Serological, hematological, Biochemical and Oxidative Markers During Foot and Mouth Disease Serotype ‘O’ Infection, Egypt

Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is an extremely grave communicable disease of livestock. It affects all wild and domestic animals with cloven hoof. It is caused by Aphtho virus (Apthous fever) or (FMDV) foot and mouth disease virus which is originated from family Picornaviridae. 30 adult female water buffaloes, 3-5 years old infected with FMD serotypes, O. These animals were located at Sharkia governorate, Egypt during the period beetwen December 2014 to March 2015. Hematological findings showed no significant change in erythrogram and reduction in total leukocytes in the early stage of FMDV infection. Moreover development of macrocytic normochromic anemia and increase in total leukocytes and lymphocytic counts was reported in the late stage of infection. A significant decrease in cholesterol , progesterone , total proteins, albumin , globulins, calcium and sodium levels in infected groups, while a significant increase in serum activities of ALT ,AST, glucose, total, direct ,indirect bilirubine, phosphorous potassium, NO. MDA, CK-MB, LDH and CTNI. Without alterations in creatinine level

Platelet derived growth factor regulates ABCA1 expression in vascular smooth muscle cells

AbstractThe ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) regulates lipid efflux from peripheral cells to High-density lipoprotein. The platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is a potent mitogen that enables vascular smooth muscle cells to participate in atherosclerosis. In this report, we showed that PDGF suppressed endogenous expression of ABCA1 in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells. Exposure of CRL-208 cells to PDGF elicited a rapid phosphorylation of a kinase downstream from PI3-K, Akt. The constitutively active form of both p110, a subunit of PI3-K, and Akt inhibited activity of the ABCA1 promoter. In conclusion, PI3-K-Akt pathways participate in PDGF-suppression of ABCA1 expression

Groove pancreatitis: Imaging features and management

The aim of this retrospective study was to highlight the imaging findings of groove pancreatitis (GP) as well as its management. Patients and methods: 16 patients diagnosed to have GP were enrolled in this work. The included patients had complete records of the thorough clinical examination and laboratory workup. All patients had been examined by multi-phase contrast enhanced MDCT tailored for pancreatic imaging. Six of these patients were additionally examined by MRI including MRCP., Results: MDCT Multiple detector computed tomography of the 16 patients revealedthe following: (1) a hypodense sheet in the pancreaticoduodenal (PD) groove seen in 12 patients with mild enhancement in the delayed phase seen in 6 of the them; (2) Duodenal wall thickening was seen in 10 patients while (3) associated cysts within the duodenal wall or in PD groove were seen in 6 patients; (4) and pancreatic head enlargement in 8 patients. MRI of Six patients revealedthe following: (1) a T1 hypointense and T2 iso to hyperintense sheet at the PD groove in 4 patients with delayed enhancement in 3 of them; (2) Duodenal wall thickening with T2 high signal was seen in 6 patients while associated cysts within the duodenal wall were seen in 4 patients; (3) Pancreatic head enlargement seen in 4 patients; The MRCP of these patients showed dilated CBD with distal tapering and a distance separating its end from the duodenal wall. Conclusion: GP is a disease that should be considered in the list of differential diagnosis of masses implicating the pancreatic head and medial duodenal wall. Imaging findings that are suggestive of GP include chronic inflammatory changes with fibrosis in the PD groove with or without implication of the nearby head of the pancreas, duodenal medial mural thickening with luminal stenosis and cysts at the PD groove or within the duodenal wall. Vascular invasion is a sign against diagnosis of GP

Impact of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC)’s multidimensional approach on rates of ventilator-associated pneumonia in intensive care units in 22 hospitals of 14 cities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

To analyze the impact of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) Multidimensional Approach (IMA) and use of INICC Surveillance Online System (ISOS) on ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) rates in Saudi Arabia from September 2013 to February 2017. A multicenter, prospective, before–after surveillance study on 14,961 patients in 37 intensive care units (ICUs) of 22 hospitals. During baseline, we performed outcome surveillance of VAP applying the definitions of the CDC/NHSN. During intervention, we implemented the IMA and the ISOS, which included: (1) a bundle of infection prevention practice interventions, (2) education, (3) outcome surveillance, (4) process surveillance, (5) feedback on VAP rates and consequences and (6) performance feedback of process surveillance. Bivariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed using generalized linear mixed models to estimate the effect of intervention. The baseline rate of 7.84 VAPs per 1000 mechanical-ventilator (MV)-days―with 20,927 MV-days and 164 VAPs―, was reduced to 4.74 VAPs per 1000 MV-days―with 118,929 MV-days and 771 VAPs―, accounting for a 39% rate reduction (IDR 0.61; 95% CI 0.5–0.7; P 0.001). Implementing the IMA was associated with significant reductions in VAP rates in ICUs of Saudi Arabia