Hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus in pregnant Sudanese women

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The epidemiology of viral hepatitis during pregnancy is essential for health planners and programme managers. While much data exist concerning viral hepatitis during pregnancy in many African countries, no proper published data are available in Sudan.</p> <p>Aim</p> <p>The study aimed to investigate the sero-prevalance and the possible risk factors for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) among antenatal care attendants in central Sudan.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>During 3 months from March–June 2006, sera were collected from pregnant women at Umdurman Maternity Hospital in Sudan, and they were tested for markers of hepatitis B virus (HBVsAg) and HCV.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>HBVsAg was detected in 41 (5.6%) out 728 women, Anti-HCV was detected in 3 (0.6%) out of 423 women, all of them were not aware of their condition. Age, parity, gestational age, residence, history of blood transfusion, dental manipulations, tattooing and circumcision did not contribute significantly to increased HBVsAg sero-positivity.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Thus 5.6% of pregnant women were positive for HBVsAg irrespective of their age, parity and socio-demographic characteristics. There was low prevalence of Anti-HCV.</p

Mismatch Repair Proteins (MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, and PMS2) Immunohistochemical Expression and Microsatellite Instability in Endometrial Carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Endometrial cancer (EC) is the fourth most common female cancer worldwide constituting 7% of cancer in women. It is a disease of older, postmenopausal women. The most of these patients have an identifiable source of excess estrogen, while in a small subset the pathogenesis is related to mismatch repair abnormality and lynch syndrome (LC). Mismatch repair behave as tumor suppressors and the most clinically relevant include MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, and PMS2. mutations in mismatch repair (MMR) results in a strong mutator phenotype known as microsatellite instability, which is a hallmark of LC-associated cancers. AIM: The aim of the study was to study microsatellite instability in endometrial cancer using the immunohistochemical expression of mismatch repair proteins (MLH1, MSH2, MSH6 and PMS2). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sixty EC cases were studied using MLH-1, MSH-2, MSH-6, and PMS-2 immunohistochemistry and their expression was correlated with different clinicopathologic parameters. RESULTS: A statistically significant relationship exists between MMR immunohistochemistry (IHC) proteins and tumor grade. Intact MMR proteins profile was associated with the lower tumor grade (31.3% were Grade 1 and 46.9% were Grade 2). Combined loss of MLH1/PMS2, combined loss of MSH2/MSH6, and isolated loss of PMS2 were also associated with the lower tumor grade while isolated loss of MSH6 was associated with the high tumor grade. However, no statistically significant correlation was found between MMR IHC proteins expression and the age of patients; tumor histopathological types, or FIGO stage. CONCLUSION: A statistically significant correlation between the tumor grade of EC cases and the MMR IHC proteins was found. Further studies are recommended to assess correlation between MMR proteins defect and different clinicopathological parameters of endometrial carcinoma

Spice Foods effects on Body Weight Reductions between Obese Animal Models

The aim of this study was determination and identification of phenolic and flavonoids fraction in addition to the antioxidant activities of used herbals (curcumin, black pepper and cumin) by HPLC in addition to evaluating the effects of such different spicy food consumptions on body weight reduction between obese animal models. Rats were randomly divided to ten groups fed; Black Papers, Cumin and Curcumin either alone or in different mixtures additionally to groups fed Orlistat (control body weight loss), Non-obese negative control group (C-ve) and Obese control positive group (C+ve). Blood glucose and body weight levels were measured at the beginning and end of the experimental in addition to rats’ lipid profiles (total cholesterol; triglycerides;, high dense lipoprotein cholesterol; low dense lipoprotein cholesterol; and very low dense lipoprotein cholesterol). Results presented that obese models received (Cumin)&nbsp; Cu/( Curcumin ) Cur mixture have the biggest effective significant treatment (about -80% body weight reduction&nbsp; ) followed by both groups fed mixtures of (Curcumin ) Cur/( Black Papers ) Bp&nbsp; and (Curcumin) Cur/( Black Papers ) Bp/( Cumin ) Cu; decreased by -68.0 and -65.6g respectively. The study could be more valuable causing significant body weight reduction between obese models, however human studies are needed

Chitosan edible coating: a potential control of toxic biogenic amines and enhancing the quality and shelf life of chilled tuna filets

Edible films and coatings offer great potential to support sustainable food production by lowering packaging waste, extending product shelf life, and actively preserving food quality. Using edible coatings containing plant extracts with antioxidant and antibacterial characteristics could help to enhance the quality and shelf life of fish products. In this study, the combination effect of chitosan with beetroot, curcumin, and garlic extracts on biogenic amines (BAs) reduction, biochemical quality [pH, thiobarbituric acid index (TBA), trimethylamine (TMA), and total volatile base (TVB)], shelf life and sensory characteristics of tuna filets was investigated over 14 days of refrigerated storage compared to control (uncoated) samples. The results showed that the coated samples experienced a lower increase in BAs levels than the control samples. Among the treated samples, chitosan incorporated with curcumin (CH-C) showed the highest reduction in BAs formation (1.45 – 19.33, 0.81 – 4.45, and 1.04 – 8.14 mg/kg), followed by chitosan with garlic (CH-G) (1.54 – 21.74, 0.83 – 5.77, and 1.08 – 8.84 mg/kg), chitosan with beetroot extract (CH-B) (1.56 – 31.70, 0.84 – 6.79, and 1.07 – 10.82 mg/kg), and chitosan without extract addition (CH) (1.62 – 33.83, 0.71 – 7.82 and 1.12 – 12.66 mg/kg) compared to control samples (1.62 – 59.45, 0.80 – 11.96, and 1.14 – 20.34 mg/kg) for histamine, cadaverine, and putrescine, respectively. In addition, the rate of increase in pH, TBA, TMA, and TVB of all coated treatments was lower than in the control samples. Sensory evaluation results revealed that chitosan-treated samples incorporated with beetroot, garlic, and curcumin extracts showed good quality and acceptability characteristics. Overall, chitosan edible coatings incorporated with beetroot, garlic, and curcumin extracts reduced the formation of biogenic amine, delayed biochemical deterioration, and extended the shelf life of tuna filets. Among the treated samples, CH-C demonstrated a remarkable superiority in all the studied parameters. Therefore, this study provides a promising strategy for the incorporation of active compounds in edible coatings to improve the quality and safety of foods during storage

Expression levels of aldose reductase enzyme, vascular endothelial growth factor, and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in the anterior lens capsule of diabetic cataract patients

Purpose: To compare the levels of aldose reductase (ALR) enzyme, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the anterior lens capsule of diabetic versus nondiabetic patients. Setting: Alexandria Main University Hospital, Alexandria, Egypt. Design: Prospective case-control study. Methods: The study enrolled patients undergoing cataract extraction and divided them into 3 groups: eyes that had proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), eyes that had nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR), and nondiabetic eyes. The anterior lens capsules were obtained by performing femtosecond laser–assisted capsulorhexis. Concentrations of ALR, ICAM-1, and VEGF in the lens capsule specimens were measured using human enzyme–linked immunosorbent assay. Results: This study comprised 200 patients (200 eyes); 51 eyes had PDR, 49 eyes had NPDR, and 100 eyes were nondiabetic. The mean ALR, ICAM-1, and VEGF levels in the anterior capsule of diabetic group were 2.84 nanogram (ng)/mL ± 0.51 (SD), 87.73 ± 22.84 picogram (pg)/mL, and 75.53 ± 14.95 pg/mL, respectively; whereas, in the nondiabetic group, they were 1.44 ± 0.17 ng/mL, 35.45 ± 2.8 pg/mL, and 33.55 ± 5.47 pg/mL, respectively. In comparing the concentrations of these mediators, both the PDR and NPDR groups had significantly higher levels compared with the nondiabetic eyes (P < .001). In addition, eyes with PDR had significantly higher levels of these mediators than eyes with NPDR (P < .001). Conclusion: The concentrations of ALR, ICAM-1, and VEGF in the anterior lens capsule of diabetic patients are significantly higher than those of nondiabetics. A significantly higher level of 3 mediators in eyes with PDR compared with those with NPDR might allow the use of them as a biomarker for severity of diabetic retinopathy.Dr. Piñero has been supported by the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness of Spain within the program Ramón y Cajal, RYC-2016-20471

The Effectiveness of Levosimendan on Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Management and Outcome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objectives: Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) provides a temporary support system for patients with cardiogenic shock refractory to conventional medical therapies. It has been reported that levosimendan may facilitate VA-ECMO weaning and improve survival. The primary objective of this review was to examine the effect of levosimendan use on VA-ECMO weaning and mortality in critically ill patients on VA-ECMO. Design: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CENTRAL were searched. A pair of reviewers identified eligible clinical trials. Two reviewers extracted data and independently assessed the risk of bias. A random-effect model was used to combine data. The primary outcome was the success of weaning from VA-ECMO. Measurements and Main Results: Seven studies of observational design, including a total of 630 patients, were selected in the final analysis. The sample size ranged from ten-to-240 patients, with a mean age between 53 and 65 years, and more than half of them underwent cardiac surgeries. The VA-ECMO durations varied between four and 11.6 days. Overall, levosimendan use was significantly associated with successful weaning compared with control (odds ratio [OR] 2.89, 95% CI, 1.53-5.46; poverall effect = 0.001); I2 = 49%). For survival, six studies (n = 617) were included in the meta-analysis involving 326 patients in the levosimendan group and 291 in the comparator group. Pooled results showed a significantly higher survival rate in the levosimendan group (OR 0.46, 95% CI, 0.30-0.71; poverall effect = 0.0004; I2 = 20%). Conclusions: Levosimendan therapy was significantly associated with successful weaning and survival benefit in patients with cardiogenic or postcardiotomy shock needing VA-ECMO support for severe cardiocirculatory compromise. To date, there is limited literature and absence of evidence from randomized trials addressing the use of levosimendan in VA-ECMO weaning. This study may be considered a hypothesis-generating research for randomized controlled trials to confirm its findings

Synthesis and antibacterial activity of 3-arylidene chromen-2, 4-dione derivatives

Abstract: Derivatives of 3-arylidene chromen-2, 4-dione 1 were synthesized to be used as a starting material for synthesizing some new fused heterocyclic compounds containing coumarin moiety. When compounds 1 reacted with hydrazine derivatives, hydroxylamine hydrochloride, urea, thiourea, semicarbazide and thiosemicarbazide it gave the corresponding compounds 2-5. Compound 4a, b reacted with methyl iodide in DMF and K2CO3 at room temperature to afford the corresponding 6a, b. All these compounds were screened InVitro for their antibacterial activity

Letter: The Impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic on Neurosurgeons Worldwide

This article is made available for unrestricted research re-use and secondary analysis in any form or be any means with acknowledgement of the original source. These permissions are granted for the duration of the World Health Organization (WHO) declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic.The aim of our study was to explore the impact of this pandemic on neurosurgeons with the hope of improving preparedness for future crisis. We created a 20-question survey designed to explore demographics (nation, duration and scope of practice, and case-burden), knowledge (source of information), clinical impact (elective clinic/surgery cancellations), hospital preparedness (availability of personal protective equipment [PPE] and cost of the supplies), and personal factors (financial burden, workload, scientific and research activities). The survey was first piloted with 10 neurosurgeons and then revised. Surveys were distributed electronically in 7 languages (Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish) between March 20 and April 3, 2020 using Google Forms, WeChat used to obtain responses, and Excel (Microsoft) and SPSS (IBM) used to analyze results. All responses were cross-verified by 2 members of our team. After obtaining results, we analyzed our data with histograms and standard statistical methods (Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests and logistic regression). Participants were first informed about the objectives of our survey and assured confidentiality after they agreed to participate (Helsinki declaration). We received 187 responses from 308 invitations (60.7%), and 474 additional responses were obtained from social media-based neurosurgery groups (total responses = 661). The respondents were from 96 countries representing 6 continents (Figure ​(Figure11A-​A-11C)

Stimulatory effects of Lycium shawii on human melanocyte proliferation, migration, and melanogenesis: In vitro and in silico studies

There is no first-line treatment for vitiligo, a skin disease characterized by a lack of melanin produced by the melanocytes, resulting in an urgent demand for new therapeutic drugs capable of stimulating melanocyte functions, including melanogenesis. In this study, traditional medicinal plant extracts were tested for cultured human melanocyte proliferation, migration, and melanogenesis using MTT, scratch wound-healing assays, transmission electron microscopy, immunofluorescence staining, and Western blot technology. Of the methanolic extracts, Lycium shawii L. (L. shawii) extract increased melanocyte proliferation at low concentrations and modulated melanocyte migration. At the lowest tested concentration (i.e., 7.8 μg/mL), the L. shawii methanolic extract promoted melanosome formation, maturation, and enhanced melanin production, which was associated with the upregulation of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein (TRP)-1 and TRP-2 melanogenesis-related proteins, and melanogenesis-related proteins. After the chemical analysis and L. shawii extract-derived metabolite identification, the in silico studies revealed the molecular interactions between Metabolite 5, identified as apigenin (4,5,6-trihydroxyflavone), and the copper active site of tyrosinase, predicting enhanced tyrosinase activity and subsequent melanin formation. In conclusion, L. shawii methanolic extract stimulates melanocyte functions, including melanin production, and its derivative Metabolite 5 enhances tyrosinase activity, suggesting further investigation of the L. shawii extract-derived Metabolite 5 as a potential natural drug for vitiligo treatment