurrence rate is determined by the primary etiology of stones formation. Aim of the Work: Evaluation of the role of JJ stent in enhancing the passage of fragments in patients undergoing extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) for renal stones with size around 2 cm. Patients and Methods: This randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted on 90 patients in the period from December 2021 to July 2022 with age ranged from 24 - 60 years with mean±SD of 44.21 ± 10.99 years; they were 28 females (31.1%) and 62 males (68.9%) and randomly divided into two groups: Group (I): Patients without JJ stent consists of 45 patients & Group (II): Patients with JJ stent consists of 45 patients. Results: The analysis of our study results showed no statically significant difference between the two groups regarding SFRs (95.6% in group I & 93.3% in group II), time to SFRs (mean±SD 1.05 ± 0.55 month in group I & 1.20 ± 0.59 month in group II), number of sessions of ESWL (2.11 for group I & 2.37 for group II), auxillary procedures (Two patients in group I (4.4%) 1 patient had PCNL & 1 patient had URS due to steinStrasse 2.2%) & Three patients in group II (6.7%) failed ESWL and had PCNL), number of ER visits (in group I 46.7% & in group II 40 % had attended at least once for the ER, analgesics consumption (In group I 77.8% & In group II 84.4%) & laboratory tests changes like Hb drob between pre & post ESWL in the two groups (-0.02 ± 0.04 & -0.11 ± 0.08 in group I & group II respectively) & the amount of increase in serum creatinine level (post - pre) was found 0.07 ± 0.03 in patients without JJ stent and 0.03 ± 0.04 in patient with JJ stent. Conclusion: Routine JJ stent fixation before extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy in management of renal stones around 2cm is unnecessary because it doesn't improving free stone rate or enhancing the passage of the fragments during ESWL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Powder samples of infant's milk formula from thirty four different brands commonly consumed in Egypt were collected from drug stores and local markets. The concentrations of seventeen elements (Al, Br, Ca, Cl, Co, Cu, Fe, I, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Rb, Sb, Sc, Se, and Zn) were determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis. The results reveal that the infants' milk provides adequate amounts of most essential elements; and considered as a suitable source of nutrient for infants during their early life stages. The activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K were measured and used to estimate the radiation hazard indices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three promising three-way crosses and four commercial hybrids were evaluated in 2019 growing season at eleven different locations in Egypt. These trials were the last stage evaluation of new maize hybrid registration in Egypt. The analysis of variance showed that mean squares of hybrids (H) were significant at each location (L) and across locations. Also, mean squares due to locations and H x L interaction were highly significant. The promising hybrid three-way cross Sk 316 outyielded compared to the best check and was most stable hybrid based on four out of seven stability parameters. Hence, it might be recommended for release as new commercial hybrid in Egypt. The correlations between (S2 and S2di), (S2 and W2i) and (S2di and W2i) were positive and significant, meaning that the two parameters were similar in classification of the hybrids according to their stability under different locations. Consequently, only one of the two parameters would be sufficient to select the stable hybrids in breeding program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Screening of β thalassemia among close relatives is more feasible in highly prevalent countries with limited resources. The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of β thalassemia carriers and iron deficiency anemia among relatives of β thalassemia patients in Mid Delta, Egypt. Methods: This is a cross-sectional multi-center study conducted on 2118 relatives of patients with β thalassemia from different Egyptian governorates in the Mid Delta region. They were subjected to history taking with precise determination of geographic location, general examination, and the following investigations: complete blood counts, serum ferritin for those who showed microcytic hypochromic anemia, and high-performance liquid chromatography for those who were not diagnosed as iron deficiency anemia. Results: The total prevalence of iron deficiency anemia among close relatives of confirmed β thalassemia patients in the Nile Delta region was 17.19%. The highest prevalence of iron deficiency anemia (45.05%) was reported in Al-Gharbia Governorate, followed by Al-Menoufia Governorate (21.67%), and the lowest prevalence was that of Al-Sharkia Governorate (4.91%). The differences were highly statistically significant (p < 0.001). β thalassemia carrier prevalence rate in the studied relatives was 35.84%, with the highest prevalence detected in Al-Sharkia Governorate (51.32%), followed by Kafr-Alsheikh and Al-Dakahilia Governorates (41.78%, 37.13%) respectively, while Al-Menoufia Governorate had the lowest prevalence rate (25.00%). These differences were also highly statistically significant (p < 0.001). Conclusion: More than one-third of relatives of patients with β thalassemia are carriers of the disease, while 17.19% suffer from iron deficiency anemia. This study demonstrates the importance of tracing the high number of beta thalassemia carriers among relatives of patients with β thalassemia in Egypt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Avian Diseases is the property of American Association of Avian Pathologists, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Avian Diseases is the property of American Association of Avian Pathologists, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose Disclosure and transparency are major pillars of corporate governance which need to be greatly promoted in Egypt. This research aims to understand how different kinds of institutional investors affect levels of voluntary disclosure and transparency.Design/methodology/approach The research was conducted on the most active Egyptian companies over a period of five years. A voluntary disclosure checklist was first developed to assess levels of voluntary disclosure and transparency.Findings Empirical results support significant positive impacts of both bank ownership and foreign ownership on voluntary disclosure and transparency. Among the four firm characteristics controlled for in the research, firm size was the only one with a highly significant positive impact on voluntary disclosure and transparency.Research limitations/implications The results of this research may not be generalized to all companies, as it was only conducted on the most active firms on the Egyptian Exchange. Therefore, it is recommended that future researches integrate a more diversified sample.Practical implications The research provides empirical evidence that institutional investors are not a homogeneous group and that different kinds of institutional ownership impact differently on voluntary disclosure and transparency. As such, some institutional investors are more influential than others when it comes to increasing corporate voluntary disclosure and transparency and in reducing agency problems.Originality/value This research offers assistance to policy makers interested in enhancing corporate disclosure and transparency. It is particularly important during any adjustment to ownership policies in Egypt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence, antibiotic susceptibility profiles, and some toxin genes of Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL)-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) in unpasteurized raw cow's milk collected from retail outlets located at Mansoura, Dakahliya governorate, Egypt. In that context, a total of 700 raw cow's milk samples were investigated for the presence of S. aureus, which was identified in 41.1% (288/700) of the samples. Among the S. aureus isolates, 113 PVL-positive S. aureus were identified and subjected for further analysis. The PVL-positive S. aureus were investigated for the existence of toxin-related genes, including hemolysin (hla), toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (tst), and enterotoxins (sea, seb, sec, see, seg, sei, and selj). Genotypic resistance of PVL-positive strains was performed for the detection of blaZ and mecA genes. Among the PVL-positive S. aureus, sea, seb, and sec were detected in 44.2, 6.2%, and 0.9%, respectively, while the hla and tst genes were identified in 54.9% and 0.9%, respectively. The blaZ and mecA genes were successfully identified in 84.9 (96/113) and 32.7% (37/113) of the total evaluated S. aureus isolates, respectively. PVL-positive S. aureus displayed a high level of resistance to penicillin, ampicillin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Multidrug resistance (resistant to ≥3 antimicrobial classes) was displayed by all methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and 38.2% of methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) isolates. The obtained findings are raising the alarm of virulent PVL-positive MRSA clones in retail milk in Egypt, suggesting the requirement for limiting the use of β-lactam drugs in food-producing animals and the importance of implementing strong hygiene procedures in dairy farms and processing plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approximately 360 undergraduate students in the U.S. and Egypt were surveyed regarding their consumption of music videos, affinity for them, and perception of them as reality. Respondent's parasocial interaction with their favorite music video performers was also assessed. Results showed that Egyptian young adults consume significantly greater amounts of music videos than their American counterparts. A similar effect was noted with Muslims versus Christians. Furthermore, Egyptian students scored significantly higher on all other measures than their U.S. counterparts. Affinity was positively correlated with perceptions of reality, and consumption. PSI showed positive correlations with consumption on overall PSI, and subsets of identification with the favorite persona and interest in favorite persona. Limited correlations were also evident between PSI and affinity on overall PSI, and subsets of problem solving abilities, group identification and interaction, and identification with favorite persona. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A tight post-corrosive esophageal stricture in a child poses significant surgical challenges. Many studies have described minimally invasive esophagectomy in adults, but very few reports have described this technique in children. Minimally invasive esophagectomy represents a new alternative to conventional open esophagectomy. This retrospective study evaluated the safety and efficacy of laparoscopically assisted transhiatal esophagectomy and gastric transposition for post-corrosive esophageal stricture treatment. Twenty-seven children with post-corrosive esophageal stricture were subjected to this technique. Their ages ranged from 3 to 13.5 years (mean 5.6 years). Fourteen were females and thirteen were males. None of the procedures needed to be converted to an open approach, and there were neither intra-operative complications nor increased blood loss. Left-sided pneumothorax occurred in one case only (3.7%). The mean operating time was 160 min (range 120-180). Three patients were admitted postoperatively to intensive care unit for a period of 48 h for assisted ventilation. Mean hospital stay was 4 days (range 3-7 days). Anastomotic leakage occurred in three patients (11.1%), while anastomotic stricture occurred in four patients (14.8%). About 93.5% of our cases have achieved excellent results. Post-operative nutritional status was satisfactory and accepted. Laparoscopically assisted transhiatal esophagectomy and gastric transposition for post-corrosive esophageal stricture treatment in children is safe, visible, effective, and an accepted operative technique. The cosmetic result is excellent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains have veterinary and public health importance as they are responsible for a wide range of difficult to treat infections and food poisoning. Two hundred samples (50 samples each of minced meat, beef luncheon, Karish cheese, and human samples (pus swab from open wounds)) were cultured, and MRSA strains were identified using disk diffusion tests and mecA gene-based PCR. A total of 35% (70/200) of the examined samples were confirmed as coagulase-positive S. aureus in minced meat (46%), beef luncheon (44%), Karish cheese (44%), and human samples (22%). The MRSA strains showed resistance to amoxicillin (91.4%), penicillin (97.1%), cefoxitin (85.7%), cephradine (82.9%), tetracycline (57.2%), and erythromycin (52.8%). More than half of the tested S. aureus isolates harbored the mecA gene. The sequence analysis of the mecA gene from the minced meat, Karish cheese, and human samples revealed high genetic similarities between the S. aureus isolates from these sources. In conclusion, our findings indicate a risk for the transmission of the mecA gene of S. aureus across the food chain between humans and animal food products. Further studies should focus on finding additional epidemiological aspects of the MRSA strains in food chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Duck short beak and dwarfism syndrome is an emerging infectious disease caused by a novel goose parvovirus that has been detected in Europe and China since 1974. Low performance, slow growth and deaths of young ducklings were the main characteristics of the disease. To the best of our knowledge, such syndrome has not been recorded in Egypt, but since 2019, it was observed in some mule and pekin duck farms that resulted in drastic economic losses for waterfowl producers. Identification of the causative agent through viral and molecular detection of the causative virus was the aim of this study. Also, gene sequence of one of three viral protein genes which are responsible for the virulence was accomplished. The causative virus was isolated on primary cell culture, with partial gene sequence of viral VP1 gene that indicated the viral clustering with Chinese novel goose parvoviruses that may help in new vaccine manufacturing and development of a more sensitive diagnostic assay. Future studies to evaluate potential protection of an available market vaccine against the novel virus will be useful. Derzsy's disease causes disastrous losses in domestic waterfowl farms. A genetically variant strain of Muscovy duck parvovirus (MDPV) and goose parvovirus (GPV) was named novel goose parvovirus (NGPV), which causes characteristic syndrome in young ducklings. The syndrome was clinically characterized by deformity in beaks and retarded growth, called short beaks and dwarfism syndrome (SBDS). Ten mule and pekin duck farms were investigated for parvovirus in three Egyptian provinces. Despite low recorded mortality rate (20%), morbidity rate was high (70%), but the economic losses were remarkable as a result of retarded growth and low performance. Isolation of NGPV was successful on primary cell culture of embryonated duck liver cells with a clear cytopathic effect. Partial gene sequence of the VP1 gene showed high amino acids identity among isolated strains and close identity with Chinese strains of NGPV, and low identity with classic GPV and MDPV strains. To the best of our knowledge, this can be considered the first record of NGPV infections in Egypt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The term minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) is defined as encephalopathy that does not lead to clinically overt cognitive dysfunction but can have an impact on quality of life, risk of involvement in road traffic accidents, and ability to function in daily life.Objective: To identify the incidence of minimal hepatic encephalopathy in patients actively involved in a road traffic accident and its role in the increased incidence of road traffic accidents.Patients and methods: We included 74 patients presented in road traffic accidents (drivers, history of fall, pedestrians whom accidents occur during crossing the road) with clinically proven hepatic cirrhosis, without clinical manifestation of hepatic encephalopathy (HE). Thorough history taking, clinical examinations, routine laboratory investigations, serum IL-6 and ammonia in blood were done. Diagnosis of MHE is based on psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score (PHES) which includes digit symbol test (DST), number connection test-A (NCT-A), number connection test-B (NCT-B), serial dotting test (SDT), and line drawing test (LDT).Results: The mean age was 52.0 ± 7.47 in MHE patients. Most of the MHE patients were males. Most of the patients with MHE were working other jobs and were not drivers (63.2% vs 36.8%). MHE was observed in 19 patients (25.7%). Albumin, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and ammonia were statistically significantly different between both groups.Conclusion: Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) was observed in 25.7% of patients which points that we must give attention in the screening of MHE as road traffic accident is considered the main cause of mortality in our community with high incidence of liver disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Multidrug resistance (MDR) of Escherichia coli has become an increasing concern in poultry farming worldwide. However, E. coli can accumulate resistance genes through gene transfer. The most problematic resistance mechanism in E. coli is the acquisition of genes encoding broad-spectrum ß-lactamases, known as extended-spectrum ß-lactamases, that confer resistance to broad-spectrum cephalosporins. Plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance genes (conferring resistance to quinolones) and mcr-1 genes (conferring resistance to colistin) also contribute to antimicrobial resistance. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of antimicrobial susceptibility and to detect ß-lactamase and colistin resistance genes of E. coli isolated from broiler farms in Egypt. Materials and Methods: Samples from 938 broiler farms were bacteriologically examined for E. coli isolation. The antimicrobial resistance profile was evaluated using disk diffusion, and several resistance genes were investigated through polymerase chain reaction amplification. Results: Escherichia coli was isolated and identified from 675/938 farms (72%) from the pooled internal organs (liver, heart, lung, spleen, and yolk) of broilers. Escherichia coli isolates from the most recent 3 years (2018-2020) were serotyped into 13 serotypes; the most prevalent serotype was O125 (n = 8). The highest phenotypic antibiotic resistance profiles during this period were against ampicillin, penicillin, tetracycline, and nalidixic acid. Escherichia coli was sensitive to clinically relevant antibiotics. Twenty-eight selected isolates from the most recent 3 years (2018-2020) were found to have MDR, where the prevalence of the antibiotic resistance genes ctx, tem, and shv was 46% and that of mcr-1 was 64%. Integrons were found in 93% of the isolates. Conclusion: The study showed a high prevalence of E. coli infection in broiler farms associated with MDR, which has a high public health significance because of its zoonotic relevance. These results strengthen the application of continuous surveillance programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avian influenza virus (AIV) and Newcastle disease virus (NDV) are respiratory illness syndromes that have recently been detected in vaccinated flocks and are causing major financial losses in the chicken farming industry. The objective was to evaluate the efficacy of Valley Vac H5Plus NDVg7 vaccine in protecting chickens against the H5N8 and NDV strains that have recently been circulating in comparison with the efficacy of the commercially available bivalent H5+ND7 vaccine. In contrast to the H5+ND7 vaccine, which was made of genetically distinct H5N8/2018 clade 2.3.4.4b genotype group (G5), H9N2/2016, H5N1/2017, and genetically comparable NDV genotype VII 1.1/2019 of the recently circulating challenge viruses, the Valley Vac H5Plus NDVg7 vaccine consisted of the recently isolated (RG HPAI H5N1 AIV/2015 Clade 2.2.1.2, RG HPAIV H5N8/2020 Clade 2.3.4.4b genotype group 6 (G6), and NDV genotype VII 1.1/2012) which were genetically similar to challenged strains. To determine the effectiveness of the Valley Vac H5Plus NDVg7 vaccine, a total of 70-day-old commercial chicks were divided into 7 groups of 10 birds each. Groups (G1 and G4) received Valley Vac H5Plus NDVg7 vaccine. Groups (G2 and G5) groups received commercial H5+ND7 vaccine. While groups (G3 and G6) were kept nonvaccinated, and group (G7) was kept as a nonchallenged and nonvaccinated. After 3-wk post vaccination (WPV), groups G1, G2, and G3 were challenged with A/Duck/ Egypt/SMG4/2019(H5N8) genotype G6. On the other hand, groups G4, G5, G6 were challenged with NDV/EGYPT/18629F/2018 genotype VII 1.1 with an intranasal injection of 0.1 mL. Antibody titer was calculated at the first 3 wk after vaccination, and the viral shedding titer was calculated at 3-, 5-, and 7-days post challenge. Mortality and morbidity rates were monitored daily during the experiment, and for the first 10 d after the challenge, to provide an estimate of the protection rate. The results showed that a single dosage of 0.5 mL per bird of Valley Vac H5Plus NDVg7 vaccine provides 80% protection against both H5N8 and NDV, compared to the bivalent H5+ND7 vaccine, which provided 20 and 80% protection against H5N8 and NDV, respectively. In addition, 0.5 mL per bird of Valley Vac H5Plus NDVg7 vaccine produced a greater immune response against both viruses than commercial vaccination at 1 to 3 WPV with a significant difference at 1 WPV for H5N8 and a comparatively higher immune response for NDV. Furthermore, it reduced virus shedding of H5N8 on the third, fifth, seventh, and tenth days lower than H5+ND7 vaccine with a significant difference on the third day for H5N8 and relatively lower than bivalent H5+ND7 vaccine for NDV with a significant difference on the fifth day. The Valley vaccinated group demonstrated more tissue intactness compared to the commercially vaccinated group against the H5N8 challenge, however the bivalent commercially vaccinated group showed the similar level of tissue integrity against NDV. In conclusion, Valley Vac H5Plus NDVg7 that contains the genetically similar strain to recently circulating challenged virus (H5N8 genotype G6) provided better protection with greater immune response and decreased the amount of virus shed against H5N8 genotype G6 and showed less histopathological alteration than the commercial bivalent H5+ND7 vaccine that contain genetically distinct (H5N8 genotype G5). However the Valley Vac H5Plus NDVg7 provided the same protection with relatively high immune response and relatively decreased the amount of virus shed and showed equal tissue integrity than the commercial bivalent H5+ND7 vaccine against NDV genotype VII 1.1 that contain the same genotype of NDV genotype VII 1.1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Hydrocephalus is the most common brain disorder in children and is more common in low- and middle-income countries. Research output on hydrocephalus remains sparse and of lower quality in low- and middle-income countries compared with high-income countries. Most studies addressing hydrocephalus epidemiology are retrospective registry studies entailing their inherent limitations and biases. This study aimed to investigate child-related, parental, and socioeconomic risk factors of congenital hydrocephalus (CH) in a lower-middle-income country., Methods: An investigator-administered questionnaire was used to query parents of patients with CH and controls who visited the authors' institution from 2017 until 2021. Patients with secondary hydrocephalus and children older than 2 years of age at diagnosis were excluded. Uni- and multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify the factors affecting CH development., Results: Seven hundred forty-one respondents (312 cases and 429 controls) were included in this study. The authors showed that maternal diseases during pregnancy (OR 3.12, 95% CI 1.96-5.03), a lack of periconceptional folic acid intake (OR 1.92, 95% CI 1.32-2.81), being a housewife (OR 2.66, 95% CI 1.51-4.87), paternal illiteracy (OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.02-2.69), parental consanguinity (OR 3.67, 95% CI 2.40-5.69), a history of other CNS conditions in the family (OR 2.93, 95% CI 1.24-7.34), conceiving a child via assisted fertilization techniques (OR 3.93, 95% CI 1.57-10.52), and the presence of other congenital anomalies (OR 2.57, 95% CI 1.38-4.87) were associated with an independent higher odds of a child having CH. Conversely, maternal hypertension (OR 0.22, 95% CI 0.09-0.48), older maternal age at delivery (OR 0.93, 95% CI 0.89-0.97), and having more abortions (OR 0.80, 95% CI 0.67-0.95) were negatively correlated with CH., Conclusions: Multiple parental, socioeconomic, and child-related factors were associated with higher odds for developing CH. These results can be utilized to guide parental counseling and management, and direct social education and prevention programs.

Background & Aim of the Work: β-Thalassemia (βT) is highly prevalent in some countries like Egypt. Accurate data about actual disease prevalence and heavily prevalent geographic locations are essential to help in early detection and in setting up effective preventive programs. We aim for screening βT carriers among Egyptian high school students in the Delta region., Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional multicenter study was carried out on 4320 randomly selected students from four governorates of the Nile Delta region, Egypt. All patients were to be tested for their complete blood count. Those with microcytic hypochromic anemia not caused by iron deficiency were tested for βT carrier status using high-performance liquid chromatography., Results: The total prevalence of βT carrier rate was 6.13%. The highest prevalence was detected in Al-Sharkia Governorate, reaching 7.89%, followed by 6.90% in Al-Gharbia Governorate. Al- Dakahilia and Al-Menoufia showed lower rates of 4.86% and 3.73%, respectively., Conclusion: Despite the premarital national screening program for βT in Egypt, the carrier rate is still high. More effort should be done into the proper implementation of national prevention programs., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

The extensive use of insecticides in agriculture and public health has resulted in the rapid development of insecticide resistance in mosquito populations. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to evaluate insecticide resistance costs on the fitness of Culex pipiens. Two Cx. pipiens field populations (Beheira malathion-resistant and Gharbia malathion-susceptible) were compared to the reference (sensitive) population. The biochemical composition and expression of four genes relevant to insecticide resistance were estimated in third instar larvae. Adult survival, female fecundity and egg hatchability were also determined. As per our findings, it was found that the total protein and carbohydrate contents in Beheira malathion-resistant larvae were significantly lower than that in the reference larvae. Beheira malathion-resistant larvae had higher phenoloxidase (PO) specific activity than the reference population. In terms of the relevant genes, only cytochrome P450 (CYP6F1) expression showed elevated levels in the Gharbia malathion-susceptible population compared to the Beheira malathion-resistant population. In esterases (Estα and Estβ) and glutathione S-transferase, the tested populations did not show any significant differences. Compared to the reference mosquito population, Gharbia malathion-susceptible Cx. pipiens males exhibited significantly longer median survival. Female fecundity and hatchability showed nonsignificant differences among the populations tested. In conclusion, malathion resistance can induce lower protein and carbohydrate contents, but higher PO activity in larvae., (© 2022 Royal Entomological Society.)

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a novel sickness that emerged worldwide as an unprecedented crisis and led to major effects on the daily life of the general public as well as negative impacts on their mental well-being., Aim: This study aimed to assess satisfaction with life and psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic in Egypt., Setting: An online study was conducted in Egypt., Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was fulfilled by 1056 Egyptian adults from 06 to 13 June 2020. Psychological distress and satisfaction with life were measured by Arabic validated versions of the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS)., Results: About half of the surveyed respondents (51%) were satisfied with their life, whilst 57.4% experienced severe psychological distress. The independent predictors of satisfaction with life are being married, satisfactory income, low distress, moderate distress and high distress (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.2, 3.0, 2.5, 6.9, 5.2 and 2.1, respectively). Being a female, having secondary education, secondary education, unsatisfactory income and presence of mental illness are the independent predictors of mental distress (AOR = 2.3, 3.9, 1.9, 1.9, 1.6 and 4.0, respectively)., Conclusion: The study provides evidence about the high prevalence of psychological distress during the peak period of Egypt's COVID-19 pandemic. The study results highlight the enhancement of development interventions to promote psychological well-being and feeling of satisfaction with life during the pandemic.

Objective: Multimodal intraoperative neuromonitoring (IOM) using somatosensory-evoked potentials and motor-evoked potentials is a sensitive and specific tool for detecting intraoperative neurologic injury during spine surgery. This study aimed to evaluate the use of multimodal IOM in a lower-middle-income country (LMIC) during cervical and thoracic spine surgery in order to prevent and predict new postoperative neurologic deficits early on. This is the first report of multimodal IOM application in LMICs., Methods: The neurophysiologist raised the cutoff warning criteria of 50 patients who underwent surgery for different cervical and thoracic pathologies to decrease postoperative neurologic deficits. We retrospectively reviewed the medical charts and neuromonitoring traces of these patients followed by calculating the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of combined IOM for postoperative neurologic deficit occurrence., Results: A significant relationship was found between the reversibility of alerts and the development of new postoperative deficits (P < 0.001). There was no relationship between the cause of alerts and the reversibility of those alerts after corrective measures were carried out (P = 0.455), or the frequency of alerts and the development of new deficits postoperatively (P = 0.578). Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of combined somatosensory-evoked potential and motor-evoked potential monitoring were 100%, 80%, 62.5%, and 100%, respectively., Conclusion: Because of the limited experience and the many technical difficulties faced in LMICs, we found that this cutoff limit resulted in more false-positive warnings but helped to avoid any false-negative results, thus enhancing the safety of surgery., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aims: Estimate the prevalence of symptoms suggestive of overactive bladder (OAB) in women living in the Middle East to describe their demographic characteristics and explore treatment-seeking behavior., Methods: Cross-sectional, population-based survey of women aged ≥ 40 years resident in Algeria, Jordan, Lebanon or Egypt. Respondents were recruited using computer-assisted telephone interview over approximately 4 months. Eligible respondents were asked to complete the OAB-V8, a validated questionnaire that explores the extent of bother from the key symptoms of OAB without clinical investigations. In addition, information regarding demographics, comorbidities and treatment behavior was collected, and respondents were stratified by age., Results: A total of 2297 eligible women agreed to participate. Mean age was 54 ± 10 years; over half (59.3%) were aged 40-55 years. Overall, 53.8% of eligible women had symptoms suggestive of OAB (Jordan 58.5%; Egypt 57.5%; Algeria 49.9%; Lebanon 49.0%), with over 90% also reporting symptoms of urinary incontinence. Only 13.0% of women with symptoms suggestive of OAB were currently receiving treatment, while most (74.3%) had never been treated; these data were consistent across country and age categories. Among the untreated subgroup, almost half (48.7%) reported they were 'not bothered by symptoms,' while 8.4% considered OAB to be 'part of normal aging' and 4.7% did not know it was treatable., Conclusion: A high prevalence of symptoms suggestive of OAB was observed, and the majority had symptoms of urinary incontinence. Despite the high prevalence, most women had never received treatment. Considering the potential significant impact of OAB symptoms on health, quality of life and productivity, these findings highlight an unmet medical need in the population studied. Strategies to improve treatment-seeking behavior (e.g., through education and tackling the stigma associated with OAB symptoms) may improve the diagnosis, management and health outcomes of women with OAB in the Middle East.

Background: No data are available on incidence, surgical approaches, complications, and survival for patients with infratentorial meningiomas in developing countries. Predictors for surgical resection, recurrence, and complications were analyzed based on the surgical outcomes of patients with infratentorial meningiomas., Methods: A total of 101 consecutive cases of infratentorial meningiomas operated on between April 2012 and April 2017 at our institute were reviewed retrospectively. The patients had a mean age of 55.1 ± 5 years, a female predominance of 62.3%, and the mean duration of follow-up duration was 44.2 ± 15.5 months., Results: The most common surgical approach was retrosigmoid (n = 51) followed by suboccipital (n = 36), subtemporal (n = 8), and far lateral (n = 6). The preoperative presentation showed that affected cranial nerve was the most common presenting symptom (47.5%) followed by weakness (24.8%) and affected vision (16.8%) followed by headache (8.9%) and gait disturbance (6.9%). The extent of resection was grade I (n = 63), grade II (n = 15)and grade III (n = 23) according to the Simpson grading. The complication rate was 56 cases (55.4%); the most common complication was cranial nerve palsy (42.6%), followed by weakness (31.7%), hydrocephalus (16.8%), chest infection (8.9%), ataxia (4%), deep venous thrombosis (4%), cerebrospinal fluid leak (3%) and meningitis and pulmonary embolism (both 1%)., Conclusions: The location, surgical approach, preoperative Karnofsky Performance Status, and peritumor edema were significantly associated with complications. Compared with developed countries, we had a higher complication rate (P < 0.001), lower recurrence rate (P = 0.15), and slightly lower total resection rate (P = 0.29). These findings might be attributed to the patient's late presentation to the tertiary center and poor technical resources., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)