Occurrence of citrus brown and black spot diseases and their control using pre-harvest approaches

Mild brown and black spot diseases symptoms were detected on citrus varieties, Valencia and Navel fruits during season 2018 in some citrus orchards at North Egypt. Collected diseased fruit samples revealed isolation of Alternaria alternata and Phyllosticta citricarpa (McAlpine) van der Aa. Some organic acids, salts and Saccharomyces cerevisiae were evaluated against the diseases incidents in vitro and in vivo. Complete growth inhibition was recorded for fungi tested at 2g/L of salicylic acid, Potassium dihydrogen phosphate, Tri-Sodium polyphosphate and 2.5 g/L of S. cerevisiae. All pre-harvest treated Valencia trees, inoculated fruits revealed no diseases symptoms up to 10 days of storage period. Meanwhile, S. cerevisiae and salicylic acid treatments had extended protective effect up to 20 days. Control strategy through spraying Valencia orange trees with yeast or some organic acids and salts as pre-harvest approaches should be taken in consideration especially these diseases began to occur in North region of Egypt.

Single incision tans-umbilical laparoscopic cholecystectomy using conventional laparoscopic instruments: initial experience of single institute

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy [LC] had been considered the gold standard treatment for symptomatic gall bladder [GB] stones. Single incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy [SILC] was emerged as a less invasive alternative with better cosmesis and less post operative pain. This study evaluated the feasibility, safety, advantages and complications of SILC using the conventional laparoscopic instruments. A total of 52 patients [47 females and 5 males] with symptomatic GB stones underwent elective SILC using the conventional laparoscopic instruments. The mean operative time was 61.75 min and the mean estimated blood loss was 17.21 ml. Gall bladder perforation occurred in 5 cases [9.6%] in which 3 cases calculi spillage occurred. Troublesome cystic artery bleeding occurred in 2 cases [3.8%] while gall bladder bed bleeding happened in 1 case [1.9%]. An intraoperaive cholangiogram was performed in 3 cases and a drain was inserted in one case. No conversions of the technique occurred. 49 patients discharged in the first post operative day and 3 patients [5.8%] in the 2nd day. Three month post-operative wound length was an average of 1.58 cm while patient satisfaction of the surgery was an average of 9.32

Relation between functional abilities of osteoarthritic elderly women and their compliance with treatment

Osteoarthritis affects up to 25% of the world elderly population. It is the most prevalent and disabling of the chronic conditions affecting elderly females world wide. The aim of this study was to study the relation between the functional abilities of osteoarthritic elderly women and their compliance with treatment. The study was carried out in the Geriatric out patient clinic of El Mansoura General Hospital. The studied subjects were comprised from all elderly women attending the previous setting during a period of three months and fulfilling the following criteria: age 65 years and more, diagnosed with osteoarthritis for at least one year, and accepted to participate in the study, their number amounted to 100 women. Data-was collected using an Interview schedule for assessing sociodemographic data, patient and family health history, and their compliance with the treatment. Katz and Akpom scale 1976 was used to assess the activities of daily living [ADLs] and the Lawton and Brody scale 1969 to assess the instrumental activities of daily living [IADLs]. The results revealed that the disease affected the functional abilities of the elders and most of the sample were either partially or totally non compliant with the treatment regimen particularly performance of physical activities. An educational program to the elders and their caregivers about all aspects of the disease process and its management, with emphasis on the importance of adherence to treatment regimen particularly physical exercises

Self-care practice of community dwelling diabetic elders

Diabetes is common chronic disease encountered by individuals in late life. Diabetes and its complications can impaire well being and quality of life of elders. Patient's compliance and self-care practices are critical facors in appropriate management of diabetes mellitus. So, this study aimed at identifying self-care practice of community dwelling elders. The study sample comprises 105 diabetic elderly who attending the outpatient diabetic clinic at Farouk Hospital, which is affiliated to Ministry of Health and Population. The study revealed that the majority, of the studied diabetic elders had a poor adherence to self-care practice. It was found that self-care practices are affected by sex, marital status, and income of the elders. Also, self-care practice had a significant relation with fasting blood level, body mass index, and the number of foot problems. Knowledge of diabetic elders is essential for self-care practice which is affected by elders' educational level. The study recommended that encouraging elders' independency, and providing financial and social supports are an essential part for self-care practices

Preoperative factors that determine technical difficulty during laparoscopic cholecystectomy for symptomatic calcular cholecystitis

The increasing experience in laparoscopic cholecystectomy has led to more difficult cases being performed The methods to identify a potentially difficult laparoscopic cholecystectomy would be a valuable indicator for good management policies with improvement of the outcome. The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between preoperative clinical and abdominal sonographic findings in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy for symptomatic calcular cholecystitis and the technical difficulty at operation. All consecutive patients with calcular cholecystitis undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy for the last 8 years [531 patients] were reviewed. The clinical preoperative factors assessed involved patient's age, sex, body weight and body mass index, of the disease, associated diabetes mellitus, the occurrence of biliary colic within the last 3 weeks, the presence of symptoms and signs of acute cholecystitis at presentation and history of acute cholecystitis. The laboratory preoperative factors assessed involved, full blood picture including total leucocytic count, liver functions including serum transaminases, serum bilirubin and prothrombin time. The preoperative abdominal sonographic findings assessed involved gallbladder size, gallbladder wall thickness, peri-cholecystic fluid, gallstones number and size and the liver condition. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was attempted in all patients. Operative data were compared to preoperative data of all patients and statistically analyzed. It was found that the following 7 parameters are independently predictive of a difficult operation: male sex [p<0.01], the presence acute cholecystitis [p<0.01], thickening of the gallbladder wall [p<0.01], shrunken gallbladder [p<0.01], mucocele of the gallbladder [p<0.05] and enlarged liver [p<0.05] or liver cirrhosis [p<0.05]. The above-mentioned factors are important and should help to select patients for either laparoscopic or open cholecystectomy based on the expected difficulties

Chronic industrial N.I.H.L. T.S.H. and cortisol levels

43 male from El-Delta Co for steel and Iron manufacture were investigated for pure tone hearing threshold and serum level of TSH and cortisol hormones. 32 of them were exposed to high intensity manufacture noise for many years, [first group] and the others were not exposed to the same risk, and considered as a control group] There was a marked difference in Hearing threshold between both groups, but there was no significant changes between TSH and cortisol level of both groups