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Aim of the work This study aimed at assessing the dominance of risk practices associated with HCV endemicity in Egypt and detecting the behavioral development level concerning different aspects of HCV risk behaviors with respect to age and gender. The survey highlights the most cost-effective strategies that could accelerate HCV elimination in Egypt. Subjects and methods A national household survey targeted 3780 individuals (age range: 10–85 years). The sample was a systematic probability proportionate to size from 6 governorates representing the six major subdivisions of Egypt. The indicators used for assessing the behavioral development level towards HCV included six domains: awareness (7 indicators), perceived risk (5 indicators), motivation with the intention to change (4 and 5 indicators for males and females respectively), trial, rejection or adoption (6 and 5 indicators for males and females respectively). Results The study revealed that along the continuum of behavior development, the percentage of the participants who acquired half of the scores was as follows: 73.1% aware, 69.8% developed perceived risk, 80.6% motivated with only 28.9% adopting the recommended behaviors, 32% rejected them, 2.3% were in the trial stage versus 35.8% who did not try any. Adolescents had significantly lower levels of development for almost all domains when compared to adults. Statistical higher significance was detected in favor of adults, employees, married, Lower Egypt governorates, and university-educated participants (p<0.001) regarding awareness, perceived risk, and motivation scores. More than half of the participants incorrectly believed that contaminated food, sharing food utilities, contaminated water, mosquitoes, and schistosomiasis would lead to HCV transmission. Conclusion Egypt would be closer to HCV elimination when cost-effective strategies are directed not towards creating awareness, perceived risk or motivation to change- (at an acceptable level)- but towards motivating adopting risk-reduction behaviors for HCV, tackling misconceptions and reinforcement of social support.

Background: Transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN) is a common cause of early neonatal respiratory distress. It is due to delayed clearance of fetal lung fluid. Aim: To evaluate the effect of inhaled salbutamol, a beta-2 adrenergic agonist (β2AA), in management of TTN and to detect any side effects as a result of using it Methods: A total of 100 infants with TTN were randomly divided into two groups to receive either inhaled salbutamol (treatment group) or an equal volume of normal saline solution (placebo group) at the time of diagnosis. At enrollment (by the 6th hour), complete blood count, blood glucose, serum potassium (K+), arterial blood gasses, respiratory rate, heart rate, blood oxygen saturation (O 2 Sat), fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO 2 ), and TTN clinical score were determined for all patients. At 0.5, 1, and 4 h after drug administration, respiratory rate, heart rate, O 2 Sat, FiO 2 , and the clinical TTN score were recorded. At 4 h after treatment, arterial blood gasses, serum K+, and blood glucose levels were measured again. The duration of total respiratory support and the duration of hospitalization were recorded as well. Results: No statistically significant differences existed between both groups in terms of gestational age, birth weight, gender, mode of delivery, Apgar score, or maternal risk factors. The duration of respiratory support and duration of hospitalization were significantly shorter in the treatment (salbutamol) group (P < 0.0005, P < 0.0002, respectively). In the treatment (salbutamol) group; the respiratory rate, FiO 2 and TTN score were significantly lower after treatment (P < 0.0001, P < 0.0000, P < 0.0000, respectively). Also the PaO 2 significantly increased (P < 0.0000) with significant improvement in PH (P < 0.0001) and significant reduction in PaCO 2 (P < 0.03). However, there were no statistically significant differences in heart rates, serum K+, or glucose levels after treatment. Conclusion: Inhaled salbutamol, a β2AA, was effective in reducing the duration of respiratory support and hospitalization in TTN, with no detected side effects.

Introduction: Hearing impairment is frequent in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). We aimed to assess the prevalence of hearing impairment in children on regular hemodialysis and renal transplantation. Materials and Methods: Transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs) has been done for 80 children on regular hemodialysis and 40 with renal transplant.Results: In hemodialysis group, TEOAEs showed that 53.8% children had hearing affection, it was significantly related to dialysis duration, dialysis adequacy, vascular access infection, hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, and ototoxic drugs (p = 0.001, 0.037, 0.011, 0.004, 0.030, 0.007, and 0.044, respectively). In renal transplant group hearing impairment was 25%. There was significant relation with period of dialysis before transplantation and biopsy proved rejection (p = 0.008, <0.001, respectively). Conclusion:Hearing impairment is a common finding in ESRD patients.

BACKGROUND: Neonatal encephalopathy is a heterogeneous syndrome characterised by signs of central nervous system dysfunction in the newborn. Matrix metalloproteinase-9(MMP-9) increases the blood-brain barrier permeability, and their inhibitors can reduce its damage. MMP-9 has been implicated specifically in cerebral ischemia. AIM: To measure serum MMP-9 in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and evaluate its correlation to the severity of early prediction and treatment. METHODS: its case-control study. The serum concentration of MMP-9 was determined by ELISA in 100 hypoxic neonates and 50 healthy neonates of matched age and sex who served as controls. RESULTS: In our present study the serum MMP-9 level was significantly higher at p = 0.0001 in hypoxic-ischemic full-term newborns (176.7 ± 68.7 ng/ml)as compared to control newborn (69.4 ± 34.85 ng/ml)and it was significantly higher at p = 0.0075 in hypoxic-ischemic preterm newborn (171.2 ± 132.9 ng/ml) when compared to control newborn (72.54 ± 36.74 ng/ml),also MMP-9 was significantly higher at Sarnat stage III at p = 0.0001. CONCLUSION: Serum MMP-9 level was significantly higher in hypoxic-ischemic newborns, and significantly increased with severity, so we suggest that serum MMP-9 level is important for predicting neurological sequel and severity in neonatal encephalopathy.