Suchergebnisse

ABSTRACT
In the last three decades, Egypt's rural population has experienced different types of struggle over land as a result of neoliberal land reforms, which have favoured landowners and marginalised tenants' interests. While the literature highlighted the negative effects on the tenants, little attention was given to what landlords did with the land after the reforms. Drawing on fieldwork conducted between 2011 and 2013 in five Egyptian villages, the article addresses this lacuna by investigating tenants' understanding of land-use change. Using a revised conceptualisation of Marx's metabolic rift, the article shows that evicted tenants understand this shift as part of a domestic land grab that disrupted the ecological system. The article therefore conceptualises land dispossession and domestic land grabs as mutually reinforcing processes and draws particular attention to the sensorial dimensions associated with domestic land grab, in addition to the political and economic dimensions.

Abstract

Hexavalent chromium salt, like potassium dichromate (PD), is chromium's most precarious valence state in industrial wastes. Recently, there has been increasing interest in β-sitosterol (BSS), a bioactive phytosterol, as a dietary supplement. BSS is recommended in treating cardiovascular disorders due to its antioxidant effect. Trimetazidine (TMZ) was used traditionally for cardioprotection. Through the administration of BSS and TMZ, the cardiotoxic effects of PD were to be countered in this study, in addition to examining the precise mechanism of PD-induced cardiotoxicity. Thirty male albino rats were divided into five groups; the control group: administered normal saline daily (3 mL/kg); the PD group: administered normal saline daily (3 mL/kg); BSS group: administered BSS daily (20 mg/kg); TMZ group: administered TMZ daily (15 mg/kg); and the BSS + TMZ group: administered both BSS (20 mg/kg) and TMZ (15 mg/kg) daily. All experimental groups, except the control, received on the 19th day a single dose of PD (30 mg/kg/day, S.C.). Normal saline, BSS, and TMZ were received daily for 21 consecutive days p.o. The exposure to PD promoted different oxidative stresses, pro-inflammatory, and cardiotoxicity biomarkers. BSS or TMZ succeeded solely in reducing these deleterious effects; however, their combination notably returned measured biomarkers close to normal values. The histopathological investigations have supported the biochemical findings. The combination of BSS and TMZ protects against PD cardiotoxicity in rats by reducing oxidative stress and apoptotic and inflammatory biomarkers. It may be promising for alleviating and protecting against PD-induced cardiotoxicity in people at an early stage; however, these findings need further clinical studies to be confirmed.

Highlights
• Potassium dichromate induces cardiotoxicity in rats through the upregulation of oxidative stress, proinflammatory, and apoptotic pathways biomarkers.
• β-Sitosterol possesses a possible cardioprotective effect by modulating several signaling pathways.
• Trimetazidine, the antianginal agent, has a potential cardioprotective impact on PD-intoxicated rat model.
• The combination of β-Sitosterol and trimetazidine was the best in modulating different pathways involved in PD cardiotoxicity in rats via the interplay between NF-κB/AMPK/mTOR/TLR4 and HO-1/NADPH signaling pathways.

Graphical Abstract

ABSTRACTThe aim of this study was to use parental perception to assess the Oral Health Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) of children with Autism. A total of 59 families of children with Autism who had an unaffected sibling were cross‐matched for age and gender of the affected child with families with no autistic children. The parents were administered the Parental Perception Questionnaire (P‐CPQ) and the Family impact scale (FIS) components of and Arabic version of the Child Oral Health Related Quality of Life questionnaire (COHRQL). The P‐CPQ scores of Children with Autism were compared with those of their unaffected siblings and those of children from families with no autistic child, while the FIS scores were compared between families with and without an autistic child. Regression models were constructed to show the association of sociodemographic factors on the OHRQoL of autistic children. The results of this study seem to suggest that childhood autism results in a reduced OHRQoL for both the affected child as well as the family. The apparent reduced parental concern with unaffected siblings of autistic children, when compared to parental concern towards children in families with no autistic child is an area that could merit further research.