Evaluation of serum nitric oxide before and after local radiofrequency thermal ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma

Background: HCC is one of the leading causes of world wide cancer mortality due to late diagnosis. Chronic hepatitis C virus is one of the main risk factors for the development of Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which is a multi-step process involving different genetic alterations that lead to malignant transformation of hepatocytes. Genetic and molecular abnormalities associated with viral infection or due to inflammatory conditions represent an early step in hepatocarcinogenesis. HCC is a hypervascular solid cancer. Tumor growth depends on angiogenesis, and the ‘‘angiogenic switch’’ of preexisting vessels is required to allow tumor progression, growth, and propagation to supply nutrients and oxygen. Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) also plays an important role in angiogenesis, regulating several biological processes crucial for tumor growth.Objectives: Evaluation of serum nitric oxide before and after local  radiofrequency thermal ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma.Subjects: Twenty patients with proven hepatocellular carcinoma and 15 healthy patients as controls were enrolled in the study. Methods: History taking, clinical examination, laboratory testing (AlT, AST, Bil γGT, ALP, Albumin, AFP, NO), ultrasound and Spiral CT. Evaluation was done initially and repeated after 2 weeks of tumor ablation by local radiofrequency thermal ablation.Results: Median of Serum Nitric oxide was statistically significantly higher among HCC patients before radiofrequency thermal ablation (1200 lmol/l) compared to controls (22 lmol/l)where p< 0.001, also the median of NO was statistically significantly declined after radiofrequency thermal ablation compared to before (160, 1200 lmol/l) respectively where p<0.001.Conclusion: The data suggest that there is an elevation in serum nitric oxide in HCC patients and that is locally produced from the tumor and hence its level significantly drops after local radiofrequency thermal ablation.Keywords: Nitrous oxide; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Radiofrequenc

A Rhetorical and Linguistic Analysis of President El-Sisis First Inaugural Address

The present study attempts an analysis of the first inaugural address of President Abdel Fatah El-Sisi It aims at exploring the persuasive strategies used by President El-Sisi in his address It also attempts to investigate the use of linguistic strategies in this type of Arabic political discourse The study applies Aristotle s model for investigating persuasion It also draws on work from Atkinson s 1984 linguistic strategies and Charteris-Black s 2014 persuasion theory Results of the study showed that El-Sisi s first inaugural address was successful due to the use of certain rhetorical and linguistic strategies The analysis indicated that the address has four effectively employed parts namely the prologue the narrative the proof and the epilogue Results also showed that the use of the artistic proofs in the address as a whole is similar to that identified by Aristotle However the analysis demonstrated the use of two novel usages that are successfully manipulated in the addres

Thermoanalytical Investigation of Terazosin Hydrochloride

Purpose: Thermal analysis (TGA, DTG and DTA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) have been used to study the thermal behavior of terazosin hydrochloride (TER). Methods: Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA/DTG), differential thermal analysis (DTA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used to determine the thermal behavior and purity of the used drug. Thermodynamic parameters such as activation energy (E*), enthalpy (H*), entropy (S*) and Gibbs free energy change of the decomposition (G*) were calculated using different kinetic models. Results: The purity of the used drug was determined by differential scanning calorimetry (99.97%) and specialized official method (99.85%) indicating to satisfactory values of the degree of purity. Thermal analysis technique gave satisfactory results to obtain quality control parameters such as melting point (273 ºC), water content (7.49%) and ash content (zero) in comparison to what were obtained using official method: (272 ºC), (8.0%) and (0.02%) for melting point, water content and ash content, respectively. Conclusion: Thermal analysis justifies its application in quality control of pharmaceutical compounds due to its simplicity, sensitivity and low operational costs. DSC data indicated that the degree of purity of terazosin hydrochloride is similar to that found by official method

Serotonin: Is it a marker for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhotic patients?

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third most frequent cause of cancer mortality among men worldwide. Serotonin is a biogenic amine, ligand of a family of 5-HT receptors that reflect the diversity of serotonergic actions. Majority of serotonin in body (90%) is synthesized by enterochromaffin cells of the gastrointestinal tract and is exported to various sites. Serotonin regulates blood flow and vascular tone at portal and sinusoidal levels, serotonin acts as a mitogen for hepatocytes and promotes liver regeneration. 5HT emerges as a mediator of different pathological conditions (double edged sword). It contributes to liver fibrosis, mediates oxidative stress in nonalcoholic steatotic hepatitis and aggravates viral hepatitis, these conditions are involved in tumourigenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Impaired metabolic function in liver cirrhosis and slow uptake and storage of serotonin by the platelets is a sequelae of kinetic change of serotonin transport mechanisms or abnormal serotonin release from dense granules of activated platelets is a condition defined as ‘‘platelet exhaustion’’, contributes to elevated plasma serotonin which may facilitate tumour growth of primary liver hepatocellular carcinoma.Aim of this work: To determine whether serotonin is a marker for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhotic patients.Methods: Patients were classified into two groups; 45 patients with cirrhosis only and 30 patients with cirrhosis and HCC. Ten healthy subjects were taken as controls. Patients underwent; full history taking, clinical examination, and abdominal ultrasonography. Laboratory methods include SGOT, SGPT, GGT, bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, total proteins, albumin, CBC, prothrombin, INR, APRI score, Child-pugh score, MELD score, AFP and serum serotonin.Results: Plasma serotonin was significantly higher in the patients group with cirrhosis with a median level of 119.4 ng/ml than in the control group which showed a median value of 51.5 ng/ml p< 0.001. A significance  difference was also seen between cirrhosis and the HCC group with a median value of 478.35 ng/ml than the control group and a cirrhosis group with p< 0.001was found.Conclusion: Plasma serotonin level was significantly higher in patients with cirrhosis and HCC than in those with cirrhosis only and it was involved in the tumourigenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma.Keywords: Serotonin; AFP; HC

STABILITY-INDICATING METHODS FOR THE DERTERMINATION OF GEMIFLOXACIN IN PRESENCE OF ITS ACID DEGRADATION PRODUCT(S)

Brilliant, valid and simple five UV spectrophotometric stability indicating techniques are adopted for the determination of Gemifloxacin (GEM) in presence of its acid degradation products over a concentration range of 2-12 μg mL-1. The first method is an application of the first derivative (1D) spectrophotometry, that allows the determination of GEM without interference of its acid degradation products at zero crossing wavelength (254.6 nm). The second method depends on the first-derivative of the ratio spectra spectrophotometry (1DD) for determination of GEM in presence of its acid degradation products at a maximum of 273.0 nm and a minimum of 284.0 nm, While the third dual wavelength method offers a superior stability indicating procedures for the determination of GEM in the zero order spectra at the wavelength pair of 271.8 nm and 325.0 nm. The fourth method is the ratio difference one, with the advantages of minimal data processing and wide range of application. It is applied for the analysis of intact drug in presence of its acid degradation products by measuring the difference in the peak amplitude at the ratio spectra at 355.0 nm and 270.0 nm. The last method is based on the quantification of GEM through the bivariate calibration at 255.0 nm and 277.0 nm by adopting simple mathematic algorithm that provides simplicity and rapidity

Relation of serum visfatin level and uterine artery Doppler to preeclampsia

Background: Preeclampsia (PE) is a significant cause of remarkable fetomaternal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Visfatin is 52 KDa novel adipokine, pre B cell colony enhancing factor (PBEF) which could be used as a biochemical marker predictor or a diagnostic tool for preeclampsia. Trans abdominal pulsed Doppler ultrasound (US) monitor the impedance to blood flow in the uterine arteries in pregnant females and those with preeclampsia. Visfatin has been implicated in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia with a limited contradictory. The aim of our study is to monitor the risky pregnant females through Visfatin level and transabdominal pulsed Doppler of the uterine artery.Methods: Assessment of the serum Visfatin levels in the maternal circulation of preeclamptic pregnant females wether mild or severe, and compared to those in the normal pregnant subjects as control through recruitment of cases of mild PE (n=40), severe PE (n=40), normal pregnant subjects (n=60) in a cross sectional study where the cases were of the patients hospitalized at El Shatby Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the control subjects were of referrals to the outpatient departments. Fasting blood samples were drawn, kept at -20 degree centigrades , enzyme linked immune sorbant assay (ELISA) Test was performed on them to determine the Visfatin level and recorded the uterine arteries pulsatility index through transabdominal doppler ultrasound. Lastly, the data were analysed using (F test) ANOVA statistical method.Results: Amongst the groups, Serum visfatin level was significantly higher in the severe preeclamptic group rather than the normal pregnant group and those with mild preeclampsia (p<0.001). Uterine artery pulsatility index was significantly higher in the severe preeclamptic group rather than the normal pregnant group and those with mild preeclampsia (p<0.001).Conclusions: Severe preeclamptic pregnant females were shown to represent higher circulating visfatin levels as one of the most recent biochemical markers of preeclampsia, higher uterine artery pulsatility index compared to normal pregnant and those with mild preeclamptic groups of women

Assessment of plasma and urinary transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) in children with lupus nephritis

Background: Kidney disease is one of the most serious manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Despite the improvement in the medical care of SLE in the past two decades, the prognosis of lupus nephritis remains unsatisfactory. Transforming growth factor- β1 (TGF-β1) is an immunosuppressive cytokine, as it inhibits T and B cell proliferation and NK cell cytotoxic activity . Objective: The aim of this study was to assess serum and urinary TGF- β1 levels in children with SLE and their possible role in the renal involvement and activity of the disease. Study design: This cross sectional study was conducted in Nephrology Unit of Pediatric Department, plus Outpatient Clinic of Rheumatology Department, Zagazig University Hospital during the year of 2010. Methods: Twenty-five pediatric patients with SLE were randomly selected and classified according to into 2 groups: Group (Ι): included 13 patients presented with urinary abnormalities and/or disturbed renal function(active nephritis): 5 males, 8 females. Their mean age was 9.7±2.53 years and the mean disease duration was 2.46±1.4 years. Group (ΙΙ): included 12 patients presented by lupus without nephritis : 5 males,7 females. Their mean age was 9.9±2.1 years and the mean disease duration was 2.41±0.9 years. Control group(group ΙΙΙ): Twenty healthy children of matched age and sex served as a control group included 8 males ,12 females. Their mean age was 10.0±2.3 years. Results: There was no significant difference among studied patients groups regarding age, sex , disease duration and lupus therapy (p&gt;0.05). There was a significant difference between both groups regarding urinary albumin and serum creatinine (2.76±0.97 and 1.96±0.84 mg/dl respectively), while there was a high significant difference between them regarding C3 (47.3±12.5 and 76.6±6.6 mg/ml respectively) and anti double stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) (80.7±32.8 and 26.8±4.5 IU/ml respectively). Plasma TGF- β1 showed significantly lower levels in patients with active nephritis relative to other groups, while urinary TGF- β1 levels were significantly high in SLE patients either with active or silent nephritis when compared with the control group. Plasma TGF- β1 showed a highly significant positive correlation with C3 and a highly significant negative correlation with serum creatinine, urinary albumin, anti dsDNA and SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) score. While, urinary TGF- β1 had a significant negative correlation with C3 and a high significant positive correlation with anti-dsDNA and SLEDAI score. Conclusion: Low plasma TGF β1 level and increased urinary TGF β1 excretion denotes active renal affection in children with SLE.Keywords: SLE , nephritis , TGF- β1Egypt J Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2011;9(1):21-2

Hypoxic-Ischemig Encephalopathy in Term Neonates: Early Biochemical Indicators

Abstract: Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) after perinatal asphyxia is a condition in which serum concentrations of brain-specific biochemical markers may be elevated. Neuro-protective interventions in asphyxiated newborns require early indicators of brain damage to initiate therapy. Our aim is to investigate serum concentration of brain-specific biochemical markers, as early biochemical indicators of neonatal asphyxia. The study was carried out at the Neurology, Pediatric and Clinical Pathology Department, Zagazig and Al-Azhar Universities Hospitals. It was conducted on 30 infants with perinatal asphyxia. We examined brain-specific creatinekinase (CK-BB), protein S-100 and neurospecific enolase (NSE) in cord blood and at 2,6,12 and 24 h afterbirth. At 2 h afterbirth, median (quartiles) serum CK-BB concentration was 16.0 U/L in infants with mild HIE and 36 U/L in infants with moderate HIE and 46.5 U/L in infants with &quot;severe HIE. Serum protein S-100 2 h afterbirth was 2.9 ug/L in asphyxiated infants with mild HIE, 3.9 ug/L in infants with moderate HIE and 17.9 ug/L in infants with severe HIE while no significant difference was detectable in serum neuro-specific enolase between infants with mild, moderate and severe HIE 2 h and 6 h afterbirth. A combination of serum protein S-100 (cutoff value, 8.5 ug/L) and CK-BB (cutoff value, 18.8 U/L) 2 hr after birth had the highest predictive value (83%) and specificity (95%) of predicting moderate and severe HIE. Cord blood pH (cutoff value, &lt; 6.9) and cord blood base deficit (cutoff value, &gt; 17mM/L) increase the predictive values of protein S-100 and CK-BB. We conclude that elevated serum concentrations of CK-BB and protein S-100 reliably indicate moderate and severe HIE as early as 2 h afterbirth

MALAT1 Gene Expression in Diabetic Patients with or without Nephropathy

Background: One of the main causes of end-stage renal disease worldwide is diabetic nephropathy, a catastrophic microvascular sequel of diabetes. The pathophysiology of DN must thus be urgently investigated in order to develop appropriate remedies. MALAT1 (Metastasis Associated Lung Adenocarcinoma Transcript 1) is anticipated to be a novel target for the detection and therapy of diabetic nephropathy. Objectives: This research primarily sought to verify the expression of the circulating lncRNA MALAT1 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of diabetic patients, diabetic nephropathy, and healthy controls and assess it's relation to disease related criteria Patients and methods: 50 diabetic volunteers in this trial sought medical attention at the Outpatient Clinic of Endocrinology & DM at Sohag University Hospital, between January2022 and June 2022 and compare them with 25 apparently healthy persons. The expression of the lncRNA Malat1 was measured using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) in 25 people with diabetes, 25 people with DKD, and 25 healthy controls. The clinical relevance of the observations was then assessed. Results: As compared to control, LncRNA MALAT1 expression in peripheral blood was substantially higher in the diabetics and DKD groups. Spearman correlation showing significant correlation between RQ and duration of DM as P<0.05, also showing significant correlation between RQ and A/C ratio as P<0.05, there was positive moderate correlation between RQ and HBA1C and showing significant negative correlation between RQ and eGFR as P<0.05. Conclusion: The best technique to identify diabetic nephropathy may be to combine the detection of urine ACR, serum creatinine, and eGFR with diabetes mellitus. LncRNA Malat1 is substantially expressed in DKD patients compared to diabetics and an apparently healthy group