BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Close monitoring of disease activity in IBD patients is essential to avoid long term complications. Although endoscopic assessment is the ideal monitoring tool, the usage of noninvasive biomarkers is more practical and patient friendly. We aimed to study the performance of Interleukin-6(IL-6) and Serum Amyloid A(SAA) as serum biomarkers in assessment of the disease activity of IBD patients in correlation to C-reactive protein (CRP), Fecal Calprotectin (FC) and endoscopic indices.

METHODS: 83 IBD (26 CD and 57 UC) patients on stable treatment regimen were recruited. Serum markers included CRP, CBC, IL-6, SAA were analyzed, together with FC. These markers were compared with the endoscopic and clinical disease parameters. Harvey-Bradshaw Index (HBI) and the Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index (SCCAI) were used to assess clinical activity in CD and UC patients, respectively. Endoscopic activity was recorded using the Simple Endoscopic Score (SES) for Crohn's disease or the Mayo Endoscopic Score (MES) for ulcerative colitis.

RESULTS: In prediction of disease activity, IL-6, SAA and CRP demonstrated good area under receiver operating characteristics (AUC) (>0.7), with FC being the best (0.94) for endoscopically active disease (P < 0.01). Combining FC and IL-6 or SAA improved its discriminative accuracy with an AUC (∼0.96).

CONCLUSIONS: FC most accurately predicts endoscopic disease activity in IBD patients, in comparison to other studied serological biomarkers. The serum IL-6 and SAA are potential predictors of endoscopic disease activity, and they might be valuable for assessment of disease activity. Finally, a composite score of FC and SAA or IL-6 can increased its diagnostic accuracy.

BACKGROUND: Lichen planus (LP) is a chronic inflammatory disease with uncertain etiology. Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is an interferon gamma (INFγ) inducing agent. It is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that was found to play a role in the pathogenesis of some autoimmune disorders.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study included 50 patients with classic cutaneous lichen planus (CLP) and 50 healthy volunteers serving as controls. Venous blood samples were withdrawn from the study subjects under complete aseptic precautions. Blood samples were examined for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of IL-18 gene at promoter -137(G/C) and -656 (G/T) using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and IL-18 level was assessed using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTS: The mean level of IL-18 was significantly higher in CLP patients (31.63 ± 4.90) compared to control subjects (13.95 ± 6.82). Significantly high levels of IL-18 were found among patients with diabetes, hypertension (p < 0.01 in both). HCV positive patients and patients with both OLP and CLP also expressed higher levels of IL-18. Genotypic and allelic distribution at position -137(G/C) showed that the genotype GG was present at significantly higher frequency in cases (58%) compared to controls (28.0%). On the other hand the CC genotype at position -137 was significantly higher in the controls (28%) as compared to CLP cases (6%). Polymorphism of IL-18 at position -656(G/T) showed no significant difference between cases and controls. No significant difference could be detected in IL-18 level between different genotypic variants at position -137(G/C) and -656(G/T).

CONCLUSION: IL-18 may play important role in pathogenesis of LP. Elevated IL-18 levels could be part of the pro-inflammatory autoimmune process in LP. The presence of OLP, HCV, diabetes and hypertension is associated with higher production of IL-18. IL-18 promotor region -137(G/C) polymorphism might be a factor that increase the risk of development of lichen planus in Egyptian patients.

L. (black and white peppercorn) is one of the most common culinary spices used worldwide. The current study aims to dissect pepper metabolome using H-NMR targeting of its major primary and secondary metabolites. Eighteen metabolites were identified with piperine detected in black and white pepper at 20.2 and 23.9 μg mg, respectively. Aroma profiling using HS-SPME coupled to GC-MS analysis and in the context of autoclave treatment led to the detection of a total of 52 volatiles with an abundance of β-caryophyllene at 82% and 59% in black and white pepper, respectively. Autoclaving of black and white pepper revealed improvement of pepper aroma as manifested by an increase in oxygenated compounds' level. remote antimicrobial activity against food-borne Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria revealed the highest activity against (VP-MIC 16.4 and 12.9 mg mL) and a direct effect against at 11.6 mg mL for both white and black pepper.

Aim: The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effect of finishing and polishing and an in-office bleaching gel on the surface roughness of single-shade (Omnichroma) and group-shade (Estelite Alpha) resin composites.Methodology: A total of ten composite disc-shaped specimens; five specimens for each material were prepared using Teflon mold (1-mm thick and 8-mm diameter). The resin composites were cured against mylar strips to produce flat smooth surface of the tested specimens. Then each disk was finished and polished using multi-step finishing and polishing system (Astropol, Ivoclar Vivadent). Each specimen was bleached using an in-office bleaching system two times in a row using 38% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The average surface roughness (Ra, in μm) of the specimens was measured using non-contact optical profilometry at baseline, after finishing and polishing, and after bleaching procedure. Intergroup comparison was performed using independent t-test, while intragroup comparison was performed using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey post-hoc.Results: Comparison between both materials has revealed statistically significant difference at baseline (P = 0.0086), with Estelite Alpha showing higher surface roughness. However, after polishing and bleaching there was no statistically significant difference between both materials (P = 0.5796 and P = 0.3010) respectively. Conclusion: The surface roughness of resin composites is material dependent. Omnichroma demonstrated lower initial Ra value than Estelite Alpha. However, Omnichroma showed significant increase in surface roughness following finishing and polishing, unlike Estelite Alpha. Bleaching with 38% H2O2 showed no effect on the surface roughness of both materials.

Aim: The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effect of finishing and polishing and an in-office bleaching gel on the surface roughness of single-shade (Omnichroma) and group-shade (Estelite Alpha) resin composites.Methodology: A total of ten composite disc-shaped specimens; five specimens for each material were prepared using Teflon mold (1-mm thick and 8-mm diameter). The resin composites were cured against mylar strips to produce flat smooth surface of the tested specimens. Then each disk was finished and polished using multi-step finishing and polishing system (Astropol, Ivoclar Vivadent). Each specimen was bleached using an in-office bleaching system two times in a row using 38% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The average surface roughness (Ra, in μm) of the specimens was measured using non-contact optical profilometry at baseline, after finishing and polishing, and after bleaching procedure. Intergroup comparison was performed using independent t-test, while intragroup comparison was performed using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey post-hoc.Results: Comparison between both materials has revealed statistically significant difference at baseline (P = 0.0086), with Estelite Alpha showing higher surface roughness. However, after polishing and bleaching there was no statistically significant difference between both materials (P = 0.5796 and P = 0.3010) respectively. Conclusion: The surface roughness of resin composites is material dependent. Omnichroma demonstrated lower initial Ra value than Estelite Alpha. However, Omnichroma showed significant increase in surface roughness following finishing and polishing, unlike Estelite Alpha. Bleaching with 38% H2O2 showed no effect on the surface roughness of both materials.