Needlestick injuries among health care workers of University of Alexandria Hospitals

The aims of this cross-sectional study were to investigate the prevalence and circumstances of needlestick injury (NSI) among heath care workers at University of Alexandria teaching hospitals and to assess the effectiveness of the existing control measures and standard precautions. Data were obtained by anonymous, self-reporting questionnaire from 645 nurses, physicians and ancillary staff in 2007. Around two-thirds of workers (67.9%) had suffered at least 1 NSI in the last 12 months. High-risk patients (with history of HIV, hepatitis B virus or, hepatitis C virus infection or injecting drug use) were involved in 8.2% of injuries. On evaluating the effectiveness of existing control measures, significant protective factors against NSI were: using devices with safety features (OR 0.41), adherence to infection control guidelines (OR 0.42), training in injection safety (OR 0.14), comfortable room temperature (OR 0.32) and availability of a written protocol for prompt reporting (OR 0.37).

Gender differences in factors associated with patients' decisions to seek treatment for urinary incontinence in Alexandria, Egypt

The objective of this descriptive, hospital-based comparative cross-sectional survey was to determine gender differences in factors associated with patients' decisions to seek treatment for urinary incontinence (Ul). Using an interview questionnaire, data were collected from 353 patients attending clinics at hospitals in Alexandria, Egypt. There were differences between males and females regarding specific psychosocial factors motivating health care seeking behaviour. Women had fewer hospital admissions and hospital days and less use of diagnostic procedures and surgery. More women suffered from at least one negative impact on their social lives compared to men. The impact of symptoms on quality of life appeared to be the main trigger for seeking help for UI in both men and women.

[Mesenchymal stem cells. Potential use in cell and gene therapy of bone loss caused by aging and osteoporosis]

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) originate from bone marrow and give rise to various cell types, including osteoblasts, chondrocytes, adipocytes, and myocytes. Lineage-specific differentiation is dependent on activation of specific transcription factors. MSCs play an important role in bone modelling and remodelling where they give rise to the osteoblasts necessary for bone formation. Human studies have shown that the number and differentiation potential of MSC are unchanged with age and osteoporosis. In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the clinical use of MSCs. These have been used to augment healing of bone fractures. Some animal studies have shown that MSCs infused intravenously target bone and possibly participate in bone formation. These studies represent the beginning of a new era, where transplantation with autologous MSCs or genetically-modified MSCs expanded in vitro is a potential treatment strategy to augment bone formation in patients with diverse metabolic and genetic bone diseases, including osteoporosis.

[Biological action mechanisms and effects of calcitriol]

Vitamin D is an important regulator of calcium homeostasis in the body and it plays an essential role in bone metabolism. 1,25(OH)2D (calcitriol), the active metabolite of vitamin D stimulates intestinal calcium and phosphate absorption, thereby maintaining sufficient concentrations of these ions in the extracellular fluids, necessary for normal mineralization of bone matrix. Furthermore, calcitriol exerts a number of important functions in regulating bone metabolism. Similar to other classical steroid hormones, calcitriol regulates the transcription of a large number of target genes. A large number of recent studies of the mechanisms of genomic actions of calcitriol have been published. The aim of this review is to give a summary of these recent findings. The interaction between calcitriol and the vitamin D receptor as well as receptor structure and function in relation to transcriptional regulation are discussed.