Serum interferon-alpha level in first degree relatives of systemic lupus erythematosus patients: Correlation with autoantibodies titers

AbstractBackground and objectivesInterferon-α (IFN-α), a cytokine with both antiviral and immune-regulatory functions, was suggested as a useful tool which can evaluate current systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) disease activity and identify patients who are at risk of future disease flares. In the current study, serum IFN-α levels and associated demographic, and serological features in Egyptian SLE patients and their first degree relatives (FDRs) in comparison to unrelated healthy controls (UHCs) were examined, in order to identify individuals at the greatest risk for clinical illness.MethodsIn a cross-sectional study, blood samples were drawn from 54 SLE patients, 93 of their FDRs who consented to enroll into the study and 76 UHCs. Measurement of serum IFN-α by a modified ELISA was carried out. Data were analyzed for associations of serum IFN-α levels with autoantibodies titer.ResultsMean serum IFN-α in FDRs was statistically higher than the UHCs and lower than in SLE patients (P<0.0001) and it was correlated with ANA titer (r=0.6, P<0.0001) and anti ds DNA titer (r=0.62, P<0.0001).ConclusionIFN-α is a crucial player in the complicated autoimmune changes that occur in SLE and serum IFN-α can be a useful marker identifying persons who are at risk of future disease development

In vitro cytotoxicity of Withania somnifera (L.) roots and fruits on oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines: a study supported by flow cytometry, spectral, and computational investigations

Oral cancer is a severe health problem that accounts for an alarmingly high number of fatalities worldwide. Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal has been extensively studied against various tumor cell lines from different body organs, rarely from the oral cavity. We thus investigated the cytotoxicity of W. somnifera fruits (W-F) and roots (W-R) hydromethanolic extracts and their chromatographic fractions against oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell lines [Ca9-22 (derived from gingiva), HSC-2, HSC-3, and HSC-4 (derived from tongue)] and three normal oral mesenchymal cells [human gingival fibroblast (HGF), human periodontal ligament fibroblast (HPLF), and human pulp cells (HPC)] in comparison to standard drugs. The root polar ethyl acetate (W-R EtOAc) and butanol (W-R BuOH) fractions exhibited the strongest cytotoxicity against the Ca9-22 cell line (CC50 = 51.8 and 40.1 μg/mL, respectively), which is relatively the same effect as 5-FU at CC50 = 69.4 μM and melphalan at CC50 = 36.3 μM on the same cancer cell line. Flow cytometric analysis revealed changes in morphology as well as in the cell cycle profile of the W-R EtOAc and W-R BuOH-treated oral cancer Ca9-22 cells compared to the untreated control. The W-R EtOAc (125 μg/mL) exerted morphological changes and induced subG1 accumulation, suggesting apoptotic cell death. A UHPLC MS/MS analysis of the extract enabled the identification of 26 compounds, mainly alkaloids, withanolides, withanosides, and flavonoids. Pharmacophore-based inverse virtual screening proposed that BRD3 and CDK2 are the cancer-relevant targets for the annotated withanolides D (18) and O (12), and the flavonoid kaempferol (11). Molecular modeling studies highlighted the BRD3 and CDK2 as the most probable oncogenic targets of anticancer activity of these molecules. These findings highlight W. somnifera’s potential as an affordable source of therapeutic agents for a range of oral malignancies

Aquaporin-4 IgG antibodies: predictors of positivity and their relationship with neuropsychiatric disorders and white matter lesions in Juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract Background This study aimed to describe the prevalence of the various clinical features and severity of juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus (jSLE) and to assess predictors of AQP4-Ab positivity in jSLE. In addition, we assessed the relationship of AQP4-Abs with neuropsychiatric disorders and white matter lesions in jSLE. Method For 90 patients with jSLE, demographic data, clinical manifestations, and treatments received were recorded, and all of the patients were underwent clinical examinations, including assessments for the neurological manifestations of jSLE and neuropsychiatric disorders; Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) score evaluations; laboratory investigations, including serum AQP4-Ab assays; and 1.5 Tesla brain MRI. Echocardiography and renal biopsy were performed for the indicated patients. Result Fifty-six patients (62.2%) tested positive for AQP4-Abs. These patients were more likely to have higher disease activity scores (p < 0.001); discoid lesions (p = 0.039); neurological disorders (p = 0.001), mainly psychosis and seizures (p = 0.009 and p = 0.032, respectively); renal and cardiac involvement (p = 0.004 and p = 0.013, respectively); lower C3 levels (p = 0.006); white matter hyperintensities (p = 0.008); and white matter atrophy (p = 0.03) than patients who were negative for AQP4-Abs. Furthermore, AQP4-Ab-positive patients were more likely to have received cyclophosphamide (p = 0.028), antiepileptic drugs (p = 0.032) and plasma exchange therapy (p = 0.049). Conclusion jSLE patients with higher severity scores, neurological disorders, or white matter lesions could develop antibodies against AQP4. We recommend more studies for systematic screening of AQP4-Ab positivity in jSLE patients to confirm its relationship with neurological disorders

Serum cystatin-C and BETA 2-microglobulin as accurate markers in the early diagnosis of kidney injury in neonates: A single center study

Early detection of kidney injury in neonates is very important for appropriate management and prevention of serious complications; however, commonly used detectors as creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) do not directly reflect early renal cell injury. Serum cystatin-C (Cys-C) and beta 2-microglobulin (Β2M), serum creatinine and BUN were assessed in 20 neonates who developed renal impairment after admission to the neonatal intensive care unit and 10 healthy neonates. The means of serum Cys-C, Β2M and creatinine on Day 1 of admission in the cases and control groups were 2.15 ± 0.52 vs 0.45 ± 0.19, 7.18 ± 2.36 vs 1.92 ± 0.41 and 0.81 ± 0.07 vs 0.53 ± 0.20, respectively, with P-value <0.05 in only Cys-C and Β2M. We conclude that serum Cys-C and Β2M are suggested as simple and accurate markers for the early diagnosis of kidney injury in neonates than serum creatinine

Sleep quality assessment using polysomnography in children on regular hemodialysis

Studies examining sleep patterns in children on hemodialysis (HD) are lacking. This cross-sectional, control-matched group study was performed to assess the sleep quality in children on HD. The assessment was made using a subjective sleep assessment and sleep questionnaire and objective analysis was made using full night polysomnography. A total of 25 children with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on HD were compared with 15 age- and sex-matched controls. The average age of the cases was 14 ± 4 years, 52% were males and the mean body mass index was 20 ± 3.8 kg/m². The average duration on dialysis was 2.6 ± 2 years. Analysis of subjective data revealed markedly affected sleep quality in HD patients, as evidenced by excessive day time sleepiness (P <0.005), night awakening (P <0.005), difficult morning arousal (P <0.005) and limb pains (P <0.005). Objective analysis showed differences in sleep architecture, less slow wave sleep in HD children, similar rapid eye movement and non-rapid eye movement, more sleep disordered breathing (P <0.0001) and more periodic limb movement disorders (P <0.0001). Our study suggests that children on regular HD have markedly affected objective as well as subjective quality of sleep

Phosphogypsum and poultry manure enhance diversity of soil fauna, soil fertility, and barley (Hordeum aestivum L.) grown in calcareous soils

Abstract Enrichment of calcareous soils with phosphogypsum and poultry manure amendments could increase nutrient availability, improve calcareous chemical characteristics, and enhance barley plant growth. In the current study, phosphogypsum (PG) and poultry manure (PM) were used to determine the effects of PG and PM application on soil fauna diversity, soil fertility, and barley yield. The pot experiment treatments were: C: control; PG1: 4.20 g kg−1 soil; PG2: 6.30 g kg−1 soil; PM1: 4.20 g kg−1 soil; PM: 6.30 g kg−1 soil, and their combinations. The results indicated that the application of PM alone or combined with PG had significant effects on the microbial biomass carbon (MBC), organic matter (OM), soil NPK availability, and yield of barley. Collembola and Prostigmata accounted for 50.0 and 43.3%, respectively, of the total number of soil fauna. Shannon and evenness indices increased significantly in the soil amended with PM alone or combined with PG. Amended soil with PG and/or PM significantly increased the yield and yield components of plants compared to the control. The PM1PG2 treatment increased the yield by 76.2% above the control

Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus in Egypt

In Egypt, avian influenza A subtype H5N1 and H9N2 viruses are enzootic in poultry. The control plan devised by veterinary authorities in Egypt to prevent infections in poultry focused mainly on vaccination and ultimately failed. Recently, widespread H5N1 infections in poultry and a substantial increase in the number of human cases of H5N1 infection were observed. We summarize surveillance data from 2009 through 2014 and show that avian influenza viruses are established in poultry in Egypt and are continuously evolving genetically and antigenically. We also discuss the epidemiology of human infection with avian influenza in Egypt and describe how the true burden of disease is underestimated. We discuss the failures of relying on vaccinating poultry as the sole intervention tool. We conclude by highlighting the key components that need to be included in a new strategy to control avian influenza infections in poultry and humans in Egypt

Anatomical and Physiological Performance of Jojoba Treated with Proline under Salinity Stress Condition

A field trial study was conducted for two consecutive seasons 2020 and 2021 in approximately 8-month-old jojoba plants to evaluate the physiological responses following salt treatment and the role of proline as a foliar application to enhance jojoba tolerance to salinity stress. Jojoba plants were irrigated once a week for four months with diluted seawater in concentrations of 5000, 10,000, and 15,000 ppm and tap water (control). Anti-stress proline was applied four times throughout the experiment, the first at the beginning of the experiment and another three times at 30-day intervals, at concentrations of 0, 300, and 450 ppm. The effect of proline treatments on jojoba plant behavior includes growth vegetative characteristics, namely plant height increase percentage (PHIP), shoot number increase percentage (NSIP), stem diameter increase percentage (SDIP), number of leaves, leaf thickness, leaf area, and fresh and dry weights of leaves, and chemical characteristics, namely chlorophyll a and b, total chlorophyll, carotenoids, leaf mineral contents (N, P, K, Na, and Cl), total phenolic content (TPC), and proline concentration. Moreover, the impacts of proline on hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), superoxide anion (O2&bull;&minus;), malondialdehyde (MDA), and ion leakage (IL) under salinity stress were investigated. Briefly, proline at 450 ppm enhanced all studied growth and physiological characteristics and promoted the antioxidant system of jojoba plants compared with the control and other treatments. The anatomical structure of leaves was also examined, and favorable variations in the anatomical structure were detected in the stressed and proline-treated plants. Exogenous application of proline enhanced most of this anatomical characteristic of jojoba leaf under saline stress. In conclusion, proline as a foliar application at 450 ppm under salinity stress of 10,000 ppm enhances jojoba tolerance to salinity stress by modifying the physicochemical and morphological characteristics of jojoba plants