Prevalence, determinants, and outcomes of unintended pregnancy in Sohag district, Egypt.

BACKGROUND: Unintended pregnancies may be mistimed or unwanted. It represents 40% of all pregnancies, and it had multiple risky health outcomes. It is essential to understand the factors affecting unintended pregnancies and their consequences to develop strategies that help prevent them. The present study is conducted to identify the prevalence, determinants, and outcomes of unintended pregnancies in Sohag district, Egypt. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Sohag district, 2016. Five hundred fifty-four ever married women aged 18-49 years whose last pregnancy was in the 3 years preceding the data collection date were randomly selected from rural and urban localities. Data were collected through home visits using a validated questionnaire. In this study, Sohag city represents the urban place, while Tunis and El-Sheikh Makram villages represent the rural places. RESULTS: Nearly one third (30.7%) of the study sample had an unintended pregnancy within the last 3 years from the time of interview. Regression analysis showed that young women < 30 (OR = 2.24, 95% CI 1.12-4.48, p = 0.02), young husbands ≤ 30 (OR = 5.44, 95% CI 1.14-26.11, p = 0.03), women working for cash (OR = 6.16, 95% CI 3.15-13.92, p < 0.0001), monthly income ≤ 1200 LE (OR = 34, 95% CI 6.41-187.52, p < 0.0001), and spacing < 24 months (OR = 8.79, 95% CI 4.33-17.80, p < 0.0001) were risk factors for mistimed pregnancy. On the other hand, women working for cash (OR = 11.43, 95% CI 3.22-40.62, p < 0.0001), living children ≥ 5 (OR = 11.45, 95% CI 2.84-46.07, p = 0.001), and the woman's perception of her family size as higher than the ideal (OR = 394.8, 95% CI 97.36-1601.17, p < 0.0001) were risk factors for unwanted pregnancy. Mistimed and unwanted pregnancies were significantly associated with late start of antenatal care (ANC), low birth weight (LBW), and no breastfeeding. In addition, unwanted pregnancies were associated with more pregnancy complications. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Unintended pregnancy represents a public health problem in Sohag. Therefore, improving services in rural areas and improving the economic level and effective use of family planning methods could reduce the risks associated with the unintended pregnancy.

Resveratrol inhibits proliferation, angiogenesis and induces apoptosis in colon cancer cells: calorie restriction is the force to the cytotoxicity.

The aim of this study was to examine the antitumour activity of resveratrol in human colorectal cancer cell lines (HCT116 and Caco2) and to explore its mechanism of action assuming that it is by calorie-restriction effect. Resveratrol inhibited the proliferation of colon cancer cells with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) equal to 50 and 130 µM for HCT116 and Caco2, respectively. Caco2 cells appeared with significant time-dependent increase in the glycolytic pathway, a behaviour that was absent in HCT116 cells. Resveratrol (100 µM) significantly decreased the glycolytic enzymes (pyruvate kinase and lactate dehydrogenase) in Caco2 cells, while an increase in citrate synthase activity and a decrease in glucose consumption were observed in both cell lines. Moreover, resveratrol downregulated the expressions of leptin and c-Myc, and decreased the content of vascular endothelial growth factor. The apoptotic markers, caspases 3 and 8, were activated and the Bax/BCl2 ratio was increased. The study suggested a promising anticancer activity of resveratrol, calorie-restriction pathway may be one of the driving forces for this activity.

Coccidiosis among immuno-competent and -compromised adults.

There was significant increase in coccidia positive cases among Hodgkin lymphoma receiving chemotherapy as compared to control group (p < 0.05). The increase was highly significant in the group of acute lymphocytic leukaemia receiving chemotherapy as compared to control group (P < 0.01). The total percent of cases with single type of coccidia were 12.2% compared to multiple coccidial infections (4.3%). The most commonly associated parasite was Cryptosporidium. The total cryptosporidial infections (single and mixed with other coccidia) were 12.1% of the total studied cases. In the immunocompromised the prevalence was 14.3%. In the immunocompetents with diarrhoea, was 8.3% and in control was 5.6%. Microsporidial infections (single and mixed with other coccidia), being the least detected among the four intestinal spores forming coccidia, were 2.4% in the immunocompromised groups. No Microsporidium was detected in the immunocompetent or adult control groups. The total cyclosporal infections (single and mixed with other coccidia) were 6.3% of the total studied cases. In the immunocompromised groups, the prevalence was (8.3%) where in immunocompetent group, was 2.8%. None was detected in the control subjects. Single cyclospora was 3.0% while mixed Cyclospora represented 3.3% of all studied cases. The Isospora infections (single and mixed) were 3.8% of total patients. The prevalence among immunocompromised group was 5.2% and in immunocompetent patients was 2.8%.

Studies on Securigera securidacea (L.) Deg. et Dörfl. (Fabaceae) seeds, an antidiabetic Egyptian folk medicine.

A new cardenolide(-)-14-methoxy-rcanoside (1) was isolated from the aqueous extract of the seeds of Securigera securidacea (L.) Deg. et Dörfl. (Fabaceae) together with five new dihydrobenzofuran derivatives named securigran I-V (2-6). Kaempferol and astragalin were also isolated from the aqueous extract of the flowers. (-)-14-Methoxyhyrcanoside and the total aqueous extract of the seeds showed marked chronotropic activity. The total aqueous extract also showed a marked diuretic and severe hypokalemic effects on the K(+)-level in serum. The hypoglycemic effect of the seeds was also confirmed.

Direct and indirect diagnosis of strongyloidiasis.

Stool examination of 196 subjects from Sharkia Governorate was done by the use of direct smear, Zinc sulphate centrifugal floatation method and stool culture. Serological diagnosis by ELISA was done. Stool culture was the most sensitive method for diagnosing Strongyloidiasis. However, ELISA could be of great value in epidemiological studies and follow up.

Indirect fluorescent antibody test in diagnosis of acute fasciolitic syndrome.

250 patients with fever, hepatomegaly and eosinophilia were investigated for parasitic infection by stool, urine, thick blood smear examination and sero-diagnosis (ELISA for anti-Toxocara and IFA for anti-Fasciola). Those with patent parasitic infections (41) and anti-Toxocara seropositivity (10) were excluded from follow up. The other were 3 months followed up. The detected infections were 10 Ascaris, 15 Strongyloides, 20 Toxocara, and 25 Schistosoma mansoni. Other 30 were positive for Fasciola eggs. No other infections were found in the remained 109 patients. IFA anti-Fasciola antibody titres were significantly higher among Fasciola group than any other groups. It is concluded that IFA anti-Fasciola antibody titre greater than or equal to 1/256 with ethanol fixed antigen sections is of value in diagnosis of acute fasciolitic hepatic syndrome.