Assessment of health-related quality of life in patients receiving stem cell therapy for end-stage liver disease: an Egyptian study

INTRODUCTION: This prospective cohort study aimed to assess the influence of stem cell therapy (SCT) on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) by using the SF-36 v2 and to elucidate the influence of objective clinical variables on subjective HRQOL. METHODS: The study included 100 chronic liver disease patients (50 received SCT, and 50 received supportive medical treatment (SMT)). Both groups completed a modified SF-36 v2 form before therapy and at 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-month intervals. Fifty healthy Egyptian volunteers were enrolled in the study and completed the SF-36 v2 form once. RESULTS: Both SCT and SMT groups showed significantly lower pretherapy SF 36 v2 scores compared with healthy volunteers. In SCT-treated patients, limited complications were encountered (SF-36 v2 scores showed significant improvement in all domains throughout the follow-up period) compared with the deterioration shown by SMT patients after therapy. A significant association was detected between SF-36 v2 scores and laboratory data in SCT patients during the first month after therapy. The grade of ascites improved during the follow-up in SCT compared with SMT patients. The mean survival time was 277.56 days (95% CI, 246.217 to 308.903) for SMT and 359.300 days (95% CI, 353.022 to 365.578) for SCT patients (log rank, 0.00). Stem cell-treated patients showed no malignancies. CONCLUSIONS: SCT positively affects health-related quality of life in cirrhosis patients. The survival rate was significantly improved after SCT

Heavy Metals Can either Aid or Oppose the Protective Function of the Placental Barrier

BACKGROUND: In developing countries, toxic heavy metals are a threatening catastrophe to human health, particularly in the vulnerable group of pregnant mothers and their fetuses. Fortunately, the placenta can be a protective barrier to the fetuses. AIM: To explore the relationship between serum lead, cadmium and arsenic levels in pregnant mothers and their newborns, to address the placental barrier in this situation. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 pregnant mothers at the time of labour and their newborns. Serum cadmium, lead, and arsenic levels were measured using the Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. RESULTS: All the studied heavy metals concentrations showed a significant elevation in the maternal blood relative to the cord blood. There was a significant association between the maternal lead and both fetal lead and arsenic. Meanwhile, a negative but insignificant correlation was recorded between the maternal cadmium and each of the fetal cadmium, lead, and arsenic. CONCLUSION: The study findings indicated a weak relation between maternal and fetal blood heavy metals, except for the influence of maternal lead, so it can be assumed that the placental barriers are partially protective against those toxic pollutants, putting into consideration the influence of their different natures

Spirulina Ameliorates Oxidative Damage and Inflammation in Rotenone-Induced Neurotoxicity in Male Mice

Background: Rotenone, a chemical compound produced naturally by leguminous plants, has conventionally been used as a pesticide by blocking the uptake of oxygen by body cells. Our study aimed to investigate the effect of spirulina on oxidative damage, inflammation, and neurotoxicity in male mice treated by rotenone.Methods: The experimental animals were divided into 5 groups. Group (I) served as control that received Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO); Group (II) mice treated with rotenone (1.5 mg/kg, s.c.3 times per week); Group (III) mice received rotenone/L-dopa (25 mg/kg, P.O. daily); Group (IV) and Group (V) mice were treated with rotenone/spirulina (200 and 400 mg/kg, P.O. daily) respectively for two weeks.Results: Rotenone-treated mice indicated impaired motor coordination and activity in wire hanging, wood walking, open field, and stair tests. Furthermore, rotenone treatment caused elevation in striatal levels of Malondialdehyde (MDA), Nitric Oxide (NO), Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF-α), Interleukin -1 beta (IL-1β), and caspase 3 and decrement in Bcl-2; dopamine and Glutathione (GSH) levels. Moreover, severe neuronal degeneration, striatal DNA fragmentation, and increased striatal 8-OHdG levels and MTH1 expression in the rotenone group. Additionally, spirulina treatment prevented rotenone-induced motor deficits striatal DNA fragmentation and demonstrated good restoration of the substantial neurons with reservation of the typical dark appearance. Besides, rotenone-induced biochemical changes were ameliorated by spirulina treatment as dopamine, Bcl-2, and GSH levels were increased, and striatal MDA, TNF-α, IL-1β, and caspase 3 levels were decreased.Conclusion: Natural products like spirulina could reverse rotenone-induced neurotoxicity in male mice due to their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties

(E)-1-(2-Iodo­phen­yl)-2-phenyl­diazene

The mol­ecule of the title compound, C12H9IN2, is approximately planar [maximum deviation = 0.020 (5) Å] with a trans arrangement of the groups around the N=N double bond. This double bond is rotated away from the iodine substiuent

An Investigation of the Sensing Capabilities of Magnetotactic Bacteria

We investigate the sensing capabilities of magnetotactic bacteria (Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense strain MSR1) to MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Cancer cells are allowed to grow inside a capillary tube with depth of 200 μ m and motion of magnetotactic bacteria is investigated under the influence of oxygen gradient and geomagnetic field. The influence of cancer cells is modeled to predict the oxygen gradient within the capillary tube in three-dimensional space. Our experimental motion analysis and count of motile magnetotactic bacteria indicate that they migrate towards less-oxygenated regions within the vicinity of cancer cells. Bands of magnetotactic bacteria with average concentration of 18.8±2.0% are observed in close proximity to MCF-7 cells (h = 20~ μ m), whereas the concentration at proximity of 190~ μ m is 5.0 ± 6.8%

Mercury Materno-fetal Burden and Its Nutritional Impact

BACKGROUND: Mercury exists worldwide in food, water and air throwing its health hazards on all body systems. AIM: To show the influence of the presence of mercury in pregnant mothers’ blood on its level in the umbilical cord blood; and to display the relationship between the different foodstuff on the mercury levels in pregnant mothers' and umbilical cord blood. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on randomly chosen 113 pregnant mothers at the time of labour and on their newborns. Full history, sociodemographic data and food frequency questionnaire for dietary assessment were recorded. The Maternal and neonatal anthropometric measurements together with the Apgar scoring were also measured. Serum mercury levels in both mothers' and umbilical cord blood were measured using the Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). RESULTS: A high percentage of mothers (82.3%) were exposed to passive smoking. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between the maternal and fetal umbilical cord blood mercury levels (p = 0.002). There was an insignificant negative correlation between the maternal blood and fetal umbilical cord blood mercury levels on one side and each of the different foodstuff on the other side (fish, vegetables, fruits and proteins, for example, meat and legumes). An insignificant positive correlation was found between dairy products and of the maternal blood and umbilical cord blood mercury levels. CONCLUSION: The fetal umbilical cord blood mercury levels correlate positively with the maternal blood mercury. The different foodstuff can influence the maternal and umbilical cord blood mercury levels whether by increase or decrease. Strict measures should be taken to decrease environmental mercury contamination with attention to pregnant mothers

Phenotypic effects of mutations observed in the neuraminidase of human origin H5N1 influenza A viruses

Global spread and regional endemicity of H5Nx Goose/Guangdong avian influenza viruses (AIV) pose a continuous threat for poultry production and zoonotic, potentially pre-pandemic, transmission to humans. Little is known about the role of mutations in the viral neuraminidase (NA) that accompanied bird-to-human transmission to support AIV infection of mammals. Here, after detailed analysis of the NA sequence of human H5N1 viruses, we studied the role of A46D, L204M, S319F and S430G mutations in virus fitness in vitro and in vivo. Although H5N1 AIV carrying avian- or human-like NAs had similar replication efficiency in avian cells, human-like NA enhanced virus replication in human airway epithelia. The L204M substitution consistently reduced NA activity of H5N1 and nine other influenza viruses carrying NA of groups 1 and 2, indicating a universal effect. Compared to the avian ancestor, human-like H5N1 virus has less NA incorporated in the virion, reduced levels of viral NA RNA replication and NA expression. We also demonstrate increased accumulation of NA at the plasma membrane, reduced virus release and enhanced cell-to-cell spread. Furthermore, NA mutations increased virus binding to human-type receptors. While not affecting high virulence of H5N1 in chickens, the studied NA mutations modulated virulence and replication of H5N1 AIV in mice and to a lesser extent in ferrets. Together, mutations in the NA of human H5N1 viruses play different roles in infection of mammals without affecting virulence or transmission in chickens. These results are important to understand the genetic determinants for replication of AIV in mammals and should assist in the prediction of AIV with zoonotic potential