Exact solutions of the (3+1)-generalized fractional nonlinear wave equation with gas bubbles.

In this manuscript, we implement the travelling wave solutions of the fractional (3+1) generalized computational nonlinear wave equation with gas bubbles via application of five mathematical methods. Liquids with gas bubbles primarily arise in various applications like science, engineering, and mathematical physics. The obtained solitary waves solutions have fruitful applications in engineering, science, life, nature and physics. Several novel soliton solutions of concerned model are established in the form of hyperbolic, trigonometric, exponential and rational functions. To handle all calculations and verification of obtained results, computational software Mathematica 12.1 is used. For the demonstration of the physical behaviour of concern model, some solutions are plotted graphical in 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional by imparting specific values to the parameters under constrain conditions. Finally, we intrigue both two and three dimensional to explain the physical behavior of the model.

New soliton molecules to couple of nonlinear models: ion sound and Langmuir waves systems.

In this paper, we will study two various nonlinear models: the Atangana-Baleanu fractional system of equations for the ion sound and Langmuir waves (ISALWs) and Hirota Ramani equation to obtain variety of solitary wave solutions. We will obtain bright, dark, periodic wave and solitory wave for ISALWs equation. We will also retreived bell type, kink type, singular, Jacbion elliptic function, Weierstrass-elliptic function, hyperbolic functions, periodic functions and other solitary wave solutions for Hirota Ramani equation using Sub ODE technique under some constraint conditions. At the end we will present our solutions with the help of graphs in distinct dimensions.

Multiple lump and interaction solutions for fifth-order variable coefficient nonlinear-Schrödinger dynamical equation.

Lump and their interactions with kink, periodic and rogue waves, and periodic cross lump waves will be studied for fifth-order variable coefficient nonlinear-Schrödinger equation in this paper. With the combinations of bilinear, exponent, and trigonometric functions, we'll study different lump soliton solutions. With interaction phenomenon we'll set up some new analytical solutions and also represents them in graphical ways.

Multiple lump and rogue wave for time fractional resonant nonlinear Schrödinger equation under parabolic law with weak nonlocal nonlinearity.

This article retrieve lump, lump with one kink and rogue wave soliton for the time fractional resonant nonlinear Schrödinger equation with parabolic law having weak nonlocal nonlinearity. According to theory of dynamical systems, Schrödinger equation may be converted into plane systems. We use Hirota bilinear method to obtained these solutions. At the end, we present graphical representation of our results in various dimensions.

Study of global dynamics of COVID-19 via a new mathematical model.

The theme of this paper focuses on the mathematical modeling and transmission mechanism of the new Coronavirus shortly noted as (COVID-19), endangering the lives of people and causing a great menace to the world recently. We used a new type epidemic model composed on four compartments that is susceptible, exposed, infected and recovered (SEIR), which describes the dynamics of COVID-19 under convex incidence rate. We simulate the results by using nonstandard finite difference method (NSFDS) which is a powerful numerical tool. We describe the new model on some random data and then by the available data of a particular regions of Subcontinents.

New Food Products for Sensory-Compromised Situations.

This review provides possible guidelines for the food science community to design special foods to meet the needs of consumers with sensory- compromised situations (SCS). Smell and taste losses create challenging clinical situations with few proven therapeutic options. Recent experimental results with people who have SCS suggest that offering special foods as a novel therapy may be an effective intervention for people with smell and taste dysfunctions of multiple etiologies. Therefore, a food with an aroma and taste appealing to the SCS patient would encourage eating it while creating new business opportunities for food companies. This article reviews food characteristics that can be considered when designing special foods for SCS consumers, such as colors, flavors, textures, packaging, labeling, and nutrients.

Vitamin E improves testicular damage in streptozocin-induced diabetic rats, via increasing vascular endothelial growth factor and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1.

The precise mechanism by which diabetes impairs spermatogenesis and testicular function is not exactly known. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) are important for germ cell homeostasis and repair of DNA respectively. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between diabetes-induced testicular damage and testicular VEGF and PARP-1 expression and the possible protective role of vitamin E supplementation. A total of 45 male Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into three groups: Group I (nondiabetic rats), Group II (streptozocin-induced diabetic rats) and Group III (streptozocin-induced diabetic rats treated orally with 0.4 mg/kg vitamin E). Five weeks later, testicular tissue was used for assessment of MDA concentration by colorimetry, histopathological examination and immunostaining for PARP-1 and VEGFIn diabetic rats, testicular weight, seminiferous tubule diameter and germinal epithelial thickness were decreased, basement membrane was thickened and Johnsen score decreased. Reduced VEGF and PARP-1 immunostaining were associated with decreased Johnsen score in diabetic rats. Vitamin E administration was protective against oxidative stress-associated damage evidenced by lower MDA levels, improved testicular weight, spermatogenesis and higher immunostaining for VEGF and PARP-1. Testicular VEGF and PARP-1 might therefore be helpful biomarkers for diabetic testicular damage. Administration of vitamin E may have a protective role against diabetes-induced testicular damage.

Role of P-glycoprotein inhibitors in children with drug-resistant epilepsy.

OBJECTIVE: The role of P-glycoprotein (Pgp), one of the known multidrug transporters, has been suggested in drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). The following study aimed to measure the serum level of Pgp as a possible indicator of tissue Pgp overexpression in patients with DRE and to assess the efficacy of verapamil (as a Pgp inhibitor agent) in these patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A group of 24 patients with DRE were recruited and subdivided into two groups, one receiving verapamil and the other receiving a placebo in a double-blind randomized study. Pgp serum levels were measured at enrollment and 12 months later. Twenty medically controlled epileptic patients served as a control group. RESULTS: A significant statistical increase was found in the Pgp level of patients when compared the control group. Patients on both verapamil and the placebo showed improvement in seizure frequency and severity where statistical analysis showed no significant differences. CONCLUSION: Pgp serum levels in patients with DRE were significantly elevated compared to patients with medically controlled epilepsy. The effect of verapamil as Pgp inhibitor on DRE requires further evaluation and research.

Neurocognitive dysfunction in children with ß thalassemia major: psychometric, neurophysiologic and radiologic evaluation.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of iron chelating drugs and serum ferritin on the neurocognitive functions of patients with ß thalassemia major (ß-TM), using psychometric, neurophysiologic and radiologic tests. METHODS: Eighty children with ß-TM were enrolled into the study and were compared to 40 healthy controls. All participants were evaluated by measuring serum ferritin, neurocognitive assessment by Benton Visual Retention Test, Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Wisconsin Card Sort Test, P300 and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). RESULTS: WISC in our study showed that 40% of cases were borderline mental function as regards total IQ. Neurophysiologic tests were significantly impaired in patients compared to control group, with significant impairment in those receiving desferrioxamine (DFO). P300 amplitude was significantly lower in cases compared to controls (2.24 and 4.66 uv, respectively), recording the shortest amplitude in patients receiving DFO. Altered metabolic markers in the brain were detected by MRS in the form of reduced N-acetylaspartate to creatine ratio in 78.3% of our cases. There were significant correlations between psychometric tests and both neurophysiologic (P300) and radiologic (MRS) tests. CONCLUSION: ß-TM is associated with neurocognitive impairment that can be assessed by psychometric, neurophysiologic and radiologic tests. The role of hemosiderosis and iron chelation therapy on cognitive functioning still need more research. ABBREVIATIONS: ß-TM: beta thalassemia major; DFO: Dysferal; DFP: Deferiprone; DFX: Deferasirox; WISC: Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children; VIQ: verbal IQ; PIQ: performance IQ; TIQ: total IQ; BVRT: Benton Visual Retention Test; WCST: Wisconsin Card Sort Test; MRS: Magnetic resonant spectroscopy; NAA/Cr ratio: N-acetylaspartate to creatine ratio.

Prognostic significance of MSI2 predicts unfavorable outcome in adult B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

INTRODUCTION: The Musashi-2 gene (MSI2) is implicated in leukemogenesis, and high MSI2 expression has been associated with decreased survival in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL), suggesting its use as a new prognostic marker. We aimed to validate the prognostic significance of MSI2 in ALL. METHODS: MSI2 expression was measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction in 140 adult B-ALL patients and compared to controls. RESULTS: MSI2 expression level in patients was significantly higher when compared to the control group (P = 0.001). High MSI2 expression did not correlate with the clinical characteristics of patients. However, patients with high MSI2 expression had significantly lower incidence of complete remission (CR) (P = 0.03), inferior overall survival (P = 0.018), and shorter disease-free survival (P = 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that high MSI2 expression was an independent prognostic factor for adult BCR-ABL1-negative B-ALL patients. CONCLUSION: These results confirm the association of MSI2 expression with outcome in adult B-ALL and demonstrate the utility of MSI2 as a clinical prognostic biomarker.

Insulin resistance in patients on valproic acid: relation to adiponectin.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the presence of insulin resistance in obese children with idiopathic epilepsy on valproic acid (VPA) monotherapy in comparison to obese otherwise healthy subjects. Secondary outcome was to explore the relation between adiponectin and insulin resistance among those patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty obese children with generalized idiopathic epilepsy on VPA monotherapy and a control group of 49 obese clinically healthy age and sex-matched children with simple obesity were recruited in the study. Anthropometric assessment, fasting plasma insulin (FI), fasting glucose (FG) and fasting adiponectin levels were measured. Fasting glucose insulin ratio (FGIR) and homoeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were calculated for both patients and control subjects. Measurement of serum VPA trough level was also performed in patients. RESULTS: Patients had significantly higher fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, lower FGIR and higher HOMA-IR values, compared to controls. Mean adiponectin level was significantly lower in patients compared to controls. The duration of treatment with valproic acid negatively correlated with adiponectin (r = -0.285, P = 0.045), but did not correlate with fasting glucose, insulin, FGIR or HOMA-IR. Total daily VPA dose significantly correlated with fasting insulin (r = 0.495, P < 0.001), FGIR (r = -0.525, P < 0.001) and HOMA-IR (r = 0.404, P = 0.004). CONCLUSION: This study ascertains the relationship between dose and duration of VPA therapy, insulin resistance and the adipocytokine axis. We are reporting the novel proposal that obese VPA-treated children are more insulin resistant and have lower adiponectin levels than obese and otherwise healthy children.

Pomegranate (Punica granatum) as Host of the Broomrapes Phelipanche aegyptiaca and Orobanche crenata in Israel.

Orobanche and Phelipanche, commonly known as broomrape, are dicotyledonous holoparasitic flowering plants that cause heavy economic losses in a wide variety of plant species. Egyptian broomrape (Phelipanche aegyptiaca Pomel.) parasitizes more than 30 food and ornamental crops, including tomato, sunflower, tobacco, chickpea and many others in different parts of the world. Crenate broomrape (Orobanche crenata Forsk.) parasitizes important legume crops, such as lentil, faba bean, chickpea, pea, vetches, and grass pea, as well as some apiaceous crops, such as carrot (4). This is the first report of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) as a new host for broomrape. This is also the first report of broomrape parasitism on a Lythraceae family member. Because of their high value for human health, the demand for pomegranate fruits has increased tremendously in the last few years and the extent of pomegranate growth has increased significantly in many regions throughout the world. In March 2013, heavy broomrape infection of a 10-year-old pomegranate orchard near the village Kfar Pines was reported. The infected area of about 2 ha was located in the middle of a big pomegranate orchard (variety 116). Broomrape inflorescence counts in the infected area revealed 14 and 0.6 P. aegyptiaca and O. crenata shoots per m2, respectively. Both broomrape species were uniformly distributed over all the infected area. No differences of infection rate between the pomegranate trees could be observed. The inflorescences of the two species were normal and healthy and produced germinable seeds. Digging up the inflorescences verified a direct connection between the parasites and the pomegranate roots. The parasite species were identified morphologically according to Flora Europea (2) and Flora Palaestina (3). Detailed description of the two parasites may be found in (4). Identification was confirmed using unique DNA marker based on the photosynthetic gene rbcL of O. crenata. rbcL primers were able to distinguish between the above two species according to differences in PCR products yielding 390 bp for P. aegyptiaca and 300 bp for O. crenata (1). This was the first time that broomrapes had appeared in the orchard since its establishment, on fields that had been intensively used for processing tomato. No legume cropping history in the infected areas is known. It may be hypothesized that the broomrape seeds were dormant in the soil for over 10 years (4).The extremely wet and hot weather conditions of winter 2012/13 induced their germination. A total of 730 mm of rainfall was measured for that year as compared to the annual average of 560 mm for the region. High-level infestations with P. aegyptiaca and O. crenata were also reported from two other pomegranate orchards, Givat Ada and Evron, 11 km west and 81 km north of Kfar Pines, respectively. Neither symptoms nor visible qualitative or quantitative damage could be observed on the infected vs. non-infected pomegranate trees. However, pomegranate appears to be an alternate host for P. aegyptiaca and O. crenata serving as a seed inoculum source for nearby sensitive field crops. References: (1) R. Aly et al. Joint Workshop of the EWRS Working Groups, 29 September - 3 October, Chania, Crete, Greece, 2013. (2) A. O. Chater and D. A. Webb. Orobanche. Page 285 in: Flora Europaea, Vol. 3. T. G. Tutin et al., eds. University Press, Cambridge, 1972. (3) N. Feinbrun-Dothan. Page 210 in: Flora Palaestina, Vol. 3. Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, Jerusalem, 1978. (4) D. M. Joel et al., eds. Parasitic Orobanchaceae: Parasitic Mechanisms and Control Strategies. Springer Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 2013.

Enhanced blood lymphocytes apoptosis in children with inflammatory bowel disease.

The aim of this work was to measure peripheral lymphocyte apoptosis during IBD flare and remission. Subjects and Methods. Flow-cytometric assessment of apoptosis of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) was assessed in 30 children with IBD (16 with ulcerative colitis and 14 with Crohn's disease) compared to 22, age and sex matched, healthy children. This was carried out during a flare, whether in newly diagnosed or relapsing patients, and after achievement of remission. Clinical findings, complete blood count, liver transaminases, and kidney functions were assessed. Results. Early apoptotic and late apoptotic/necrotic lymphocytes were significantly higher during IBD flare compared to controls (P ≤ 0.01 and <0.01, resp., in ulcerative colitis and P ≤ 0.01 and <0.01, resp., in Crohn's disease patients). Remission values were significantly decreased but did not come back to the control levels. Early apoptotic values were significantly related to joint involvement in IBD patients (P < 0.0001). Conclusions. We can speculate a systemic nature of IBD as evident by enhanced peripheral lymphocyte apoptosis. This is related, to a great extent, to the disease process as it is more deranged in flare than in remission. Relation of this derangement to extraintestinal manifestations needs a special attention.

First Report of the Parasitic Plant Phelipanche aegyptiaca Infecting Kenaf in Israel.

Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.; Malvaceae) is an annual fiber crop that has recently been introduced as a niche crop in Israel, and grown mainly at areas with high summer temperatures. It is advantageous in crop rotation in these areas since it can rapidly accumulate biomass under high temperatures when other crops (e.g., tomato, sunflower, corn, and sorghum) cannot be cultivated. Additionally, the fact that it can be irrigated with waste water makes it attractive under these climatic conditions. Broomrapes (Phelipanche and Orobanche spp.) are chlorophyll-lacking obligatory root-parasitic plants that parasitize the root system of many field crops and vegetables (1). Parasitism by P. aegyptiaca has economic impacts on various crops belonging to several botanical families (e.g., Solanaceae, Apiaceae, Fabaceae, and Asteraceae). This parasitic weed is common in most agricultural areas in Israel including the coastal plain, Yisre'el Valley, the Jordan Valley, and the Negev Desert. High infection levels by P. aegyptiaca have result in a severe yield losses and quality reduction in these crops. Parasitism of P. aegyptiaca on kenaf was observed in September 2012 in a field located in Bet-Shean Valley (Latitude 32° 30' N; Longitude 35° 30' E; 105 m), with an average density of 0.7 plant/m2, in a total area of 0.3 ha. This crop was planted on May 2012 in plots that were previously affected. Infection did not lead to visible symptoms or damage to kenaf, but allowed seed production by the parasite. In order to verify that kenaf was a host of P. aegyptiaca, 10 samples of kenaf plants infected with P. aegyptiaca were taken to the lab and the root systems of the plant and the parasite were carefully washed. Cross-sections of the connection between kenaf and the parasite were taken and inspected for xylem connections under a compound microscope (BX61, Olympus) equipped with high-resolution digital camera (DP-70, Olympus), under 40× magnification. A clear xylem connection between the weed's tubercles and kenaf roots was observed, confirming the development of functional Phelipanche haustoria. To our knowledge, this is the first report of kenaf as a host for P. aegyptiaca. Kenaf has been reported to induce the germination of O. cernua in India (3). Cotton, another member of the Malvaceae, has also been reported to stimulate seed germination of O. minor (4) and P. aegyptiaca (2). However, to the best of our knowledge, this finding reports the first occurrence of a Malvaceae crop as a host for P. aegyptiaca. References: (1) H. Eizenberg et al. Weed Sci. 55:152, 2007. (2) M. Ghotbi et al. Int. J. Agri. Sci. 2:62, 2012. (3) G. V. G. Krishnamurthy et al. Indian J. Weed Sci. 9:95, 1977. (4) Y. Ma et al. Agron. J. 104:569, 2012.

Prevalence of HBV and HCV infection among multi-transfused Egyptian thalassemic patients.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Though regular blood transfusion improves the overall survival of patients with ß-thalassemia, it carries a definite risk of infection with blood-borne viruses. The present study was carried out to estimate the real frequency of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) among Egyptian ß-thalassemic patients, and determine the infection-associated risk factors in these patients. DESIGN AND SETTING: A prospective study conducted in a university hospital from January 2009 to January 2010. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Two hundred patients with ß-thalassemia major were enrolled in this study. Using enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA), their sera were tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), antibody to hepatitis C core antigen (anti-HBc), and HCV antibody (HCV Ab). The positive HCV Ab results were confirmed by second-generation recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA). RESULTS: The study sample consisted of 111 males and 89 females, with a median age of 13 years. Eighty-one (40.5%) patients were HCV Ab positive by ELISA and 39 (19.5) were anti-HCV positive by RIBA; 58 (29.0%) were HBsAg positive and 13 (6.5%) were anti-HBC positive. Older age, an increased number of transfusion units, and HBsAg seropositivity were significantly associated with a higher prevalence of HCV and HBV. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of HCV and HBV infections are very high among Egyptian ß-thalassemic patients, which calls for a critical look into the prevailing transfusion practices and adoption of stricter donor selection criteria to decrease the incidence rate of both HCV and HBV infections effectively. Furthermore, there is a compressing need for the use of more specific and sensitive methods for HCV testing in Mansoura university hospitals.

Switching to black rice diets modulates low-density lipoprotein oxidation and lipid measurements in rabbits.

The effect of white and black rice consumption on lipid profile, hydroperoxides, thiobarbituric reactive substances and oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) induced by hypercholesterolemia was investigated in 24 male rabbits; a purified normal diet (NC, n = 6), a high fat/cholesterol (1.0 g/100 g) diet (PC group, n = 6), a high fat/cholesterol diet with 25 g/100 g white ground rice (PCWR group, n = 6), 25 g/100 g black ground rice (PCBR group, n = 6) for 10 weeks. Blood samples were collected for lipid measurements. Results indicate that serum high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol was higher (P < 0.05) in the PCBR compared with the PC and PCWR groups. Hydroperoxides and thiobarbituric reactive substances were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in the PCBR compared with PCWR and PC groups. Cyanidin-3-glucoside (Cy-3-Glu) and peonidin-3-glucoside have been tested in vitro against copper-mediated low-density lipoprotein. Cy-3-Glu was excelled peonidin-3-glucoside by increasing the lag time of NC from 80 to 500 minutes in the presence of 2.0 µM of Cy-3-Glu. Hierarchically, black rice rabbits group was given the best results compared with other groups. The results may be indicating to a suggested mechanism (anthocyanins protection; Cy-3-Glu) of the cardioprotective effect of black rice.

Timing of deciduous teeth emergence in Egyptian children.

The existing eruption schedules for permanent and deciduous dentition are based on studies in industrialized countries. This study determined the dates of emergence of deciduous teeth in a cross-sectional sample of 1132 Egyptian infants aged 4-36 months selected from different governorates of Egypt. The dates of emergence of individual teeth were calculated using Probit analysis. The mandibular left and right incisors were the earliest teeth to emerge at a mean of 8.0 months in boys and 7.9 months in girls. The sequence of eruption followed a typical pattern. The average time from emergence of the first tooth to the last tooth was 17.8 months in the mandible and 15.8 months in the maxilla for boys and 22.1 and 20.1 months respectively for girls. Four active phases of emergence were identified and compared with data from other countries.

Timing of deciduous teeth emergence in Egyptian children

The existing eruption schedules for permanent and deciduous dentition are based on studies in industrialized countries. This study determined the dates of emergence of deciduous teeth in a cross-sectional sample of 1132 Egyptian infants aged 4-36 months selected from different governorates of Egypt. The dates of emergence of individual teeth were calculated using Probit analysis. The mandibular left and right incisors were the earliest teeth to emerge at a mean of 8,0 months in boys and 7.9 months in girls. The sequence of eruption followed atypical pattern. The average time from emergence of the first tooth to the last tooth was 17.8 months in the mandible and 15.8 months in the maxilla for boys and 22.1 and 20.1 months respectively for girls. Four active phases of emergence were identified and compared with data from other countries

Carbon tetrachloride-induced liver disease in rats: the potential effect of supplement oils with vitamins E and C on the nutritional status.

UNLABELLED: The aim of the present investigation was to study the effects of olive oil (OO), corn oil (CO), and flaxseed oil (FO), with or without supplementation of vitamins E and C, on food intake, body weight gain %, liver weight to body weight %, total lipids, liver functions, and liver histology in male rats intoxicated with carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)). Forty-two rats were divided into two main groups. The first main group was fed on basal diet (BD) as a negative control group (NC). The second main group received subcutaneous injections of CCl(4) in paraffin oil (50% v/v 2 ml/kg) twice a week to induce chronic damage in the liver. The group was then divided into six subgroups, three of which were fed on 4% unsupplemented oils (CO, FO, and OO) as positive control for the three oils used. The rest of the groups were fed on 4% of the same oils supplemented with vitamins E and C. The results of the flaxseed oil rat group indicate that supplementing vitamin E and C led to a significant reduction in the mean values of total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and liver alanine amino transferase enzyme (ALT). Moreover, it caused an increase of the mean value of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) as compared to the negative control group (NC). The olive oil group supplemented with the same vitamins showed a significant decrease in the mean value of serum TC and significant (P<0.05) increase in the mean value of serum HDL-C as compared to NC. The results of the corn oil group supplemented with vitamins showed a significant increase in the mean value of serum HDL-C as compared to the negative control group. The histology results confirmed that the group hepatically injured with CCl(4) treatment and fed on supplemented FO or OO showed apparently normal hepatocytes. CONCLUSION: The most effective treatment was observed with oils supplemented with vitamins E and C. Hierarchically FO achieved the best results compared to other additives, followed by OO and finally CO showing the least effective treatment among the observed groups.

Effects of breathable disposable diapers: reduced prevalence of Candida and common diaper dermatitis.

Infants wearing breathable disposable diapers experienced significantly less diaper dermatitis (DD) compared to infants wearing standard, nonbreathable disposable diapers in a series of double-blind clinical trials. Severe DD, including confirmed infection with Candida albicans, was reduced by 38-50% among infants wearing highly breathable (HB) diapers. The prevalence of DD was inversely related to the breathability of the garments. The inhibitory effect of breathable diapers on the survival of Candida was further confirmed in controlled experiments with adult volunteers. A suspension of C. albicans cells was applied to delineated sites on the volar forearm. Each site was then covered by a full-thickness patch from either an HB or a standard diaper. Survival of Candida colonies was reduced by almost two-thirds in the breathable diaper-covered sites compared to the control sites.