Medical Sector

Drug Test Anal, 3: 228-233 (2011) IF: 1.667

Predicting significant fibrosis or cirrhosis in patients with hepatitis C virus has persistently preoccupied the research agenda of many specialized research centers. Many studies have been conducted to evaluate the use of readily available laboratory tests to predict significant fibrosis or cirrhosis with the purpose to substantially reduce the number of biopsies performed. Although many of them reported significant predictive values of several serum markers for the diagnosis of cirrhosis, none of these diagnostic techniques was successful in accurately predicting early stages of liver fibrosis. Therefore, in this study a single stage classification model and a multistage stepwise classification model based on Neural Network, Decision Tree, Logistic Regression, and Nearest Neighborhood clustering, have been developed to predict individual's liver fibrosis degree. Results showed that the area under the receiver operator curve (AUROC) values of the multistage model ranged from 0.874 to 0.974 which is a higher range than what is reported in current researches with similar conditions.

The aim of this study was to assess smoking behavior of medical workers in the National Cancer Institute (NCI), their knowledge and attitude towards smoking. This is a cross-sectional survey with anonymous selfadministered questionnaires for physicians and nurses. It included three sections; 1) demographic data, 2) questions about knowledge of smoking hazards, religious and lawful aspects and 3) questions regarding smoking status and attitude towards quitting and prohibiting smoking in work and public places. Participants were 246; 185 responded (75.2%). Smokers constituted 25.4% of the sample. Responding current smokers were 37. The majority of smokers reported previous trials to quit, mainly due to health concern (73.3%). All workers know that smoking is harmful to health, the majority were positive about the hazard of passive smoking as well. Ever-smokers showed a negative attitude towards total prevention of smoking at workplace; however, current smokers react positively to smoking restriction in work and public places, about 2/3 stop immediately when confronted by a stop smoking sign. Twentyseven workers (73%) reported less smoking in response to restriction. A large percent (73%) smoke in presence of nonsmokers, however nearly 92% respond to a colleague's demand to stop smoking. It is concluded that smoking remains a common habit among medical works in the NCI in spite of having a good knowledge about its hazards and direct contact with smoking victims. We should search for the suitable approach for this category of smokers to motivate them to quit other than talking about health hazards.

Platinum nanoparticles (Pt-NPs) are known to possess anti-tumouric activity and the ability to scavenge superoxides and peroxides indicating that they can act as superoxide dismutase (SOD)/catalase mimetics. These potentials seem useful in the protection and/or amelioration of oxidative stress-associated pathologies, but, when they are combined with a therapeutic modality that depends upon the mediation of reactive oxygen species in cell killing induction, the effect of Pt-NPs might be questionable. Here, the effects of polyacrylic acid-capped Pt-NPs (nano-Pts) on hyperthermia (HT)-induced apoptosis and the underlying molecular mechanisms were investigated in human myelomonocytic lymphoma U937 and human cutaneous T-cell lymphoma HH cells. The results showed that the pre-treatment with nano-Pts significantly inhibited HT-induced apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. Superoxide, but not peroxides, was suppressed to varying extents. All pathways involved in apoptosis execution were also negatively affected. The results reveal that the combination of nano-Pts and HT could result in HT-desensitization.

Solvent-free microwave extraction (SFME) has been applied to the extraction of essential oils from Cyperus esculentus and Cyperus articulatus tubers. The composition of the essential oils were identified by GC/MS. The essential oil obtained with SFME contained substantially higher amounts of oxygenated compounds and lower amounts of monoterpenes. Essential oils which were obtained from C.articulatus and C.esculentus were characterized by much larger amounts of sesquiterpenes (67.4% and 64.6%, repectively) than monoterpenes (0.81% and 20.68%, respectively). C.articulatus essential oil was also characterized by higher content of nonterpenoid compounds than C.esculentus (25.53% and 12.09%) for tubers, respectively. Culture of monolayer of rat hepatocytes was applied as an in vitro method for investigation of the hepatoprotective and hepatotoxic effects of essential oils. C.esculentus and C.articulatus tubers essential oils showed no hepatotoxic effect till a concentration of 1000 ?g/mL. The hepatoprotective effects of C.esculentus and C.articulatus tubers essential oils, against the toxic effect of 25 mM paracetamol are 18.5 and 40 ?g/mL, respectively.

b-Thalassemia major is an inherited blood disorder, which mainly affects the Mediterranean region. Osteoporosis represents an important cause of morbidity in b thalassemia major and its pathogenesis has not been completely clarified. Genetic factors play an important role in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis and several candidate gene polymorphisms have been implicated in the regulation of this process. A G?T polymorphism in the regulatory region of the collagen type I alpha 1 (COLIAI) gene at a recognition site for transcription factor Sp1 has been strongly associated with osteoporosis. The aim of the present study was to examine the distribution of COLIAI polymorphism and its relationship with bone mineral density (BMD) at the lumbar spine and femur in patients and controls. In this study, the G?T polymorphism was detected in 31 Egyptian b-thalassemia major patients and 20 healthy controls and its possible association with BMD was investigated. Alleles S and s were detected by the presence of a G or T nucleotide, respectively, in a regulatory site of the COLIAI gene using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A total of 80.6% of the b-thalassemia patients were homozygous for G/G (SS) and 19.4% were heterozygotes for G/T (Ss) polymorphism. There was no ss genotype in our patients. In the control group, 70 and 30% had SS and Ss genotypes, respectively. There was no significant difference between Z-score of patients with SS and Ss at head of femur (P=1) or at lumbar spine (P=0.48). Conclusion Our results raise the possibility that genotyping at the Sp1 site could be of clinical value in identifying the thalassemic patients at risk of developing osteoporosis.

Introduction: Data concerning the spectrum of acute kidney injury (AKI) in Egypt are scarce. The study aims to describe the spectrum of AKI in a tertiary hospital in Cairo. Methods: We retrospectively collected the data of all cases of AKI who were treated at Dar El Shefa Hospital, Cairo, Egypt, from January 2006 to January 2007.

Abdominal venous thrombosis may present as splanchnic venous thrombosis (SVT) (occlusion of portal, splenic, superior or inferior mesenteric veins) or Budd (BCS) (thrombosis of inferior vena cava and/or hepatic veins). The aim of this review is to report the scanty data available for SVT in the South Mediterranean area. In one Egyptian study, the possible circumstantial risk factors for portal vein 19% neonatal sepsis, 8.7% umbilical catheterization, 6% severe gastroenteritis and dehydration.

Objective: Evaluation of the effect of stem cells supernatant fluid on development of poor quality embryos. Study Design: Pilot randomized study Patients and Methods: This study has been done at tertiary referral center in which supernumerary embryos obtained from women undergoing IVF cycle were randomly divided into two groups: Group I: 20 microns of Stem cell supernatant fluid was applied over each embryo then dishes are incubated at 37? C and 5% CO2 for another3 days.

Background: Cell-mediated immune (CMI) responses to hepatitis C virus (HCV) antigens in adults without seroconversion or viremia are biomarkers for prior transient infection. We investigated HCV-specific CMI responses in seronegative children living with HCV-infected siblings.

Lentinus edodes a Chinese edible and medicinal mushroom was grown using submerged culture on different standard liquid media and different food wastes by products. Shiitake broth medium was the medium that showed the maximum biomass for both tested strains. The biomass obtained from cultivation on all tested media was extracted with ethanol to obtain crude extract that tested for its biological activity. Also, SM broth medium showed the highest crude extract yield for the two strains. Some physiological factors were studied to optimize the conditions for cultivation on SM broth medium for maximum biomass and crude extract yield. Although recent studies have demonstrated that L. edodes separate compounds can inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells In vitro and in vivo, crude extract of L. edodes mycelia was tested in this study In vitro and in vivo. The Invitro cytotoxic activity of the crude extracts of mycelia of the two strains were examined on human breast cancer (MCF7) cell line using trypan blue exclusion assay and MTT cytotoxicity assay. The results showed that the crude extract of Lentinus edodes LC2141 inhibited the proliferation of MCF7 at high concentration with IC50 178.8?g/ml while Lentinus edodes LC202 extract inhibited the proliferation of MCF7 at high concentration with IC50 94.025?g/ml. Also, The treatment of Hep-G2 cells with different concentrations of ethanolic extract of both Lentinus edodes LC2141 and Lentinus edodes LC202 dramatically inhibited the cell growth in a dose-dependent manner, with high IC50 values of 953.1?g/ml and 1868.3?g/ml, respectively. Immunomodulating activity of the tested extracts was determined on normal and breast cancer patient lymphocyte using MTT and trypan blue exclusion assays. The treatment of lymphocyte with different concentrations of the crude extract showed an increase in lymphocyte proliferation by increasing concentration (dose dependant).

Objective: To evaluate the use of the PRISM score as a predictor of outcome in patients with end stage liver disease (ESLD) and fulminant hepatic failure (FHF).

Chronic renal failure (CRF) is a common disease with high morbidity and mortality. The inadequacy of current treatment modalities and insufficiency of donor organs for cadaveric transplantation have driven a search for improved methods of dealing with renal failure. This raises the concept of cell-based therapy using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). The purpose of this work is to evaluate the effect of MSCs in rats with CRF and to detect the level of Bcl-2 & basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) as possible antiapoptotic and antiflammatory paracrine mediators of MSCs action. This study was carried on female albino rats, which were divided into 3 groups, Control group, CRF group and CRF/MSCs group. MSCs were derived from bone marrow of male albino rats and were characterized morphologically and by RT-PCR for CD29. Serum urea, creatinine, Na, K, systolic blood pressure and 24 hour urinary albumin were estimated for all groups, Y-chromosome gene (Sry) was detected by PCR in renal tissue. Also Bcl-2 & bFGF were examined by RT-PCR in renal tissue of all studied groups and the kidney was examined pathologically. The results of this work showed that CRF rats receiving MSCs showed significantly lowered serum urea, creatinine and urinary albumin levels compared to the CRF group. Also improvement of serum Na and K was observed in CRF/MSCs group compared to CRF group. As regard Bcl-2 & bFGF they were highly expressed in renal tissue of CRF/MSCs group compared to the CRF group. The (Sry) gene was detected by PCR in the renal tissue of CRF/MSCs group. These results demonstrate a potiential of MSCs to ameliorate the kidney function in rats with CRF possibly through the antiapoptotic and antiflammatory paracrine mediators of MSCs.

Objective: Renal vasculitis is usually associated with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCAs). However, non-ANCA patients constitute a rarely studied variant of renal vasculitis. The aim of the present study was to demonstrate the features of renal involvement in patients with primary systemic non-ANCA associated vasculitis (NAAV) and compare essential cryoglobulinemic vasculitis (ECV) with classic polyarteritis nodosa (PAN).