14 research outputs found
Language and identity in the fictional fabric of Hadia Decharrière: the example of Arabe.
No full textLa literatura francófona contemporánea se encuentra profundamente
marcada por los flujos migratorios en el contexto europeo. Esto propicia un
escenario literario que refleja, por consiguiente, un amplio abanico de
escritos inspirados del fenómeno de desterritorialización y del sentimiento
de desarraigo. En este contexto, muchos son los escritores que, emigrados
o exiliados, se han instalado en Francia y han adoptado el francés como
lengua de expresión literaria. El cuestionamiento existencial sobre la
esencia identitaria de estos autores se erige en portavoz de un nuevo
modelo de identidad que refleja la interculturalidad. Tal es el caso de Hadia
Decharrière, una escritora nacida en Kuwait de padres sirios que ha vivido
su infancia entre Francia, Siria y Estados Unidos. Hadia Decharrière se
inscribe, por lo tanto, en el contexto de las xenografías francófonas en la
Europa actual. Autora de dos novelas, Grande Section publicada en 2018 y
Arabe publicada un año más tarde, Hadia Decharrière presenta un proyecto
narrativo de inspiración autoficcional en la que reflexiona sobre el proceso
de construcción identitaria y de pertenencia lingüística. En el presente
artículo nos proponemos analizar su segunda novela, en la que la autora
sitúa la pertenencia lingüística en el epicentro de la construcción identitaria.Contemporary Francophone literature is profoundly influenced by migratory
flows in the European context. This fosters a literary scenario that reflects,
therefore, a wide of writings inspired by the deterritorialization phenomenon
and the feeling of rootlessness. In this context, there have been many
writers, either immigrants or exiles, who have settled in France and have
adopted French as a language of literary expression. The existential quest
for the identity essence of these authors expresses the evolution of a new
intercultural identity model. Such is the case of Hadia Decharrière, a writer
born in Kowait to Syrian parents who has lived herd childhood between
France, Syria and the United States. Hadia Decharrière is inscribed,
therefore, in the context of Francophone xenographs in modern Europe.
Author of two novels, Grande Section published in 2018 and Arabe
published a year later, Hadia Decharrière presents a narrative project of
autofictional inspiration in which she reflects on the process of identity
construction and linguistic belonging. In the present article, we propose to
analyze her second novel, in which the author places linguistic belonging at
the epicenter of identity construction
ОПЫТ ПРИМЕНЕНИЯ мКРЛ У БОЛЬНЫХ С ЛЕКАРСТВЕННОЙ УСТОЙЧИВОЙ ТУБЕРКУЛЕЗА И ОЦЕНКА ЭФФЕКТИВНОСТИ, ТЩАТЕЛЬНОГО МОНИТОРИНГА И НЕЖЕЛАТЕЛЬНЫХ ЯВЛЕНИЙ
No full textObjective. To study the frequency of adverse events when using new drugs in the treatment regimen for patients with MDR-TB and evaluate the effectiveness of new shorter regimens. Material and methods of research. New shortened regimens have been used for the treatment of patients with MDR- TB since September and February 2020 in two institutions (MJ and GS). 225 MDR cases were identified in the treatment regimens, Bdq, Lzd, Lfx, Cfz, Cs were prescribed to 106 patients. Gender balance: men 58 (67.4%), women 28 (32.56%).Almost 67 (79.76%) patients had a bilateral process with decay cavities, and 17 (20.24%) patients had a process without decay. The main side effect of bedaquiline is cardiotoxicity, which manifests itself in prolongation of the QT interval and an increase in QTcF (Fridericia coefficient) calculated using the Fridericia formula. The cardiotoxicity of bedaquiline persists after taking it for another 6 months, i.e. has a cumulative effect. In this connection, with the use of bedaquiline in treatment regimens, an electrocardiographic (ECG) study is initially performed. When monitoring treatment with bedaquiline in the first month, an ECG study is performed after 14 days, before the end of the course of treatment is carried out monthly, after the end of the course for 3 months. SAEs were identified in 3 patients. Hypokalemia, myelosuppression and hyperglycemia were noted accordingly in the 1 patient Peripheral neuropathy (moderate) was observed in 7 patients.Results. Culture conversion was observed in 63 patients (75%) who took Bdq, Lzd, Lfx, Cfz, Cs treatment regimens for 9 months. Time to culture conversion was ≤ mean (or median) in 10 (25%) cases, ≥ mean (or median) in 97 (75%) cases In the remaining 16 (18%) patients, the isolation of mycobacteria persisted, and additional detection of resistance to the main drugs provided a rationale for prolonging the course of treatment. In 5 patients dropped out, these patients were discharged for violations of the nosocomial regimen and took drugs only from 28 days to 2 months. There was no prolongation of the QT interval (0.48-0.51 s). All continued the course with bedaquiline. Peripheral neuropathy (moderate) occurred in 7 (8%) patients taking linezolid. All patients (with mild neuropathy) continued the course with linezolid. These patients were prescribed pyridoxine until the end of the regimen. Myelosuppression was observed in 59 patients. 10 of them had grade 1, 3 had grade 2, and only 1 had grade 3 myelosuppression. Nearly all of those treated with clofozemin had a dark brown skin tone. Treatment outcomes and course completion were 63(75%), failure 16(19%). Conclusion. The effectiveness of shortened treatment regimens for MDR/TB patients with the inclusion of new anti-TB drugs (Bdq, Lzd, Lfx, Cfz, Cs) in the treatment regimen turned out to be quite high, side effects were eliminated in time with the help of careful monitoring. In earlier terms, sputum conversion and closure of decay cavities were noted.Scop. Pentru a studia frecvența evenimentelor adverse în rezultatul utilizării a noilor medicamente în regimul de tratament al pacienților cu tuberculoză multidrogrezistentă (TB-MDR) și a evalua eficacitatea schemelor noi, scurte de tratament. Material și metode. Noi regimuri mai scurte au început să fie utilizate pentru tratarea pacienților cu TB-MDR din septembrie (MJ) și februarie (GS) 2020 în două instituții. Au fost identificate 225 de cazuri cu TB-MDR. În schemele de tratament, Bdq, Lzd, Lfx, Cfz, Cs au fost prescrise la 106 pacienți. Echilibrul de gen: bărbați 58 (67,4%), femei 28 (32,56%). Aproape 67 (79,76%) pacienți au avut un proces bilateral cu cavități, iar 17 (20,24%) pacienți au avut un proces fără cavități. Principalul efect advers al bedaquilinei este cardiotoxicitatea, care se manifestă printr-o prelungire a intervalului QT și o creștere a QTcF (coeficientul Fridericia) calculat folosind formula Fridericia. Cardiotoxicitatea bedaquilinei persistă după ce a luat-o încă 6 luni, adică, este cumulativ. Prin urmare, atunci când bedaquilina este utilizată în regimurile de tratament, este efectuat inițial un examen electrocardiografic (ECG). La monitorizarea tratamentului cu bedaquilină în prima lună, se efectuează un examen ECG după 14 zile, până la sfârșitul cursului de tratament, lunar, după terminarea cursului timp de 3 luni. SAE au fost identificate la 3 pacienți. Hipokaliemia, mielosupresia și respectiv hiperglicemia au fost observate la 1 pacient. Neuropatia periferică (moderată) a fost observată la 7 pacienţi. Rezultate. Conversia culturii a fost observată la 63 de pacienți (75%) care au primit regimuri de tratament Bdq, Lzd, Lfx, Cfz, Cs timp de 9 luni. Timpul până la conversia culturii ≤ medie (sau mediană) a fost de 10 (25%), ≥ medie (sau mediană) 97 (75%) cazuri. La restul de 16 (18%) pacienți, izolarea micobacteriilor a persistat, și detectarea suplimentară a rezistenței la principalele medicamente a oferit o justificare pentru extinderea cursului de tratament. 5 (%) pacienți au abandonat, acești pacienți au fost externați pentru încălcări ale regimului spitalicesc și au luat medicamente doar de la 28 de zile la 2 luni.Nu a existat o prelungire a intervalului QT (0,48-0,51s). Toată lumea a continuat cursul cu bedaquilină. Neuropatia periferică (moderată) a apărut la 7 (8%) pacienți care au luat linezolid. Toți pacienții (cu neuropatie ușoară) au continuat cursul cu linezolid. Acestor pacienți li s-a prescris piridoxină până la sfârșitul regimului. Mielosupresia a fost observată la 14 pacienţi. 10 dintre ei aveau gradul I, 3 pacienti gradul II, doar 1 mielosupresie gradul III. Aproape toți cei care au primit medicamentul clofazimină aveau o nuanță a pielii maro închis. Rezultatele tratamentului și finalizarea cursului au fost 63 (75%), eșec în 16 (19%).Concluzie. Eficacitatea schemelor scurte de tratament pentru pacienții cu MDR-TB atunci când noi medicamente antituberculoase (Bdq, Lzd, Lfx, Cfz, Cs) au fost incluse în regimul de tratament s-a dovedit a fi destul de mare, efectele secundare au fost eliminate în timp util prin monitorizare atentă. S-a observat conversia sputei și închiderea cavităților mai devreme.Цель. Изучить частоту побочных нежелательных явлений при применении новых препаратов в схеме лечении больных с МЛУ ТБ и оценить эффективность новых укороченных схем лечения. Материал и методы исследования. Новые укороченные схемы начали применять для лечения больных с МЛУ ТБ с сентября (МЮ) и февраля (ГС) 2020 г. в двух учреждениях. Было выявлено 225 МЛУ случаев. В схемах лечения Bdq, Lzd, Lfx, Cfz, Cs были назначены у 106 больным. Гендерный баланс: мужчины 58 (67,4%), женщины 28 (32,56%). Почти у 67 (79.76%) больных наблюдался двусторонний процесс с полостями распада, а у 17 (20,24%) больных процесс без распада. Основным побочным НЯ бедаквилина является кардиотоксичность, которая проявляется в удлинении QT интервала и увеличении QTcF (коэффициент Фридеричи) рассчитываемый при помощи формулы Фридеричи. Кардиотоксичность бедаквилина сохраняется после его приёма еще 6 месяцев, т.е. обладает кумулятивностью. В связи с чем при применении в режимах лечения бедаквилина исходно проводится электрокардиографическое (ЭКГ) исследование. При мониторинге лечения с бедаквилином в первый месяц проводится ЭКГ исследование после 14 дней, до конца курса лечения ежемесячно, после окончания курса в течение 3 месяцев. СНЯ были выявлены у 3 пациентов. Гипокалемия, миелосупрессия и гипергликемия отмечалось соотвественно у 1-го больного. Периферическая нейропатия (средней тяжести) отмечалась у 7 больных. Результаты. Конверсия культуры наблюдались у 63 больного (75%), которые принимали в режимах лечения Bdq, Lzd,Lfx, Cfz, Cs 9 месяцев. Время до конверсии посева ≤ среднего (или медианы) составляло 10 (25%), ≥ среднего (или медианы) 97 (75%) случаев. У остальных 16 (18%) больных выделение микобактерий сохранялись и дополнительное выявление резистентности к основным препаратам дали обоснование для удлинение курс лечение. Выбыли 5 (%) больных, эти больные были выписаны за нарушения внутрибольничного режима и принимали препараты лишь от 28 дней до 2 месяцев.Удлинении QT интервала (0,48-0,51с) не отмечалась. Все продолжали курс с бедаквилином. Периферическая нейропатия (средней тяжести) имела место у 7 (8%) пациентов принимающих линезолид. Все больные (с легкой степенью тяжести нейропатии) продолжали курс с линезолидом. Этим больным до конца режима было назначена пиридоксин. Миелосупрессия отмечалась у 14 больных. У 10 из них была 1-я степень, у 3 больных - 2-я степень, только у 1 - 3-я степень миелосупрессии. Практически у всех получавших препарат клофазимин отмечалась темнокоричневый оттенок кожи. Исходы излечения и завершение курса составляло 63 (75%), неудача 16 (19%).Заключение. Эффективность укороченных схем лечения больных МЛУ/ ТБ при включении в схему терапии новых противотуберкулезных препаратов - (Bdq,Lzd,Lfx,Cfz,Cs) оказалась достаточно высокой, побочные явления вовремя устранялись с помощью тщательного мониторинга. Более ранее сроки отмечались конверсия мокроты и закрытие полостей распада
The Impact of Board Characteristics on Firms Financial Performance - Evidence from the Egyptian Listed Companies
No full textBoard characteristics considered in this study include board size presence of outside directors CEO Chairman duality and gender diversity on the board Firm performance is measured by return on assets ROA and Tobin s Q This study includes firm age firm size and industry type as control variables The author tests the hypotheses on longitudinal sample of 70 firms over six-year period from 2005 until 2010 The sample includes the most active firms EGX 100 on the Egyptian stock exchange Empirical analysis is undertaken using pooled OLS and FGLS regressions after adopting the prerequisite tests and after detecting the absence of endogeneity between the variables This study makes a number of contributions to the existing literature First it provides a better understanding of the overall picture of Egypt s internal governance mechanisms The findings also contribute to our understanding of how corporate governance in Arab countries is practised in general and in Egypt in particular Second an important finding about Egyptian firms is that in the presence of the non-mandatory code the board of directors is not effective in implementing proper corporate governance practices This view is supported by the low level of compliance and the weak legal system Governance in Egyptian-listed firms is achieved spontaneously through other factors such as ownershi
The Impact of Ownership Structure on Firms Financial Performance - Evidence from Egyptian Listed Companies
No full textThis study examines internal corporate governance mechanisms in the Egyptian securities market and aims to shed new light on understanding how the structure of internal governance mechanisms differs from that of the extensively studied governance mechanisms in developed countries It investigates the impact of state ownership private ownership managerial ownership and employee association ownership on financial performance The author tests the hypotheses on a sample of 70 Egyptian firms over a six-year period from 2005 to 2010 The sample includes the most Egyptian active firms EGX 100 listed on the Egyptian stock exchange To investigate the influence of ownership structure on performance this study adopts the agency theory and the resource-based view to develop the hypotheses The analysis shows the important role of private ownership and managerial ownership in firm performance However state ownership has provided inconsistent results with the two performance measures For employee ownership the inconsistency across the two performance measures can be justified by the positive investors perception about this type of ownership as it evolved as consequences of the privatisati on programme for state-owned companies In conclusion the findings of the study help stimulate further research into identifying the contingency conditions upon which ownership structure affect firm performance The empirical results also have some managerial implications for reforming ownership structur
Effect of convective mixing process on storage of CO2 in saline aquifers with layered permeability.
No full textConvective mixing of free-phase CO2 and brine in saline aquifers is an established technique to accelerate the CO2 dissolution process. Correct estimation of the convection onset time and rate of CO2 dissolution into brine are two crucial parameters regarding safety issues, as the timescale for dissolution corresponds to the same time over which the free-phase CO2 has a chance to leak out from the storage site. In real practice, underground formations are heterogeneous with a layered structure, but the convective mixing in heterogeneous porous media has received less attention than the homogeneous one. This study aims to develop a basic understanding of the role of layered permeability media (layered structure with variation in permeability vertically) on the behavior of convective mixing via well-controlled laboratory experiments. The effects of layering and layer properties on the rate of dissolution of CO2 in water and geometries of the formed convection fingers are studied using a precise experimental set-up with layered-permeability Hele-Shaw cell geometry.publishedVersion© 2021 by the author. This is an open access article distributed under the conditions of the Creative Commons by Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is correctly cited
Ellipsometric evaluation and morphology of mixed zinc sulfide/zinc oxide and zinc oxide nanostructures synthesized at various temperatures
No full textThe aim of this work was to carry out systematic studies of how synthesis temperatures affect the morphology and properties of mixed zinc sulfide/zinc oxide (ZnSxOy and ZnO) nanostructures, and to get reliable data on optical constants of ZnSxOy and ZnO nanowires/nanobelts (NW/NB) for the use in device applications. ZnSxOy and ZnO NWs/NBs were fabricated using vapor transport in an open-end tube. Mixed ZnS0.47O0.62NWs was obtained at the synthesis temperature of 850 °C. The sulfur content disappeared as the temperature increased to 950 °C and 1050 °C and the morphology changed to a mixture of NW/NB. The NW prepared at 850 °C were indexed as mixed phases of hexagonal ZnS and hexagonal ZnO structures. The NW/NB prepared at 950 °C and 1050 °C were indexed as pure hexagonal ZnO structures. The thickness, surface roughness, and optical constants of the synthesized nanostructured samples were extracted from measurements of spectroscopic ellipsometry. A two-layers model was proposed to fit the calculated data to the measured ellipsometric spectra. The estimated band gap values of the prepared nanostructures lay 0.66–0.79 eV below the bulk ZnO value due to the lower oxygen content present in the samples and the stresses built in the samples during preparation.The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the pdf file of the accepted manuscript may differ slightly from what is displayed on the item page. The information in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript reflects the original submission by the author
Antimicrobial capacity of ultrasound and ozone for enhancing bacterial safety on inoculated shredded green cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata)
No full textThe high frequency and incidence of foodborne outbreaks related to fresh vegetables consumption is a major public health concern and an economic burden worldwide. This study evaluated the effect of individual and combined application of ultrasound (40 kHz, 100 W) and ozone on the inactivation of foodborne Escherichia coli and Salmonella, as well as their impact on cabbage color and vitamin C content. Plate count, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and flow cytometry (FCM) following single or double staining with carboxyfluorescein diacetate and (or) propidium iodide were used to determine bacterial inactivation parameters, such as cell culturability, membrane integrity, intracellular enzyme activity, and injured and dead cells. The results of FCM and SEM showed that ultrasound treatment affected bacteria mainly by acting on the cell membrane and inactivating intracellular esterase, which resulted in bacterial death. Furthermore, when combined with ozone at 1.5 mg/L, the maximum reduction of bacterial populations was observed at 8 min with no damage on the surface of treated leaves. Therefore, fresh products sanitization using a combination of ultrasound and ozone has the potential to be an alternative for maintaining the color and vitamin C content of green cabbage.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author
Green synthesis of CaO nanoparticles from chicken eggshells: antibacterial, antifungal, and heavy metal (Pb2⁺, Cr2⁺, Cd2⁺ and Hg2⁺) adsorption properties
No full textInternational audienceBackground : Chicken eggshells, a common poultry byproduct, are rich in calcium and provide a sustainable source for producing calcium oxide nanoparticles (CaO NPs). Their use in eco-friendly synthesis aligns with the growing emphasis on sustainable materials for environmental and biomedical applications. Objectives: This study develops an eco-friendly method for synthesizing CaO NPs from chicken eggshells, characterizes their physicochemical properties, and evaluates their antibacterial and antifungal activities. It also tests their effectiveness in removing heavy metal ions (Pb 2 ⁺, Cr 2 ⁺, Cd 2 ⁺, and Hg 2 ⁺) from aqueous solutions. Methods : CaO NPs were synthesized by calcining chicken eggshells at 700°C for 7 h. Comprehensive characterization included analysis of crystalline structure, morphology, optical properties, bandgap energy, chemical composition, and thermal stability. Antibacterial and antifungal activities were tested using the well-agar diffusion method. Batch adsorption experiments evaluated heavy metal ion removal under varying conditions of pH, temperature, stirring time, and adsorbent concentration Results : The synthesis produced spherical, single-crystal CaO NPs with diameters ranging from 5 to 30 nm and a crystalline size of approximately 20 nm. The nanoparticles had a bandgap energy of about 4.7 eV. Significant antibacterial activity was observed against Staphylococcus aureus , Klebsiella pneumoniae , and Escherichia coli , with increasing inhibition zones correlating with nanoparticle concentration. The CaO NPs also effectively inhibited Candida albicans . For efficient metal ion removal, the optimal conditions were found to be 30 min at pH 6 with 40 mg of CaO NPs at 25°C, achieving recovery rates of 98% for Pb 2 ⁺, 97% for Cd 2 ⁺, 97% for Cr 2 ⁺, and 97% for Hg 2 ⁺. For near-complete removal, extending the process to 70 min at pH 6 with 40 mg of CaO NPs at 45°C achieved the highest recovery rates: 99% for Pb 2 ⁺, 98% for Cd 2 ⁺, 99% for Cr 2 ⁺, and 99% for Hg 2 ⁺, though this approach involves higher energy and cost. Conclusion : CaO NPs derived from chicken eggshells are effective antibacterial agents and adsorbents for heavy metal removal. These findings highlight their potential for sustainable applications in environmental and biomedical fields
Practices and resilience of dieticians during the COVID-19 pandemic: a national survey in the United Arab Emirates
No full textBackground: The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the practices and resilience of most healthcare workers, including dieticians. In addition to offering critical care to COVID-19 patients, dieticians play a major role in preventing and managing conditions known to affect COVID-19, such as obesity and metabolic disorders. The objective of this study was to examine the conditions and changes in the work environment as well as resilience and its correlates among dieticians during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Methods: A cross-sectional national survey was conducted among dieticians practicing in the UAE (n = 371), using a web-based questionnaire. The questionnaire addressed, in addition to the sociodemographic information, the practice-related characteristics and resilience of participants. For the latter the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale© was used. Descriptive statistics as well as simple and multiple linear regressions were used in the statistical analysis. Results: Of participants, 26.4% reported not having access to personal protective equipment and 50% indicated being concerned for their safety and health. Furthermore, considerable proportions of participants were not satisfied (45%) with the support nor with the appreciation (37.7%) they received during the pandemic. One in four dieticians considered quitting his/her job. While 65.8% of participants reported counseling COVID-19 patients, a third did not use any online platform for counseling. The most cited challenge to dietetic practice during the pandemic was ‘maintaining work-life balance’ (43.1%). The mean CD-RISC score was 72.0 ± 14.0. After adjustment, working in a hospital or public clinic (as opposed to private clinic), having a condition preventing face-to-face counseling, considering quitting job and feeling neutral or dissatisfied with the appreciation were associated with lower resilience scores, while counseling COVID-19 patients was associated with higher scores. Conclusions: Despite the fairly high resilience among dieticians practicing in the UAE during the COVID-19 pandemic, the findings of this study highlighted a few challenges, mainly related to safe practice environment, support for online counseling, and maintaining work-life balance. Concerted efforts of policy and decision makers ought to develop targeted programs for dieticians to ensure their retention and wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic. © 2021, The Author(s)
Complementary and alternative medicine use among patients with type 2 diabetes living in the United Arab Emirates
No full textBackground: The use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) among Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) patients is increasing to manage the complexities of their condition, enhance their health, and ease complications. The burden of T2DM in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) coupled with the high prevalence of CAM use and its associated risks among patients with T2DM necessitated the investigation of the use of CAM by this patients’ population. The aim of this study is to examine the prevalence, types, and correlates of CAM use among T2DM patients in the UAE. Methods: Patients with T2DM attending the outpatient clinics in the two governmental hospitals in Dubai and Sharjah, UAE were invited to participate in a cross-sectional survey. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with participants to complete a multi-component questionnaire. The questionnaire comprised of three main sections: demographic data, diabetes-related information, and CAM use details. Data analysis employed descriptive statistics, univariate and multivariate logistic regression to assess the prevalence and correlates of CAM use. Results: Two hundred forty-four T2DM patients completed the questionnaire (response rate: 80%). A total of 39.3% of participants were CAM users since diagnosis. After adjustment; the logistic regression results showed that CAM use was significantly associated with age, sex, education, employment, and having health insurance. The most commonly used type of CAM by participants were folk foods and herbs followed by spiritual and natural healing and vitamins and minerals supplements. The majority of CAM users were referred or encouraged to use CAM by family (42.7%), friends (25%) or social media (17.7%). Only 13.5% of participants used CAM because it was suggested by health care practitioners. Only 1 in four of CAM users disclosed CAM use to their treating physician. Conclusion: CAM use among T2DM patients in the UAE is considerably high. Health policy and decision-makers are encouraged to dedicate particular attention to facilitating proper regulation and integration of CAM within conventional medicine to protect the health and wellbeing of patients. A concerted effort by medical schools and public health authorities should be committed to educating health care providers and patients on the safe and effective use of CAM therapies. © The Author(s). 2020
