Pediatric Chest Ultrasound for Bedside Diagnosis of Pneumonia: A Validation Study for Diagnostic Options in Developing Countries

Background: Pneumonia remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in childhood with a higher burden in developing countries. Diagnosis relies on clinical findings with supporting evidence from chest X-ray (CXR) and occasionally chest computed tomography (CT). Aim of the work: The aim of this study was to assess the role of lung ultrasonography (LUS) for bedside diagnosis of pediatric pneumonia in comparison to chest CT as a gold standard. Methods: The study was performed on 50 children admitted to Cairo University Children’s Hospitals. All children presented with the classical clinical picture of pneumonia and did CXR, LUS and chest CT. Results: Radiological findings demonstrated lung consolidation in 48 patients (96%) by CXR, 49 (98%) patients by LUS and all 50 patients (100%) by CT chest. Pleural effusion was found in 8 (16%) patients by CT chest, all of which were detected by LUS (100%), but only 5 were correctly detected by CXR (specificity 62.5%) in addition to 3 false positive cases. LUS detected pleurisy in 29 children (58%) (specificity 100%) while X-rays did not. Also 70% of children needed sedation before CT scanning as compared to none for LUS. Conclusion: Lung ultrasound is a sensitive, specific, safe and available tool that can be used by clinicians in cases of suspected pneumonia. It is more reliable than CXR, does not require sedation, and can be repeated at the patient's bedside with no risk of irradiation

ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF Spiroplasma citri USING SOME SENSITIVE METHODS

Spiroplasma citri, the causal agent of stubborn disease, was isolated from leaves and fruits of diseased citrus plants and cultured on solid and liquid C3G medium. On the basis of mode of transmission, symptomatology, shape on solid medium, staining of infected plant tissues with Dienes’ stain and phase contrast microscopy, the isolated agent was identified as Spiroplasma citri. Identifiction was ensured by ELISA and PCR techniques. A fragment (1053 bp) from the spiralin gene of S. citri was amplified by PCR using two specific primers for the spiralin gene. The nucleic acid hybridization techniques (Southern and dot blots) were used for identification of the spiroplasmal genome using non-radioactive DNA probe specific for spiralin gene region. It was carried out as an alternative sensitive method for rapid detection of the Egyption isolate of S. citri   using non-radioactive DNA probe specific for spiralin gene region

Unveiling the therapeutic potential of exogenous β-hydroxybutyrate for chronic colitis in rats: novel insights on autophagy, apoptosis, and pyroptosis

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic relapsing inflammatory disease of the colorectal area that demonstrates a dramatically increasing incidence worldwide. This study provides novel insights into the capacity of the exogenous β-hydroxybutyrate and ketogenic diet (KD) consumption to alleviate dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced UC in rats. Remarkably, both interventions attenuated disease activity and colon weight-to-length ratio, and improved macro and microstructures of the damaged colon. Importantly, both β-hydroxybutyrate and KD curbed the DSS-induced aberrant NLRP3 inflammasome activation as observed in mRNA and protein expression analysis. Additionally, inhibition of the NLRP3/NGSDMD-mediated pyroptosis was detected in response to both regimens. In parallel, these modalities attenuated caspase-1 and its associated consequences of IL-1β and IL-18 overproduction. They also mitigated apoptosis as indicated by the inactivation of caspase-3. The anti-inflammatory effects of BHB and KD were confirmed by the reported decline in the levels of inflammatory markers including MPO, NFκB, IL-6, and TNF-α. Moreover, these interventions exhibited antioxidative properties by reducing ROS production and improving antioxidative enzymes. Their effectiveness in mitigating UC was also evident in the renovation of normal intestinal epithelial barrier function, as shown by correcting the discrepancies in the levels of tight junction proteins ZO-1, OCLN, and CLDN5. Furthermore, their effects on the intestinal microbiota homeostasis were investigated. In terms of autophagy, exogenous β-hydroxybutyrate upregulated BECN-1 and downregulated p62, which may account for its superiority over KD in attenuating colonic damage. In conclusion, this study provides experimental evidence supporting the potential therapeutic use of β-hydroxybutyrate or β-hydroxybutyrate-boosting regimens in UC

New potential anti-SARS-CoV-2 and anti-cancer therapies of chitosan derivatives and its nanoparticles: Preparation and characterization

Chitosan (CS) is a biopolymer and has reactive amine/hydroxyl groups facilitated its modifications. The purpose of this study is improvement of (CS) physicochemical properties and its capabilities as antiviral and antitumor through modification with 1-(2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)thiosemicarbazide (3A) or 1-(5-fluoro-2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)thiosemicarbazide (3B) via crosslinking of poly(ethylene glycol)diglycidylether (PEGDGE) using microwave-assisted as green technique gives (CS-I) and (CS-II) derivatives. However, (CS) derivatives nanoparticles (CS-I NPs) and (CS-II NPs) are synthesized via ionic gelation technique using sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP). Structures of new (CS) derivatives are characterized using different tools. The anticancer, antiviral efficiencies and molecular docking of (CS) and its derivatives are assayed. (CS) derivatives and its nanoparticles show enhancement in cell inhibition toward (HepG-2 and MCF-7) cancer cells in comparison with (CS). (CS-II NPs) reveals the lowest IC50 values are 92.70 ± 2.64 μg/mL and 12.64 µ g/mL against (HepG-2) cell and SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) respectively and the best binding affinity toward corona virus protease receptor (PDB ID 6LU7) −5.71 kcal / mol. Furthermore, (CS-I NPs) shows the lowest cell viability% 14.31 ± 1.48 % and the best binding affinity −9.98 kcal/moL against (MCF-7) cell and receptor (PDB ID 1Z11) respectively. Results of this study demonstrated that (CS) derivatives and its nanoparticles could be potentially employed for biomedical applications

Metabolites Profiling and Bioassays Reveal <i>Bassia indica</i> Ethanol Extract Protective Effect against Stomach Ulcers Development via HMGB1/TLR-4/NF-κB Pathway

Clinical manifestation of gastric ulcers is frequent, in addition to their costly drug regimens, warranting the development of novel drugs at lower costs. Although Bassia indica is well characterized for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potential, capacity of its ethanol extract (BIEE) to prevent stomach ulcers’ progression has not been reported. A nuclear protein termed high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) plays a key role in the formation of stomach ulcers by triggering a number of inflammatory responses. The main purpose of the current investigation was to evaluate the in vivo anti-inflammatory and anti-ulcerogenic capabilities of BIEE against ethanol-induced gastric ulcers in rats via the HMGB1/TLR-4/NF-B signaling pathway. HMGB1 and Nuclear factor kappa (NF-B) expression, IL-1β and Nrf2 contents showed an increase along with ulcer development, concurrent with an increase in immunohistochemical TLR-4 level. In contrast, pre-treatment with BIEE significantly reduced HMGB1 and Nuclear factor kappa (NF-B) expression levels, IL-1β and Nrf2 contents and ulcer index value. Such protective action was further confirmed based on histological and immunohistochemical TLR-4 assays. Untargeted analysis via UPLC-ESI–Qtof-MS has allowed for the comprehensive characterization of 40 metabolites in BIEE mostly belonged to two main chemical classes, viz., flavonoids and lipids. These key metabolites, particularly flavonoids, suggesting a mediation for the anti-inflammatory and anti-ulcerogenic properties of BIEE, pose it as a promising natural drug regimen for treatment of stomach ulcers

Can Dietary Phytogenic Mixture Improve Performance for Growth, Digestive Enzyme Activity, Blood Parameters, and Antioxidant and Related Gene Expressions of Nile Tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus?

The form of dietary phytogenic inclusion and its physiological causal mechanisms for growth promotion and immune stimulation in fish remain unknown. The study examined the effects of dietary phytogenic mixture extracted from lemon (Citrus limon), onion (Allium cepa), and garlic (Allium sativum) (LOG) on Nile tilapia performance, digestive enzymes, haemato-biochemical indices, oxidative stress, and associated gene expression for 70 days. In this experiment, diets were supplemented with 0, 10, 20, and 30 ml LOG kg−1 in isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets and fed to tilapia with an average initial body weight (4.23 ± 0.09 g). Compared to the control diet, the dietary LOG at 20 ml kg−1 elicited the highest final body weight (FBW, 35.50 g fish−1), weight gain (WG, 31.2 g fish−1), specific growth rate (SGR, 3.02%, day fish−1), and survival rate (99.33%). Significant quadratic differences in chymotrypsin, trypsin, amylase, and lipase were shown with increasing LOG supplementation. There was a quadratic response in hematology parameters of fish with increasing LOG levels. Significant linear decreases in ALT, AST, cholesterol, and triglyceride were shown with the increased LOG inclusion in the diets. A polynomial correlation in total protein, albumin, and globulin was found under different inclusion levels of LOG while significant quadratic increases in SOD, CAT, and Gpx and significant quadratic decrease in MDA was found with increasing LOG supplementation. The IGM-2, SOD, and CAT gene expressions were quadratically improved; the highest relative expression was obtained by fish received 20 ml LOG kg−1 diet. Growth hormone gene expression was quadratically modulated in the liver and pituitary of fish fed diverse doses of dietary LOG compared with the control. The phytogenic of LOG at 20 ml kg−1 elicited the best tilapia performance and hematological indices, increased antioxidant and digestive enzyme activities, and gene expressions of growth, immunoglobulin and superoxide dismutase