Coronavirus Disease 2019: Knowledge, Attitude, Practice, and Perceived Barriers among Health care Workers at Cairo University Children Hospital, Egypt

BACKGROUND: Insufficient knowledge and negative attitude toward coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among health care workers (HCWs) could lead to faulty practices resulting in delayed diagnosis and spread of the disease. AIM: this study was conducted to assess the knowledge, attitude, practice, and perceived barriers to infection control toward COVID-19 among Egyptian HCWs. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Cairo University Children Hospital, with 537 HCWs (doctors and nurses) enrolled. RESULTS: HCWs had an overall good knowledge level about COVID-19 where 61% had a knowledge score of ≥18 points (out of 23). Doctors were more knowledgeable than nurses. About 64% of HCWs were considered as having positive attitude (scored ≥10 out of 13 points), with a significantly higher positive attitude among nurses. The mean practice score of HCWs was 1.0 ± 2.0 with a significantly higher good practice among nurses. Younger age, being a doctor, and higher qualification were the significant positive predictors of acquiring knowledge about the disease. The most commonly perceived barriers for applying infection control measures in hospitals were overcrowdings in health-care facilities (78.2%) and insufficient infection control policies (62.6%). CONCLUSION: HCWs in general expressed good knowledge, positive attitude, and good practice toward COVID-19 despite some gaps that were detected in specific items. Proper planning of educational programs that are directed according to the needs of different groups of HCWs is crucial. Effective policies should be established to overcome the barriers for applying infection control in health facilities

Synthesis and Pharmacological Activities of Pyrano[2,3-d]pyrimidine and Pyrano[2,3-d]pyrimidine-5-one Derivatives as New Fused Heterocyclic Systems

Various fused oxazine such as 4-(4-methoxyphenyl)-3,7-dimethyl-1,4-dihydro-5H-pyrazolo [4′,3′:5,6]pyrano[2,3-d][1,3]oxazin-5-one 2 has been prepared and utilized as a starting material for novel pyrazolopyranopyrimidinones 3, 5, 6, and 7a–c and pyrazolopyranopyrimidines 4, 9, 10, and 11 which are expected to possess considerable chemical and pharmacological activities. The structures of the new compounds have been elucidated by spectroscopic data and elemental analysis. The antioxidant and anticancer activities of synthesized products have been evaluated

Screening the Responsible Impact of Fourteen Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Genotypes against Osmatic Water Stress Mediated through PEG6000 in Terms of Seed Germination and Early Seedling Growth Stage in Search of Promising Drought Tolerant Genotypes under in vitro Condition

Seed germination is considered one of the first and critical fundamental life stage of a plant. So, the success in growth and yield production is depending on this stage. A way to overcome the negative effects of deficit water stress on plant production is development of drought tolerant genotypes. With this view an in vitro experiment was attempted to measure and quantify the negative effects of osmatic PEG6000 stress on seed germination and early seedling growth stage of fourteen wheat genotypes to determine the relevant response of studied genotypes with identifying resistant genotypes toward high stress of PEG6000. To achieve this purpose, the experiment was assigned in a split plot arrangement in two factorial CRD fashion projection with three replications under five levels of PEG6000 factors (Ψs) {0% (0 Mpa), 5% (-0.3 Mpa), 10% (-0.6 Mpa), 15% (-0.9 Mpa) and 20% (-1.2 Mpa) w/v} to establish artificial drought stress to assess the progressive effect. The observations are converted into its effects in terms of fifteen biological attributes included (germination percentage, germination index, seedling length, relative percentage of seedling length, reduction percentage of seedling length, seedling fresh weight, relative percentage of seedling fresh weight, reduction percentage of seedling fresh weight, seedling dry weight, relative percentage of seedling dry weight, reduction percentage of seedling dry weight, tissue water content, vigor index, tolerance index and coefficient of relative inhibition). The experiment was repeated for confirmation and the results were similar. The results appeared that the germination percentage was not found as effective indicator of genotypic variation for PEG6000 stress at early seedling stage. Moreover, degree of PEG6000 stress tolerance at early seedling growth stage did not maintain in all studied wheat genotypes. Therefore, the authors were done PCA plots and Euclidean distance analysis to distinguish and clear superiority PEG6000 stress-tolerant genotypes. Overall, genotypes Gimeza-12, Sakha-94, Katela, and Sids-12 are relatively drought tolerant genotypes as they showed a better performance degree of survival on high levels of induced PEG6000 and the remaining genotypes had an intermediate response toward the induced PEG6000. This method can be recommended as a tool for determining the mechanisms to the plant breeder for suitable rapid detection criteria of screening drought tolerant genotypes in a large population incorporate with the reduced cost and labor to initiate breeding programs to develop better drought tolerant genotypes as a best parents for genetic characterization through QTL analysis of mapping population derived from them

Crystal structure of N′-[2-(benzo[d]thia­zol-2-yl)acet­yl]-4-methyl­benzene­sulfono­hydrazide

In the title compound, C16H15N3O3S2, the hydrazide N atom bonded to the C=O group is planar, whereas that bonded to the SO2 group is pyramidally coordinated. The inter­planar angle between the ring systems is 40.71 (3)°. Mol­ecules are connected into ribbons parallel to the b axis by two classical hydrogen bonds N—H⋯O=C and N—H⋯Nthia­zole

Crystal structure of N-[6-amino-5-(benzo[d]thia­zol-2-yl)-3-cyano-4-methyl­sulfanyl-2-oxo-1,2-di­hydro­pyridin-1-yl]-4-methyl­benzene­sulfonamide di­methyl­formamide monosolvate

In the title compound, C21H17N5O3S3·C3H7NO, the toluene­sulfonamide ring and the combined ring system involving the pyridone and benzo­thia­zole rings subtend an inter­planar angle of 39.86 (4)°. The pyridone and benzo­thiazyl rings are linked by the intra­molecular hydrogen bond N—Hamine⋯Nthia­zole. The DMF O atom accepts two classical hydrogen bonds. The mol­ecules are linked by hydrogen bonds and an S⋯O contact to form layers parallel to the bc plane

Evaluation Capability of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Genotypes under Salinity (NaCl) Stress as a Systematic Tolerance Assessment at Seed Germination and Early Growth Stage under Laboratory Conditions

Healthy seed germination is critical for the growth cycle of plants, and determines the establishment of seedlings and subsequent crop production. High salinity conditions can result in difficulty for seed germination and delays the germination period. Development of salinity tolerant genotypes through screening and selection is one important strategy to overcome this case. In the present study, the effects of salinity (0 mM NaCl (control= distilled water)), (50 mM NaCl (slight salt stress)) and (100, 150 and 200 mM NaCl (high salt stress)) had gradual and negative effects on seed water uptake and germination attributes. The results verified a remarkable variation for genetic materials ability under salinity conditions. Overall, among 14 wheat genotypes (Sids-12, Nielien and Weiber) genotypes were seemed to be relatively salt tolerance and (Gimeza-12, Diebera, Misr-1, Katela) genotypes were seemed to be moderately tolerant genotypes to salt stress, which were attributed to higher germination percentage, seedling length, seedling fresh and dry weight, tissue water content, vigor index and tolerance index. On the other hand, the genotypes (Shandaweil-1, Giza-168, Misr-2, Sids-1, Sanora, Gimez-7 and Sakha-94) were found to be moderately to strongly sensitive toward salt stress conditions. This systematic method is able to identify genetic variation in salinity tolerance in studies breeding material or in a large number of genotypes of wheat, and help to make account of differences with respect to salinity conditions

Assessing Drought Tolerance of Newly Developed Tissue-Cultured Canola Genotypes under Varying Irrigation Regimes

This article belongs to the Special Issue Crop Tolerance under Biotic and Abiotic Stresses[Abstract] Drought is a major abiotic stress that greatly affects canola growth, production, and quality. Moreover, water scarcity is projected to be more severe and frequent as a result of climate change, in particular in arid environments. Thereupon, developing drought-tolerant and high-yielding canola genotypes has become more critical to sustaining its production and ensuring global food security with the continuing population growth. In the present study, ten canola genotypes comprising six developed tissue-cultured canola genotypes, two exotic genotypes, and two commercial cultivars were evaluated under four irrigation regimes. The applied irrigation regimes were well-watered (100% crop evapotranspiration, ETc), mild drought (80% ETc), moderate drought (60% ETc), and severe drought (40% ETc) conditions. Drought-stress treatments (80, 60, and 40% ETc) gradually reduced the chlorophyll content, relative water content, flowering time, days to maturity, plant height, number of pods, number of branches, seed yield, and oil percentage, and increased proline, phenolic, anthocyanin, and glycine betaine contents. The evaluated genotypes exhibited varied responses to drought-stress conditions. The developed tissue-cultured genotypes T2, T3, and T1, as well as exotic genotype Torpe, possessed the highest performance in all evaluated parameters and surpassed the other tested genotypes under water-deficit conditions. Overall, our findings elicited the superiority of certain newly developed tissue-cultured genotypes and exotic ones compared with commercial cultivars, which could be exploited in canola breeding under water-deficit conditions.This research was funded by the Researchers Supporting Project number (RSPD-2023R730), King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaKing Saud University (Riad, Arabia Saudí); RSPD-2023R73

Serum Apelin and Obesity-Related Complications in Egyptian Children

BACKGROUND: The rapidly increasing prevalence of childhood obesity became a major burden on health worldwide, giving an alarm to clinicians and researchers. Adipocytes act as an active endocrine organ by releasing plenty of bioactive mediators (adipokines) that play a major role in regulating metabolic processes. Apelin is a recently identified adipokine that is expressed in adipocytes.AIM: The current work aimed to uncover the relation between serum apelin and childhood obesity and its related complications as hypertension and hyperglycemiaMETHOD: A group of 50 obese and 31 non-obese; sex- and age-matched children were enrolled in our study with a mean age of (9.5 ± 2.1) and (8.7 ± 1.3) respectively. Anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, were assessed in all studied participants, we also determined the lipid profile, serum insulin, fasting blood glucose (FBG) level, HOMA-IR and serum apelin.RESULTS: Obese children had higher levels of HbA1c, FBG, serum insulin, HOMA-IR, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP Z-score); compared to controls (all P < 0.05). Apelin was significantly higher in obese children versus controls and correlated positively with BMI Z-Score (P = 0.008), DBP Z-Score (P = 0.02), cholesterol, TG (both P = 0.02), serum insulin (P = 0.003), FBG and HOMA-IR (both P = 0.001). Linear regression analysis showed that FBG was the most effective factor in predicting the level of serum apelin (P = 0.04).CONCLUSION: This work supports the hypothesis that apelin may have a crucial role in the pathogenesis of health hazards related to obesity in children including insulin resistance, hypertension and a higher risk of occurrence of metabolic syndrome

Supplementation of Saussurea costus root alleviates sodium nitrite-induced hepatorenal toxicity by modulating metabolic profile, inflammation, and apoptosis

Sodium nitrite (NaNO2) is a widely used food ingredient, although excessive concentrations can pose potential health risks. In the present study, we evaluated the deterioration effects of NaNO2 additives on hematology, metabolic profile, liver function, and kidney function of male Wistar rats. We further explored the therapeutic potential of supplementation with S. costus root ethanolic extract (SCREE) to improve NaNO2-induced hepatorenal toxicity. In this regard, 65 adult male rats were divided into eight groups; Group 1: control, Groups 2, 3, and 4 received SCREE in 200, 400, and 600 mg/kg body weight, respectively, Group 5: NaNO2 (6.5 mg/kg body weight), Groups 6, 7 and 8 received NaNO2 (6.5 mg/kg body weight) in combination with SCREE (200, 400, and 600 mg/kg body weight), respectively. Our results revealed that the NaNO2-treated group shows a significant change in deterioration in body and organ weights, hematological parameters, lipid profile, and hepatorenal dysfunction, as well as immunohistochemical and histopathological alterations. Furthermore, the NaNO2-treated group demonstrated a considerable increase in the expression of TNF-α cytokine and tumor suppressor gene P53 in the kidney and liver, while a significant reduction was detected in the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-4 and the apoptosis suppressor gene BCL-2, compared to the control group. Interestingly, SCREE administration demonstrated the ability to significantly alleviate the toxic effects of NaNO2 and improve liver function in a dose-dependent manner, including hematological parameters, lipid profile, and modulation of histopathological architecture. Additionally, SCREE exhibited the ability to modulate the expression levels of inflammatory cytokines and apoptotic genes in the liver and kidney. The phytochemical analysis revealed a wide set of primary metabolites in SCREE, including phenolics, flavonoids, vitamins, alkaloids, saponins and tannins, while the untargeted UPLC/T-TOF–MS/MS analysis identified 183 metabolites in both positive and negative ionization modes. Together, our findings establish the potential of SCREE in mitigating the toxic effects of NaNO2 by modulating metabolic, inflammatory, and apoptosis. Together, this study underscores the promise of SCREE as a potential natural food detoxifying additive to counteract the harmful impacts of sodium nitrite.Peer Reviewe

Effects of hospital facilities on patient outcomes after cancer surgery: an international, prospective, observational study

Background Early death after cancer surgery is higher in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with in high-income countries, yet the impact of facility characteristics on early postoperative outcomes is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between hospital infrastructure, resource availability, and processes on early outcomes after cancer surgery worldwide.Methods A multimethods analysis was performed as part of the GlobalSurg 3 study-a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study of patients who had surgery for breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and 30-day major complication rates. Potentially beneficial hospital facilities were identified by variable selection to select those associated with 30-day mortality. Adjusted outcomes were determined using generalised estimating equations to account for patient characteristics and country-income group, with population stratification by hospital.Findings Between April 1, 2018, and April 23, 2019, facility-level data were collected for 9685 patients across 238 hospitals in 66 countries (91 hospitals in 20 high-income countries; 57 hospitals in 19 upper-middle-income countries; and 90 hospitals in 27 low-income to lower-middle-income countries). The availability of five hospital facilities was inversely associated with mortality: ultrasound, CT scanner, critical care unit, opioid analgesia, and oncologist. After adjustment for case-mix and country income group, hospitals with three or fewer of these facilities (62 hospitals, 1294 patients) had higher mortality compared with those with four or five (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3.85 [95% CI 2.58-5.75]; p<0.0001), with excess mortality predominantly explained by a limited capacity to rescue following the development of major complications (63.0% vs 82.7%; OR 0.35 [0.23-0.53]; p<0.0001). Across LMICs, improvements in hospital facilities would prevent one to three deaths for every 100 patients undergoing surgery for cancer.Interpretation Hospitals with higher levels of infrastructure and resources have better outcomes after cancer surgery, independent of country income. Without urgent strengthening of hospital infrastructure and resources, the reductions in cancer-associated mortality associated with improved access will not be realised