A prerequisite for sustainable saline agriculture of cash crop halophytes in salt affected areas implies exact knowledge of their limits of salinity resistance. Hence, the first part of this study was carried out in pot experiment under greenhouse conditions to evaluate growth and seed yield of C. quinoa Willd. cv. Hualhuas to varying water salinity levels (0, 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 mM NaCl). The limit of salinity resistance was estimated at 200 mM NaCl (~20 dSm -1 ) based on seed yield production. Depending on the results obtained from pot experiment, field trials were conducted in saline soil location (ECe 17.9 dSm -1 ) and in non-saline soil location (ECe 1.9 dSm -1 ). Seed yield significantly decreased under saline soil by about 61.7% . Beside quantity, soil salinity led to reduce the percentage of moisture, total carbohydrate and total fat contents in seeds. Salinity did not significantly alter the protein content in quinoa seeds. Significant increases in the content of ash and fiber were detected in response to high soil salinity. The high er ash content in seeds under saline conditions was due to the increase of Na + as well as K + , P 3-and Fe ++ concentrations. By contrast, soil salinity led to significant decrease of Ca ++ and Zn ++ contents in seed. Energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis showed that most of Na + in the seeds produced at saline soil was mainly accumulated in the pericarp followed by embryo tissues, while, the interior reserving tissue (perisperm) exhibiting comparatively low concentration. Increasing most of essential minerals, especially Fe, in quino a seeds produced under high saline conditions given quinoa a distinctive value for human consumption. Quinoa can be grown and yielded successfully in salt-affected soils (ECe 17.9 dSm -1 ), where, most if not all of traditional crops cannot grow, although the yield was reduced however, the seed quality was not highly affected.

BackgroundIn order to scale up mental health care nationally, barriers to health services utilisation need to be identified and addressed.Aim: The aim of this study was to identify barriers to mental health services utilization in Sudan from the perspectives of carer’s of mentally ill patients and psychiatrists and to make recommendations to address the identified barriers.MethodsMixed research methods were used in this cross sectional survey. The quantitative part was conducted with carers of mentally ill patients who were staying in Tijani Elmahi psychiatric hospital in Sudan, and the qualitative part was conducted with the psychiatric consultants in the country.Results103 carers and six psychiatric consultants participated in the study. According to carers, the main barriers to utilisation of mental health services includes: the beliefs around mental illness, resorting to alternative treatments such as religious and traditional healers, centralization of mental health services, inadequate number of mental health staff, and mental health not being a priority by policy makers. In addition to these barriers, the psychiatric consultants identified stigma, cost of medications, and worries about medication’s side effects as barriers to the utilisation of mental health services. The carers and psychiatrists proposed several solutions to address the barriers to health services utilisation.ConclusionCarers and psychiatrists are aware of the barriers to mental health services utilisation in Sudan. Addressing these barriers require a health policy and political response.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12913-016-1280-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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A mixture of yeast-probiotic coctile was successful in reducing the level of AF in rat sera and diminished the deleterious effect of AFs on animal health. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

This study aimed to evaluate seed yield, morphological variability and nutritional quality for two cultivars of Chenopodium quinoa under high saline soil conditions (ECe 22 dSm-1) in Egyptian Northeastern coast. Responses to salinity were greatly differed between the two cultivars. The Peruvian cultivar CICA produced seed yield significantly higher than Bolivian cultivar Real. CICA cultivar also showed significant high performances for most of morphological traits. Among the 10 morphological traits, leaves dry weight, shoot fresh weight and leaves fresh weight showed significant positive association with seed yield. No significant difference has been found between both cultivars for most seed quality traits except for the concentration of crude protein and crude fiber in seeds were significantly higher in CICA cultivar. Although CICA cultivar exhibited significantly higher sodium concentration in the leaves than that found in the leaves of Real cultivar, but it was much more efficient in restricting sodium uploading into seed. These results revealed that the Peruvian cultivar CICA seems to be adaptable and more suited to dry-saline soil in Northeastern coastal region of Egypt, as it gave considerable high seed yield with better quality in terms of high protein and fiber percentage and low Na concentration in seeds.

Egyptian honeys are distinguished by their variety, properties, and therapeutic applications. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the quality and the functional and safety characteristics of Egyptian honey as a sensitive environmental bioindicator collected from 9 different locations in Egypt that were exposed to various air pollution sources, either stationary, mobile, or area sources, and stored for 6 mo at ambient temperature (22 ± 2°C) compared with Codex Alimentarius international standards. Physicochemical properties, sugar profile via high performance liquid chromatography, functional potentials (antioxidant and antimicrobial), and safety parameters (microbiological quality, aflatoxins, and heavy metal pollutants) were assessed. The results revealed that honey obtained from Shabshir Hessa, El Gharbia Governorate (GSH-1), showed the best quality with the highest monosaccharide and phenolic and flavonoid content (73.07%, 363.07, and 15.33 mg/g, respectively) and clear of biotic and abiotic contaminants, reflecting good hygienic, environmental conditions and apiarian practices. The other 8 honey samples reflected inferior quality in physicochemical parameters either of low monosaccharide content (40.46-50.25%), high hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) values as in Borg El-Arab Industrial Zone, Alexandria Governorate (BAI-9), and Nubaria Desert Road, Alexandria Governorate (NDR-4; 50.83 and 48.25 mg/kg), or of high acidity as in Agricultural Road, El Gharbia Governorate (GAR-3), and NDR-4 (74.72 and 68.47 mEq/kg) attributable to contaminated locations (fermentations) or thermal treatment (HMF). Furthermore, safety assessment revealed that coliform counts exceeded 2.5 log 10 cfu/g in 6 samples-Chemicals Company, Kafr El Zayyat Governorate (KZC-2); GAR-3; NDR-4; Mansoura Fertilizer Talkha Company, Daqahlia Governorate (MFT-5); Gharbaniyat Cement Company, Beheira Governorate; and BAI-9-and the highest counts of yeast and molds in Abees Ceramic Company, Alexandria Governorate (3.72 log 10 cfu/g), which was reflected in its total aflatoxins (679.83 μg/kg). Samples MFT-5; GAR-3; Kafr El-Sheikh Petroleum Company, Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate; and KZC-2 exceeded the lead permissible limit (0.75, 0.61, 0.57, and 0.51 mg/kg, respectively) as a result of inferior hygienic quality and the negative effects of environmental pollutants. The results ring alarm bells about how we should take substantial steps toward stringent standards for quality control practices of honey production operations.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) accounts for around 30% of all trauma-related deaths. Over the past 40 years, TBI has remained a major cause of mortality after trauma. The primary injury caused by the injurious mechanical force leads to irreversible damage to brain tissue. The potentially preventable secondary injury can be accentuated by addressing systemic insults. Early recognition and prompt intervention are integral to achieve better outcomes. Consequently, surgeons still need to be aware of the basic yet integral emergency management strategies for severe TBI (sTBI). In this narrative review, we outlined some of the controversies in the early care of sTBI that have not been settled by the publication of the Brain Trauma Foundation’s 4th edition guidelines in 2017. The topics covered included the following: mode of prehospital transport, maintaining airway patency while securing the cervical spine, achieving adequate ventilation, and optimizing circulatory physiology. We discuss fluid resuscitation and blood product transfusion as components of improving circulatory mechanics and oxygen delivery to injured brain tissue. An outline of evidence-based antiplatelet and anticoagulant reversal strategies is discussed in the review. In addition, the current evidence as well as the evidence gaps for using tranexamic acid in sTBI are briefly reviewed. A brief note on the controversial emergency surgical interventions for sTBI is included. Clinicians should be aware of the latest evidence for sTBI. Periods between different editions of guidelines can have an abundance of new literature that can influence patient care. The recent advances included in this review should be considered both for formulating future guidelines for the management of sTBI and for designing future clinical studies in domains with clinical equipoise.

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