Sugar Alcohols Have a Key Role in Pathogenesis of Chronic Liver Disease and Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Whole Blood and Liver Tissues.

The major risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are hepatitis C and B viral infections that proceed to Chronic Liver Disease (CLD). Yet, the early diagnosis and treatment of HCC are challenging because the pathogenesis of HCC is not fully defined. To better understand the onset and development of HCC, untargeted GC-TOF MS metabolomics data were acquired from resected human HCC tissues and their paired non-tumor hepatic tissues (n = 46). Blood samples of the same HCC subjects (n = 23) were compared to CLD (n = 15) and healthy control (n = 15) blood samples. The participants were recruited from the National Liver Institute in Egypt. The GC-TOF MS data yielded 194 structurally annotated compounds. The most strikingly significant alteration was found for the class of sugar alcohols that were up-regulated in blood of HCC patients compared to CLD subjects (p < 2.4 × 10-12) and CLD compared to healthy controls (p = 4.1 × 10-7). In HCC tissues, sugar alcohols were the most significant (p < 1 × 10-6) class differentiating resected HCC tissues from non-malignant hepatic tissues for all HCC patients. Alteration of sugar alcohol levels in liver tissues also defined early-stage HCC from their paired non-malignant hepatic tissues (p = 2.7 × 10-6). In blood, sugar alcohols differentiated HCC from CLD subjects with an ROC-curve of 0.875 compared to 0.685 for the classic HCC biomarker alpha-fetoprotein. Blood sugar alcohol levels steadily increased from healthy controls to CLD to early stages of HCC and finally, to late-stage HCC patients. The increase in sugar alcohol levels indicates a role of aldo-keto reductases in the pathogenesis of HCC, possibly opening novel diagnostic and therapeutic options after in-depth validation

FIRST Framework Design and Facilitate Active Deep Learner eXperience

Over the past decades, Learning & Development has become an area of growing interest and constant research. As a result, there is an abundance of studies and models that target the development of educators. However, the professional development of educators should be built on a comprehensive framework of research-based instructional strategies that help train them on how to understand, experience, practice and leave a sustainable impact on learners. This paper presents our own “FIRST Framework”, a holistic framework designed on the basis of renown models and theories, such as: experiential learning; Gamification and game-based learning; facilitative learning, 6Ds model, positive psychology, experience economy and neuroscience. It is an engaging framework that helps educators bridge theory and practice to create high-quality learning environment in their classrooms. FIRST Framework consists of 5 domains with 15 principles that help leave sustainable impact on learners through promoting Active Deep Learner Experience

Fine Structure of Spermiogenesis in the Tick Amblyomma Hebraeum (Acari: Ixodidae): Late Stages of Differentiation and Structure of the Mature Spermatozoon

Spermatids of Amblyomma hebraeum were examined by light and electron microscopy. These large, elongate, tubular cells are pointed at one end and truncate at the other. Each is composed of an outer sheath and an inner cord. The outer sheath lining and the inner cord surface are composed of cellular processes joined at the truncate end of the sperm cell. The nucleus is in the outer sheath. The semispherical apex of the inner cord is covered by numerous bulbous expansions. The final stage of spermiogenesis is the simultaneous evagination of the inner cord at the pointed end and invagination of the outer sheath at the truncate end of the cell. The mature spermatozoon, ca. 200 μm long and consisting of the inner cord added to the former outer sheath, is clavate anteriorly and caudate posteriorly, where the nucleus is located. The mature spermatozoon contains β-glycogen particles and large peripheral granules. A prominent acrosomal complex associated with the nucleus is observed in the aging spermatozoon. The cellular processes and/or the fibrillar granular cytoplasm may have a role in sperm movemen

Assessment of left atrial function in dilated cardiomyopathy patients using speckle-tracking echocardiography

Background: The available methods to assess left atrial function (LAF) have some limitations as angle dependence and opposite distortion. The objective of the current study was to evaluate LAF in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) of ischemic (IDCM) and non-ischemic etiologies (NIDCM) using speckle tracking echocardiography (STE). Methods: 52 patients with systolic heart failure were included in our study; 27 with IDCM and 25 with NIDCM along with 15 healthy controls. All patients underwent conventional echocardiography, tissue doppler imaging, and speckle tracking echocardiography. The later modality was used to compare left atrial function in IDCM and NIDCM groups. Results: We found the left atrial maximum volume and the left atrial total emptying volume to be higher in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy compared to healthy patients (52.19 ± 6.01 vs.  21.87 ± 1.69 cm3/m2; p <0.001 and 28.67 ± 4.34 vs. 15.67 ± 2.02 cm3/m2, respectively). Conversely, left atrial emptying index and left atrial active ejection fraction were lower in patients with DCM compared to healthy controls (9.60 ± 2.29 vs. 8.27 ± 3.01 cm3/m2; p< 0.001 and 23 ± 2.56 vs. 37.47 ± 3.54 %; p<0.001, respectively). When comparing the IDCM group with NIDCM patients, we found no significant difference in left atrial maximum volume and left atrial active emptying volume. However, the NIDCM patients had significantly lower left atrial total emptying volume, and left atrial active ejection fraction (8.93 ± 1.86 vs. 9.60 ± 2.29 cm3/m2 and 23 ± 2.56 vs. 31.19 ± 1.66 %; p<0.001). on comparing strain function, DCM patients had lower systolic (28.22 ± 3.84 vs. 60.87 ± 3.07 %, p<0.001), and left atrial systolic strain rate (-2.66 ± 0.45 vs. -3.81 ± 0.35; p = 0.003) compared to healthy controls. All strains and strain rates were significantly lower in NIDCM patients compared to IDCM patients.   Conclusion: STE is a promising method for evaluating LAF in DCM patients. Patients with DCM had significantly lower left atrial systolic and late diastolic strains and strain rates compared to healthy patients. Moreover, NIDCM could be differentiated from IDCM by having more impairment in the LA dynamic reservoir and booster pump function

Performance of Retrieval Information System For Medical Images

Problem statement : In this article the principles of building knowledge and retrieval information system will be applied to medical images in some studied hospital. Since there is a huge number of medical images this system will organizes and manages the operation of retrieving and displaying such images to the persons who need such images in short time and in high quality services. Approach : From relevance assessments we can compute measures of retrieval performance such as: Recall (R), discrimination DC, and Precision. Results: both recall and precision of the system are linearly depend on relevant items correctly retrieved. Conclusion : Number of retrieved images from huge total number of medical images in some hospital determine the systems' recall, discrimination, and precision of the retrieval information system

Impact of Partial Update on Denoising Algorithms of ECG Signals

This work aims to propose and study the effects of partial update procedure on various ECG denoising algorithms. The partial update algorithms are applied to overcome different types of noises such as Power-Line Interference (PLI), Baseline Wander (BW), Electrode Motion artifacts (EM) and Muscle Artifacts (MA). The impact of partial update (PU) on multiple algorithms and spatially adaptive filters and multi-layer Neural Network (NN) are studied and demonstrated. The performance of different algorithms are evaluated by measuring the Signalto-Noise Ratio after cancellation (Post-SNR), the Mean Square Error (MSE) and the Percent Root Mean Square Difference (PRD%)