Myomectomy for fibroids during cesarean section: A randomized controlled trial

Background: There is a considerable debate about the management of myoma during cesarean section (CS). Recently, several studies indicated the safety and feasibility of undertaking myomectomy during CS.Objectives: To evaluate the safety, accessibility, and short-term morbidity of myomectomy for fibroids during cesarean section.Patients and Methods: This was a randomized controlled trial that included 72 patients who were admitted to the Obstetrics & Gynecology Department, Menoufia University Hospital with uterine fibroids during pregnancy; who were randomly allocated equally into a group of cesarean myomectomy (CM; n=36) and another group of CS only (n=36). The operative events and the outcome were recorded and analyzed.Results: CM group showed a longer duration of surgery and longer hospital stay, higher amount of blood loss, and higher mean pain sores, with a highly statistically significant difference (p = 0.000). No cases in both groups required blood transfusion or ICU admission. No statistically significant differences were noted between both groups as regards the fetal outcome measures (p=0.583 & 0.601).Conclusion: CM is safe and applicable in selected cases without deleterious maternal complications. Special precautions ought to be paid during the procedure, particularly in the intramural type and with large fibroids

Beneficial therapeutic effects of Nigella sativa and/or Zingiber officinale in HCV patients in Egypt

Hepatitis C is a major global health burden and Egypt has the highest prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) worldwide. The current study was designed to evaluate the beneficial therapeutic effects of ethanolic extracts of Nigella sativa, Zingiber officinale and their mixture in Egyptian HCV patients. Sixty volunteer patients with proven HCV and fifteen age matched healthy subjects were included in this study. Exclusion criteria included patients on interferon alpha (IFN-α) therapy, infection with hepatitis B virus, drug-induced liver diseases, advanced cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or other malignancies, blood picture abnormalities and major severe illness. Liver function enzymes, albumin, total bilirubin, prothrombin time and concentration, international normalized ratio, alpha fetoprotein and viral load were all assessed at baseline and at the end of the study. Ethanolic extracts of Nigella sativa and Zingiber officinale were prepared and formulated into gelatinous capsules, each containing 500 mg of Nigella sativa and/or Zingiber officinale. Clinical response and incidence of adverse drug reactions were assessed initially, periodically, and at the end of the study. Both extracts as well as their mixture significantly ameliorated the altered viral load, alpha fetoprotein, liver function parameters; with more potent effect for the combined therapy. In conclusion, administration of Nigella sativa and/or Zingiber officinale ethanolic extracts to HCV patients exhibited potential therapeutic benefits via decreasing viral load and alleviating the altered liver function, with more potent effect offered by the mixture

Camel Milk Modulates the Expression of Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor-Regulated Genes, Cyp1a1, Nqo1, and Gsta1, in Murine hepatoma Hepa 1c1c7 Cells

There is a traditional belief in the Middle East that camel milk may aid in prevention and treatment of numerous cases of cancer yet, the exact mechanism was not investigated. Therefore, we examined the ability of camel milk to modulate the expression of a well-known cancer-activating gene, Cytochrome P450 1a1 (Cyp1a1), and cancer-protective genes, NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (Nqo1) and glutathione S-transferase a1 (Gsta1), in murine hepatoma Hepa 1c1c7 cell line. Our results showed that camel milk significantly inhibited the induction of Cyp1a1 gene expression by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), the most potent Cyp1a1 inducer and known carcinogenic chemical, at mRNA, protein, and activity levels in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, camel milk significantly decreased the xenobiotic responsive element (XRE)-dependent luciferase activity, suggesting a transcriptional mechanism is involved. Furthermore, this inhibitory effect of camel milk was associated with a proportional increase in heme oxygenase 1. On the other hand, camel milk significantly induced Nqo1 and Gsta1 mRNA expression level in a concentration-dependent fashion. The RNA synthesis inhibitor, actinomycin D, completely blocked the induction of Nqo1 mRNA by camel milk suggesting the requirement of de novo RNA synthesis through a transcriptional mechanism. In conclusion, camel milk modulates the expression of Cyp1a1, Nqo1, and Gsta1 at the transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels

Interplay between personality traits and learning strategies:the missing link

Students with varying personality traits are likely to employ diverse learning and study strategies. However, this relationship has never been explored in the medical education context. This study’s aim was to explore the relationship between learning strategies and personality traits among medical students. This study was a cross-sectional study, and a quantitative approach was employed using two self-administered questionnaires: one to assess the personality traits from the Five-Factor Model (Conscientiousness, Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness, and Agreeableness), and the other to assess 10 learning strategies (Anxiety, Attitude, Concentration, Information Processing, Motivation, Selecting Main Ideas, Self-Testing, Test Strategies, Time Management, and Using Academic Resources). A stratified random sampling technique was used to recruit medical students at Alfaisal University in the preclinical and clinical years (N = 309). Pearson correlation coefficient was used to measure the relationship between variables, and linear regression was used to evaluate how personality traits predicted learning strategy selection. Personality traits predicted the selection of learning strategies, especially Conscientiousness and Neuroticism. Conscientiousness showed a positive correlation with seven learning strategies and was the most important predictor of learning strategies students employ. Neuroticism correlations and predictions were negative. The other three traits showed weaker correlations. These correlations were between Extraversion and Using Academic Resources (r = 0.27), Information Processing (r = 0.23), and Attitude (r = 0.19); Openness and Information Processing (r = 0.29); and Agreeableness and Attitude (r = 0.29). All personality domains influence at least one learning strategy, especially Conscientiousness and Neuroticism. This study helps build a foundation for individualized coaching and mentorship in medical education. NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study aspires to build a foundation for individualized coaching and mentorship in medical education through utilizing personality traits to empower academic success. We demonstrate that all personality domains influence students’ selection of at least one learning strategy, especially Conscientiousness and Neuroticism

Fetal lung volume and pulmonary artery resistance index for prediction of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome

Background: As gestational age grows, the risk of newborn respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) diminishes because the lungs are the last foetal organs to properly mature. While neonatal RDS does not just occur following preterm births, it is often thought of as a disorder of premature babies. This study sought to determine how prenatal lung capacity and foetal Pulmonary artery resistance index (PARI) affected the probability that newborn RDS would occur. Methods: This prospective observational study was carried out on 200 pregnant women aged 20-35 years, with gestational age between 36-40 weeks and singleton pregnancy. According to neonatal outcome the patients were classified into two groups: group A: 26 cases with noenatal RDS and group B: 174 cases without neonatal RDS. All patients were subjected to 2D ultrasonography and 3D ultrasonography. Results: Fetal lung volume (FLV) is a significant predictor of neonatal RDS (AUC: 0.820, p <0.001), at a cut off value of ≤35, with 88.5% sensitivity and 68.4% specificity. PARI is not a significant predictor of neonatal RDS. 1 and 5 min Apgar score were significantly lower in neonates who developed RDS and those who didn’t (p<0.001). Conclusions: 3D FLV and estimated fetal weight measurement using ultrasonography may be a reliable non-invasive indicator of the incidence of newborn RDS in preterm pregnancies when the risk of RDS progression is present. FLV is a significant predictor for neonatal RDS at a cutoff for ≤35 cm3 with sensitivity 88.5% and specificity 68.4%

Copper(II)-oxaloyldihydrazone complexes: Physico-chemical studies: Energy band gap and inhibition evaluation of free oxaloyldihydrazones toward the corrosion of copper metal in acidic medium

AbstractA series of oxaloyldihydrazone ligands were prepared essentially by the conventional condensation reaction between oxaloyldihydrazide and different aldehydes e.g., salicylaldehyde, 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde, 2-hydroxyacetophenone and 2-methoxybenzaldehyde in 1:2M ratio. The synthesized compounds were purified to give bis(salicylaldehyde)oxaloyldihydrazone (L1), bis(2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde)oxaloyldihydrazone (L2), bis(2-hydroxyacetophenone)oxaloyldihydrazone (L3) and bis(2-methoxybenzaldehyde)oxaloyldihydrazone (L4). All the oxaloyldihydrazones (L1–L4) and their relevant solid copper(II) complexes have been isolated and characterized by various physicochemical techniques. The identity of the synthesized compounds has been ascertained on the basis of elemental analyses, spectral (UV–Vis, IR, ESR, mass, 1H NMR), magnetism and thermal (TG) measurements. The dihydrazones coordinate to the metal center forming binuclear complexes. Upon chelation, the metal center can form a trigonal distorted octahedral structure with L1 and pseudo tetrahedral configuration with L2 & L3 & L4. The optical band gap energy for all compounds underlies the range of semiconductor materials. The investigated ligands were assayed for their corrosion inhibitive and adsorptive properties on copper surface in 1M HCl solution using weight loss technique. The results pointed out that, the ligands have a plausible inhibition toward the corrosion of copper specimen. The adsorption reaction on copper surface was found to be spontaneous first order and agreed with physical adsorption mechanism. The adsorption data fitted well to Freundlich, Langmuir and Frumkin adsorption isotherms

Monitoring temporal changes in coastal mangroves to understand the impacts of climate change : Red Sea, Egypt

Funding Information: The authors would like to thank Dr Samira R Mansour for help in reviewing the paper. The present paper is not funded from any agency or organization, all work completed in the Suez Canal University, Ismailia Egypt. Open access funding provided by The Science, Technology & Innovation Funding Authority (STDF) in cooperation with The Egyptian Knowledge Bank (EKB). Publisher Copyright: © 2023, The Author(s).Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Current coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) epidemiological, diagnostic and therapeutic approaches

Coronaviruses are a group of enveloped viruses with non-segmented, single-stranded, and positive-sense RNA genomes. In December 2019, an outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), in Wuhan City, China. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus outbreak as a global pandemic in March 2020. Fever, dry cough and fatigue are found in the vast majority of all COVID-19 cases. Early diagnosis, treatment and future prevention are keys to COVID-19 management. Currently, the unmet need to develop cost-effective point-of-contact test kits and efficient laboratory techniques for confirmation of COVID-19 infection has powered a new frontier of diagnostic innovation. No proven effective therapies or vaccines for SARS-CoV-2 currently exist. The rapidly increasing research regarding COVID-19 virology provides a significant number of potential drug targets. Remdesivir may be the most promising therapy up till now. On May 1, 2020, Gilead Sciences, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted emergency use authorization (EUA) for the investigational Remdesivir as a potential antiviral for COVID-19 treatment. On May 7, 2020, Gilead Sciences, announced that the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) has granted regulatory approval of Veklury® (Remdesivir) as a treatment for SARS-CoV-2 infection, the virus that causes COVID-19 acute respiratory syndrome, under an exceptional approval pathway. Also, Corticosteroids are recommended for severe cases only to suppress the immune response and reduce symptoms, but not for mild and moderate patients where they are associated with a high-risk side effect. Based on the currently published evidence, we tried to highlight different diagnostic approaches, side effects and therapeutic agents that could help physicians in the frontlines