DNA multiblock copolymers

Single stranded (ss) DNA block copolymers were applied to synthesize DNA multiblock architectures by hybridization; these polymeric bioorganic hybrids were characterized by gel electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry

Deep Brain Stimulation in Moroccan Patients With Parkinson's Disease: The Experience of Neurology Department of Rabat

Introduction: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is known as a therapy of choice of advanced Parkinson's disease. The present study aimed to assess the beneficial and side effects of STN DBS in Moroccan Parkinsonian patients.Material and Methods: Thirty five patients underwent bilateral STN DBS from 2008 to 2016 in the Rabat University Hospital. Patients were assessed preoperatively and followed up for 6 to 12 months using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale in four conditions (stimulation OFF and ON and medication OFF and ON), the levodopa-equivalent daily dose (LEDD), dyskinesia and fluctuation scores and PDQ39 scale for quality of life (QOL). Postoperative side effects were also recorded.Results: The mean age at disease onset was 42.31 ± 7.29 years [28–58] and the mean age at surgery was 54.66 ± 8.51 years [34–70]. The median disease duration was 11.95 ± 4.28 years [5–22]. Sixty-three percentage of patients were male. 11.4% of patients were tremor dominant while 45.71 showed akinetic-rigid form and 42.90 were classified as mixed phenotype. The LEDD before surgery was 1200 mg/day [800-1500]. All patients had motor fluctuations whereas non-motor fluctuations were present in 61.80% of cases. STN DBS decreased the LEDD by 51.72%, as the mean LEDD post-surgery was 450 [188-800]. The UPDRS-III was improved by 52.27%, dyskinesia score by 66.70% and motor fluctuations by 50%, whereas QOL improved by 27.12%. Post-operative side effects were hypophonia (2 cases), infection (3 cases), and pneumocephalus (2 cases).Conclusion: Our results showed that STN DBS is an effective treatment in Moroccan Parkinsonian patients leading to a major improvement of the most disabling symptoms (dyskinesia, motor fluctuation) and a better QOL

Synthesis of DNA block copolymers with extended nucleic acid segments by enzymatic ligation: cut and paste large hybrid architectures

Ultra-high molecular weight DNA/polymer hybrid materials were prepared employing molecular biology techniques. Nucleic acid restriction and ligation enzymes were used to generate linear DNA di- and triblock copolymers that contain up to thousands of base pairs in the DNA segments.

Septo-optic dysplasia PLUS syndrome in a 23 years old patient: A case report

Septo-optic dysplasia (SOD) is a rare malformation defined by septum pellucidum abnormalities and hypoplasia of the optic nerves and chiasm. It can be associated with cortical development malformations such as schizencephaly, which is then called septo-optic dysplasia plus. It usually manifests at birth, although it may not be diagnosed until childhood, or rarely, adolescence. We report the case of a 23 years old patient, with a history of epilepsy since early childhood never labeled, which was diagnosed with SOD-PLUS with brain MRI in our department

Coats’ syndrome: A rare cause of infant leukocoria to keep in mind

Leukocoria is an aberration of the eyeball that interferes with normal reflection. It shows up as a white or gray pupillary reflex rather than the bright red or orange pupil of the other eye. Leukocoria can be brought on by a variety of ocular pathologies, with retinoblastoma being the most common. We present the case of a 17-month-old guy who had unilateral leukocoria and whose orbital MRI was ordered on the basis of retinoblastoma suspicion. The results, however, were more suggestive of Coats disease than retinoblastoma. Telangiectasia and exudate, which frequently afflict males’ unilateral eyes, are the hallmarks of Coats’ illness. Depending on the stage of the disease, there are differences in its severity, course, and outlook. It is crucial to get therapy and a diagnosis for retinal problems as soon as possible. Although uncommon, there are still many people who are not familiar with Coats’ disease. This paper aims to describe imaging findings in Coats' disease

Schizencephaly: A rare cause of late-onset epilepsy in an adult

Schizencephaly, a rare congenital cerebral deformity that affects the cerebral mantle and is caused by both hereditary and acquired factors, is defined by a cleft that spans the entire cerebral hemisphere from the lateral ventricle to the cerebral cortex. Adult symptoms have only been described in a few cases in the literature. Hemiparesis, developmental delays, or seizures are manifestations of the clinical presentation, which is dependent on the size and location of the lesion. Neuroimaging investigations, particularly MRI, enable the diagnosis and rule out other causes. Usually discovered at birth, this entity begins to show up in the first several years. To prevent receiving the wrong treatment, the ailment must be correctly diagnosed. We report the observation of a 43-year-old patient with partial epileptic seizures but with an asymptomatic childhood, in relation to unilateral closed cleft schizencephaly associated with gray matter heterotopia. In this case, we highlight the importance of neuroimaging, in particular MRI on the diagnosis of this entity and to identify the associated anomalies

Efficacy of various extracting solvents on phytochemical composition, and biological properties of Mentha longifolia L. leaf extracts

Abstract The current work attempts to explore the influence of three extraction solvents on phytochemical composition, content of polyphenols, antioxidant potential, and antibacterial capacity of hydroethanolic, acetonic, and aqueous extracts from Moroccan Mentha longifolia leaves. To achieve this goal, the chemical composition was identified using an HPLC–DAD examination. The contents of polyphenols were assessed, while the total antioxidant capacity (TAC), the DPPH test, and the reducing power test (RP) were utilized to determine antioxidant capacity. To assess the antibacterial activity, the microdilution technique was carried out to calculate the minimum inhibitory (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC) of extracts against four nosocomial bacteria (Bacillus cereus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Escherichia coli , Staphylococcus aureus). Additionally, the antibacterial and antioxidant activities of all tested extracts were examined in silico against the proteins NADPH oxidase and Bacillus cereus phospholipase C. Study reveals that M. longifolia extracts contain high phenolic and flavonoids. Additionally, the hydroethanolic extract contained the highest amounts of phenolic and flavonoid content, with values of 23.52 ± 0.14 mg Gallic acid equivalent/g dry weight and 17.62 ± 0.36 mg Quercetin Equivalent/g dry weight, respectively compared to the other two extracts. The same extract showed the best antioxidant capacity (IC50 = 39 µg/mL ± 0.00), and the higher RP (EC50 of 0.261 ± 0.00 mg/mL), compared to the acetonic and aqueous extract regarding these tests. Furthermore, the hydroethanolic and acetonic extracts expressed the highest TAC (74.40 ± 1.34, and 52.40 ± 0.20 mg EAA/g DW respectively), compared with the aqueous extract. Regarding antibacterial activity, the MIC value ranges between 1.17 and 12.50 mg/mL. The in-silico results showed that the antibacterial activity of all extracts is principally attributed to kaempferol and ferulic acid, while antioxidant capacity is attributed to ferulic acid