Evaluation of Helicobacter pylori infection as a potential risk factor of acute ischemic cerebrovascular stroke

Background: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a very common gastrointestinal infection that varies clinically from asymptomatic to overt peptic ulcer disease. Although H. pylori had been linked to ischemic heart disease, still scanty of data available about H. pylori link to ischemic cerebrovascular stroke.Object: Evaluation of H. pylori Infection as a Potential Risk Factor of Acute Ischemic Cerebrovascular stroke.Method: In a case control study, we recruited 150 ischemic stroke patients (group A) further subdivided into two subgroups atherosclerotic ischemic stroke (group A1) and cardioembolic stroke (group A2), also asymptomatic 95 patients recruited as non-ischemic control group (group B). All subjects were investigated for chronic H. pylori infection using both serum H. pylori IgG antibody test and urea breath test. Statistical analysis was done for obtained data.Results: Significant higher prevalence of H. pylori infection was found among atherosclerotic stroke group (group A1) 61.4% versus non atherosclerotic group (A2) 40% and control group (B) 35.8% (P value 0.003), furthermore, significant higher prevalence when comparing group A1 (atherosclerotic stroke) and control group B (P1 value 0.001), still non-significant higher prevalence when comparing group A2 (cardio embolic stroke group) and control group B (P2 value 0.618).Conclusion: Chronic H. pylori infection is a curable potential risk factor for ischemic atherosclerotic stroke. However, further studies needed to investigate the beneficial effect of H. pylori treatment on ischemic stroke

A Comprehensive Review on Hybridization in Sustainable Desalination Systems

The contemporary era underscores the paramount significance of the water sector, largely due to dwindling resources and the exponential growth of the global population. Consequently, there is a pressing need to emphasis the vital role of desalination processes in addressing these challenges. In recent times, nations worldwide have shifted their focus towards optimizing treatment facilities. This optimization is pursued through the enhancement of plant efficiency and the amalgamation of diverse desalination technologies. The latter strategy has demonstrated its efficacy in augmenting on-ground productivity. Within this context, we embark on an exploration of the world\u27s foremost desalination facilities, delving into their production capacities and their hybridization status. Furthermore, we delve into the pivotal dimension of integrating renewable energy sources into these processes, acknowledging the substantial energy demands that desalination inherently entails. It is evident that countries in the Middle East have showcased a noteworthy inclination towards hybridization endeavors, which have yielded substantial improvements in station productivity. Notably, the RO-MSF hybrid system has emerged as a highly reliable choice among the various hybridization schemes employed in operational plants. The Middle East, in particular, has substantially bolstered its presence in the global landscape of operational hybrid plants, amassing a staggering total production capacity exceeding 17 million cubic meters per day. This attests to the region\u27s remarkable commitment to securing sustainable water resources through innovative desalination approaches

Distinct cytokine patterns in Occult Hepatitis C and Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection

Background & Aim: 
The immunopathogenesis of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a matter of great controversy. The imbalance of T-helper lymphocyte cell cytokine production was believed to play an important pathogenic role in chronic viral hepatitis. Occult hepatitis C infection is regarded as a new entity that should be considered when diagnosing patients with a liver disease of unknown origin. The aim of this study was to determine serum T-helper 1 and T-helper 2 cytokine production in patients with occult HCV infection and its role in pathogenesis versus chronic viral hepatitis C infection.

Methods: 
Serum levels of cytokines of T-helper 1 (IL-2, IFN-[gamma]) and T-helper 2 (IL-4) were measured in 27 patients with occult HCV infection and 50 patients with chronic hepatitis C infection.

Results: 
The levels of the T-helper 1 cytokines, IL-2 and IFN-[gamma], were highly and significantly increased in patients with chronic HCV infection as compared with occult HCV infection (p<0.001). The T-helper 2 cytokine IL-4 was highly and significantly increased in occult HCV infection as compared with chronic HCV infection (p<0.001). Necroinflammation (P<0.001) fibrosis (P<0.001) and cirrhosis (P =0.03) were significantly increased in chronic HCV than occult HCV. 

Conclusion: 
Patients with occult HCV infection exhibited distinct immunoregulatory cytokine patterns, favoring viral persistence in the liver in spite of its absence from peripheral blood and explaining the less aggressive course of this disease entity than chronic hepatitis C virus infection

A Comprehensive Review on Hybridization in Sustainable Desalination Systems

The contemporary era underscores the paramount significance of the water sector, largely due to dwindling resources and the exponential growth of the global population. Consequently, there is a pressing need to emphasis the vital role of desalination processes in addressing these challenges. In recent times, nations worldwide have shifted their focus towards optimizing treatment facilities. This optimization is pursued through the enhancement of plant efficiency and the amalgamation of diverse desalination technologies. The latter strategy has demonstrated its efficacy in augmenting on-ground productivity. Within this context, we embark on an exploration of the world\u27s foremost desalination facilities, delving into their production capacities and their hybridization status. Furthermore, we delve into the pivotal dimension of integrating renewable energy sources into these processes, acknowledging the substantial energy demands that desalination inherently entails. It is evident that countries in the Middle East have showcased a noteworthy inclination towards hybridization endeavors, which have yielded substantial improvements in station productivity. Notably, the RO-MSF hybrid system has emerged as a highly reliable choice among the various hybridization schemes employed in operational plants. The Middle East, in particular, has substantially bolstered its presence in the global landscape of operational hybrid plants, amassing a staggering total production capacity exceeding 17 million cubic meters per day. This attests to the region\u27s remarkable commitment to securing sustainable water resources through innovative desalination approaches

A Review of Hybrid Humidification and Dehumidification Desalination Systems

The escalating threat of water scarcity, coupled with the inclusion of numerous countries in the list of water-scarce nations, has elevated the issue of water availability to a paramount concern in today\u27s global landscape. Freshwater sources are becoming increasingly scarce, with their proportional decline steadily progressing. Consequently, a growing number of nations have resorted to the desalination of seawater as a viable solution. In response to this critical need, a surge of studies and research endeavors has been dedicated to the development and refinement of desalination processes. One of the most promising innovations in this field is Humidification-Dehumidification (HDH) desalination technology. This paper aims to delve into the potential of HDH desalination technology and its integration with another advanced desalination method known as a hybrid system. By combining these two distinct approaches, it becomes possible to not only enhance productivity but also address certain limitations inherent in each technology. In this paper, we provide an overview of various desalination processes, shedding light on their classifications and characteristics. Our primary focus, however, lies in exploring how HDH desalination technology can be effectively harmonized within a hybrid system to maximize efficiency and mitigate shortcomings observed in individual technologies. The integration of HDH with existing desalination methods has demonstrated notable success, as evidenced by numerous research studies in the field. This research underscores the significance of hybridization in advancing HDH sustainability practices within the desalination sector, ultimately contributing to the global effort to combat water scarcity

A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION OF HTR1A GENE EXPRESSION LEVELS IN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS

Objective: This study was conducted to explore the expression levels of HTR1A gene in a sample of Egyptian autistic children. Methods: Thirty autistic patients (18 boys, 12 girls) and 20 controls were enrolled in the study. From each child, we isolated RNA samples from whole blood. Quantitative Real-Time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to measure the gene expressions of HTR1A and normalized to the house keeping gene, beta-actin. Results: The HTR1A gene expression of healthy controls and ASD subjects were varied significantly (p =0.0062). As compared to control healthy subjects, the HTR1A expressions were greatly reduced in samples of ASD. Conclusion: HTR1A gene expression level is a candidate gene for further studies to explore its potential roles in ASD related pathways

A Review of Hybrid Humidification and Dehumidification Desalination Systems

The escalating threat of water scarcity, coupled with the inclusion of numerous countries in the list of water-scarce nations, has elevated the issue of water availability to a paramount concern in today\u27s global landscape. Freshwater sources are becoming increasingly scarce, with their proportional decline steadily progressing. Consequently, a growing number of nations have resorted to the desalination of seawater as a viable solution. In response to this critical need, a surge of studies and research endeavors has been dedicated to the development and refinement of desalination processes. One of the most promising innovations in this field is Humidification-Dehumidification (HDH) desalination technology. This paper aims to delve into the potential of HDH desalination technology and its integration with another advanced desalination method known as a hybrid system. By combining these two distinct approaches, it becomes possible to not only enhance productivity but also address certain limitations inherent in each technology. In this paper, we provide an overview of various desalination processes, shedding light on their classifications and characteristics. Our primary focus, however, lies in exploring how HDH desalination technology can be effectively harmonized within a hybrid system to maximize efficiency and mitigate shortcomings observed in individual technologies. The integration of HDH with existing desalination methods has demonstrated notable success, as evidenced by numerous research studies in the field. This research underscores the significance of hybridization in advancing HDH sustainability practices within the desalination sector, ultimately contributing to the global effort to combat water scarcity

Genetic Basis and Clonal Population Structure of Antibiotic Resistance in Campylobacter jejuni Isolated From Broiler Carcasses in Belgium

Copyright © 2018 Elhadidy, Miller, Arguello, Álvarez-Ordóñez, Duarte, Dierick and Botteldoorn. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.[EN]Human campylobacteriosis is the leading food-borne zoonosis in industrialized countries. This study characterized the clonal population structure, antimicrobial resistance profiles and occurrence of antimicrobial resistance determinants of a set of Campylobacter jejuni strains isolated from broiler carcasses in Belgium. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) against five commonly-used antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, nalidixic acid, tetracycline, gentamicin, and erythromycin) were determined for 204 C. jejuni isolates. More than half of the isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin or nalidixic acid. In contrast, a lower percentage of screened isolates were resistant to gentamicin or erythromycin. C. jejuni isolates resistant to ciprofloxacin and/or nalidixic acid were screened for the substitution T86I in the quinolone resistance determining region (QRDR) of the gyrA gene, while C. jejuni isolates resistant to tetracycline were screened for the presence of the tet(O) gene. These resistance determinants were observed in most but not all resistant isolates. Regarding resistance to erythromycin, different mutations occurred in diverse genetic loci, including mutations in the 23S rRNA gene, the rplD and rplV ribosomal genes, and the intergenic region between cmeR and cmeABC. Interestingly, and contrary to previous reports, the A2075G transition mutation in the 23S rRNA gene was only found in one strain displaying a high level of resistance to erythromycin. Ultimately, molecular typing by multilocus sequence typing revealed that two sequence types (ST-824 and ST-2274) were associated to quinolones resistance by the presence of mutations in the gene gyrA (p = 0.01). In addition, ST-2274 was linked to the CIP-NAL-TET-AMR multidrug resistant phenotype. In contrast, clonal complex CC-45 was linked to increased susceptibility to the tested antibiotics. The results obtained in this study provide better understanding of the phenotypic and the molecular basis of antibiotic resistance in C. jejuni, unraveling some the mechanisms which confer antimicrobial resistance and particular clones associated to the carriage and spread of resistance genes.SIWe would like to thank the Belgian Federal Science Policy (BELSBO) for supporting the post-doctoral fellowship of ME at WIV-ISP. The authors would like to thank Dr. Shannon Manning at the University of Michigan and Dr. Dorota Korsak at the University of Warsaw for providing positive controls for mutations in the 23S rRNA gene. Parts of this work were presented at the Twenty Seventh European conference of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID), April 21-25 2017, Vienna, Austria and the Twenty first Conference on Food Microbiology in Brussels, Belgium, 15-16 September 2016. AA-O acknowledges the financial support by Fundación BBVA and Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (AGL2016-78085-P). HA is a post-doctoral researcher supported by the Juan de la Cierva Post-doctoral Trainee Program of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (FJCI-2014-22877)

High-throughput sequencing reveals genetic determinants associated with antibiotic resistance in Campylobacter spp. from farm-to-fork

[EN]Campylobacter species are one of the most common causative agents of gastroenteritis worldwide. Resistance against quinolone and macrolide antimicrobials, the most commonly used therapeutic options, poses a serious risk for campylobacteriosis treatment. Owing to whole genome sequencing advancements for rapid detection of antimicrobial resistance mechanisms, phenotypic and genotypic resistance trends along the “farm-to-fork” continuum can be determined. Here, we examined the resistance trends in 111 Campylobacter isolates (90 C. jejuni and 21 C. coli) recovered from clinical samples, commercial broiler carcasses and dairy products in Cairo, Egypt. Multidrug resistance (MDR) was observed in 10% of the isolates, mostly from C. coli. The prevalence of MDR was the highest in isolates collected from broiler carcasses (13.3%), followed by clinical isolates (10.5%), and finally isolates from dairy products (4%). The highest proportion of antimicrobial resistance in both species was against quinolones (ciprofloxacin and/or nalidixic acid) (68.4%), followed by tetracycline (51.3%), then erythromycin (12.6%) and aminoglycosides (streptomycin and/or gentamicin) (5.4%). Similar resistance rates were observed for quinolones, tetracycline, and erythromycin among isolates recovered from broiler carcasses and clinical samples highlighting the contribution of food of animal sources to human illness. Significant associations between phenotypic resistance and putative gene mutations was observed, with a high prevalence of the gyrA T86I substitution among quinolone resistant isolates, tet(O), tet (W), and tet(32) among tetracycline resistant isolates, and 23S rRNA A2075G and A2074T mutations among erythromycin resistant isolates. Emergence of resistance was attributed to the dissemination of resistance genes among various lineages, with the dominance of distinctive clones. For example, sub-lineages of CC828 in C. coli and CC21 in C. jejuni and the genetically related clonal complexes ‘CC206 and CC48’ and ‘CC464, CC353, CC354, CC574’, respectively, propagated across different niches sharing semi-homogenous resistance patterns.SIThis work was partially funded by the Zewail City internal research fund (agreement number ZC 004-2019) and joint ASRT-BA research grant (project number 1110) awarded to Dr. Mohamed Elhadidy. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript