THE PHARMACOLOGICAL EFFECT OF STILBENES ISOLATED FROM KANGAROO ISLAND PROPOLIS ON SIRT-1 ENZYME ACTIVITY

Objective: Resveratrol, a trihydroxystilbene, has been claimed to be a potent activator to SIRT-1 enzyme activity, which in turn could have a useful future application in the management of many chronic conditions such as metabolic syndrome and obesity. A group of novel tetrahydroxystilbene derivatives were isolated from Kangaroo Island propolis in Australia. Due to its structural similarities with resveratrol, the aim of this research was to explore the activity of Kangaroo Island prenylated stilbenes on SIRT-1 enzyme.Methods: In vitro fluorometry measurement of SIRT-1 enzyme activity using SIRT-1 assay kit (Cayman®).Results: None of the tested compounds had shown any activation to SIRT-1 enzyme, on contrary, they produced mild inhibition to the enzyme. Compound 3 (C20H22O4, 3,5,4'-trihydroxy-3'-methoxy-2-prenyl-E-stilbene) was the most potent inhibitor.Conclusion: Compound 3, in addition to compounds 2, 4, and 6 are candidate compounds for further investigation. A discussion of the results as well as the contradictory results in the literature has been presented in this article.Â

Impact of opioid-free analgesia on pain severity and patient satisfaction after discharge from surgery: multispecialty, prospective cohort study in 25 countries

Background: Balancing opioid stewardship and the need for adequate analgesia following discharge after surgery is challenging. This study aimed to compare the outcomes for patients discharged with opioid versus opioid-free analgesia after common surgical procedures.Methods: This international, multicentre, prospective cohort study collected data from patients undergoing common acute and elective general surgical, urological, gynaecological, and orthopaedic procedures. The primary outcomes were patient-reported time in severe pain measured on a numerical analogue scale from 0 to 100% and patient-reported satisfaction with pain relief during the first week following discharge. Data were collected by in-hospital chart review and patient telephone interview 1 week after discharge.Results: The study recruited 4273 patients from 144 centres in 25 countries; 1311 patients (30.7%) were prescribed opioid analgesia at discharge. Patients reported being in severe pain for 10 (i.q.r. 1-30)% of the first week after discharge and rated satisfaction with analgesia as 90 (i.q.r. 80-100) of 100. After adjustment for confounders, opioid analgesia on discharge was independently associated with increased pain severity (risk ratio 1.52, 95% c.i. 1.31 to 1.76; P < 0.001) and re-presentation to healthcare providers owing to side-effects of medication (OR 2.38, 95% c.i. 1.36 to 4.17; P = 0.004), but not with satisfaction with analgesia (beta coefficient 0.92, 95% c.i. -1.52 to 3.36; P = 0.468) compared with opioid-free analgesia. Although opioid prescribing varied greatly between high-income and low- and middle-income countries, patient-reported outcomes did not.Conclusion: Opioid analgesia prescription on surgical discharge is associated with a higher risk of re-presentation owing to side-effects of medication and increased patient-reported pain, but not with changes in patient-reported satisfaction. Opioid-free discharge analgesia should be adopted routinely

Effect of small dose propofol or midazolam to prevent laryngospasm and coughing following oropharynge

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of small dose of propofol or midazolam in treating laryngospasm following extubation in adult patients undergoing oropharyngeal operations. Methods: The study was conducted in Al-Zahra Hospital, Al-Azhar University, Egypt. One hundred and twenty adult patients, with age range 30–50 years, ASA physical status I–II, of either sex undergoing elective oropharyngeal surgeries under general anesthesia were randomly allocated to one of three equal groups (n = 40) using a computer generated randomization table. At extubation before suction, the patients in the three groups were administered intravenously propofol 0.8 mg/kg diluted in 20 ml (Group P) or midazolam 0.05 mg/kg diluted in 20 ml (Group M) or saline 20 ml as control group (Group C). The following parameters were recorded: hemodynamic changes (heart rate and mean arterial blood pressure), the frequency and severity of laryngospasm and cough were recorded before time of extubation and up to 5 min using four point scale. Results: Compared with the control group, there was a significant decrease in the mean arterial pressure and increase in pulse rate in both groups after administration of the study drugs and up to 5 min after extubation, and this change was comparable and similar in both groups. During emergence and up to 5 min, the incidence and severity of postoperative laryngospasm and cough were significantly lower (p < 0.05) in both propofol and midazolam groups as compared to control group. The change in both propofol and midazolam groups was insignificant and comparable. Conclusion: We conclude that intravenous administration of small dose of propofol or midazolam before tracheal extubation decreases the incidence and severity of laryngospasm and coughing in adult patients undergoing oropharyngeal surgeries

Characteristics of Carbapenem-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacilli in Patients with Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia

Carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacilli (CR-GNB) has become a global threat. In hospital settings, the association of CR-GNB with ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a critical public health concern owing to their high resistance rate to most antibiotics. The present study aims to identify the frequency of carbapenem-resistance and to determine the rate of multidrug resistance (MDR), extensive drug resistance (XDR) and pan-drug resistance (PDR) among CR-GNB infections in VAP. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was carried out using the disk diffusion method and the detection of carbapenemases was screened using the imipenem-E test and the modified carbapenem-inactivation method (mCIM). The isolates were verified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of blaNDM, blaSPM, blaVIM, blaIMP and blaGIM genes. 89.5%, 14%, 17.5%, 10.5%, 3.5% of isolates exhibited the presence of blaNDM, blaVIM, blaSPM, blaIMP and blaGIM, respectively. 76%, 17% and 7% of isolates were PDR, XDR, and MDR, respectively. Carbapenem-resistance genes were identified in a significant percentage and blaNDM was the most predominant gene. All isolates were highly resistant to most antibiotics. This health concern has proven to be a big challenge in developing countries such as Egypt, as it is associated with high morbidity, high mortality, and raised healthcare costs

The prevalence of psychological morbidity in West Bank Palestinian children.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of psychological morbidity among Palestinian children living in the southern Bethlehem District of the West Bank during July 2000. METHODS: We undertook a descriptive study using the Rutter A2 (parent) Scale to determine psychological morbidity. This questionnaire comprises 31 questions that were answered by a parent of the 206 subject children (ages 6 to 13 years). We selected subjects based on a multistage, randomized selection of 8 Palestinian villages and their households in the southern region of Bethlehem, West Bank. We used the Gaza Socioeconomic Adversities Questionnaire to determine differences in economic status among families. RESULTS: For all families interviewed, the father was employed, none were receiving financial assistance, and all but 1 owned their own house. The results of the Rutter A2 Scale revealed a rate of psychological morbidity ("caseness") of 42.3% among Palestinian children. The rate for boys was 46.3% and for girls, 37.8%. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of psychological morbidity among Palestinian children in the West Bank was significantly higher (factor of 2; chi2 = 23.26, df 1, P < 0.001), relative to the level of psychological morbidity determined independently for children in Gaza during 2000. We predict that these rates will have increased substantially owing to the escalated violence that began in this region 2 months after we conducted our study. We further predict that children in Israeli settlements in the West Bank will also exhibit elevated levels of psychological morbidity, relative to their counterparts in Israel

Brief Communication The Prevalence of Psychological Morbidity in West Bank Palestinian

Objective: To determine the prevalence of psychological morbidity among Palestinian children living in the southern Bethlehem District of the West Bank during July 2000. Methods: We undertook a descriptive study using the Rutter A2 (parent) Scale to determine psychological morbidity. This questionnaire comprises 31 questions that were answered by a parent of the 206 subject children (ages 6 to 13 years). We selected subjects based on a multistage, randomized selection of 8 Palestinian villages and their households in the southern region of Bethlehem, West Bank. We used the Gaza Socioeconomic Adversities Questionnaire to determine differences in economic status among families. Results: For all families interviewed, the father was employed, none were receiving financial assistance, and all but 1 owned their own house. The results of the Rutter A2 Scale revealed a rate of psychological morbidity (“caseness”) of 42.3 % among Palestinian children. The rate for boys was 46.3 % and for girls, 37.8%. Conclusions: The prevalence of psychological morbidity among Palestinian children in the West Bank was significantly higher (factor of 2; � 2 = 23.26, df 1, P &lt; 0.001), relative to the level of psychological morbidity determined independently for children in Gaza during 2000. We predict that these rates will have increased substantially owing to the escalated violence that began in this region 2 months after we conducted our study. We further predict that children in Israeli settlements in the West Bank will also exhibit elevated levels of psychological morbidity, relative to their counterparts in Israel. (Can J Psychiatry 2004;49:60–63) Information on funding and support and author affiliations appears at the end of the article

Adsorption of heavy metal ion from aqueous solution by nickel oxide nano catalyst prepared by different methods

Environmental pollution by heavy metal is arising as the most endangering tasks to both water sources and atmosphere quality today. The treatment of heavy metals is of special concern due to their recalcitrance and persistence in the environment. To limit the spread of the heavy metals within water sources, nickel oxide nanoparticles adsorbents were synthesized and characterized with the aim of removal of one of the aggressive heavy elements, namely; lead ions. Nano nickel oxide adsorbents were prepared using NaOH and oxalic acid dissolved in ethanol as precursors. The results indicated that adsorption capacity of Pb(II) ion by NiO-org catalyst is favored than that prepared using NaOH as a precipitant. Nickel oxide nanoparticles prepared by the two methods were characterized structurally and chemically through XRD, DTA, TGA, BET and FT-IR. Affinity and efficiency sorption parameters of the solid nano NiO particles, such as; contact time, initial concentration of lead ions and the dosage of NiO nano catalyst and competitive adsorption behaviors were studied. The results showed that the first-order reaction law fit the reduction of lead ion, also showed good linear relationship with a correlation coefficient (R2) larger than 0.9

The Effect of Hydroxychloroquine Treatment on Blood Sugar Level, Serum Lipid Profile and the Retina in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) on blood sugar level, lipid profile and retina in newly diagnosed systemic lupus erythromatosus (SLE) patients. Fifty newly diagnosed SLE patients were collected from Immunology and Rheumatology outpatient clinics in Beni Suef University hospital. All patient's questionnaire included name, age, sex, smoking status, the date of the diagnosis, drugs taken during the follow up period and present history of other diseases. Only HCQ was prescribed to the patients within one year follow-up. They were with a mean (SD, range) age 30 (7.07, 25, 35) years old. Their total lipid profile which included total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL) and fasting blood sugar (FBG) and postprandial blood glucose levels (PPBG) were analyzed in MASTER LAB in Beni suef before and after 6 months from the using of HCQ as well as our patients were converted to Ophthalmology Department in Beni Suef University hospital before and at the end of six months of HCQ therapy to undergo to complete eye examinations. The mean (SD) of TC, TG, LDL, FBG and PPBG were significantly decreased after HCQ than before using it while HDL was increased at p [Med-Science 2016; 5(1.000): 57-71

Study of Hepatoprotective Effect of Silymarin and Ursodeoxycholic Acid in Chronic Hepatitis C Patients

Hepatitis C virus is a major public health problem causing significant morbidity and mortality. Until recently, the standard treatment with peginterferon and rivabirin was far from being perfect due to its cost, poor tolerability and low SVR rates. Although, the novel direct-acting antiviral agents(DAAs) telaprevir, and boceprevir has dramatically improved SVR rates; issues such as adverse reactions, frequent dosing, and drug interactions still represent a challenge. Even overcoming these challenges with the new revolutionary development of sofosbuvir, its high cost still needs to be addressed. Therefore, the popularity of alternative medicines in CHC treatment such as silymarin and UDCA has increased. The multiple hepatoprotective effects of these drugs have made them attractive for evaluation in patients with different liver diseases. The aim of this study is to compare the hepatoprotective effect of silymarin, UDCA, and a combination therapy of both in chronic hepatitis C patients. Fourty CHC patients (16 males and 44 females) were recruited from hepatology clinic at Beni-Suef University. Patients were divided randomly into four equal groups of tens A, B, C and D, who received 420 mg/day silymarin capsules, 500 mg/day UDCA capsules, combined therapy of both, and a placebo treatment, respectively. Serum liver parameters were measured at baseline and repeated 12 weeks after therapy. A statistically significant improvement in mean serum levels of ALT, AST, and bilirubin was obtained with UDCA therapy either when administered alone or combined with silymarin. However, silymarin treatment failed to significantly affect liver function tests. [Med-Science 2014; 3(4.000): 1655-74