Measuring Impact of Air and Agricultural Soil Pollution on Social Development in Saudi Arabia

This research aimed to measure the impact of air and agricultural soil pollution on social development in Saudi Arabia from the period 1995–2019 by using social development indicators, concentrating on the percentages of expenditure on education and health, and the Human Development Index. In addition, this study uses multiple regressions in estimating the model to study the impact of air pollution and agricultural soil on social development. Results of the study showed that a 10% change in the number of chemical fertilizers and pesticides used in Saudi agriculture leads to a change in the total number of inpatients by 0.7% and 0.5%, respectively. It was also found that an increased percentage of health expenditure to total government spending by 10% leads to a decrease in the total number of patients in the hospital by 1.8%. An increase in air pollution, expressed as a 10% increase in CO2 emissions, increases the total number of hospitalized patients by 11.1%.  The increasing total number of patients by 10% leads to a decrease in the total productivity of the worker, as an indicator of 1.8%. Furthermore, a change of 10% in the ratio of education expenditure to total government expenditure leads to a change in the same direction of the Human Development Index by 9.6%. In light of these results, it can be recommended that the country need to reduce air pollution by expanding the use of natural gas in the industrial and transportation sectors, in addition to reducing the use of nitrogenous fertilizers and pesticides in Saudi agriculture through the expansion of clean farming and good agricultural practices

Biogenic silver nanoparticles eradicate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolated from the sputum of COVID-19 patients

In recent investigations, secondary bacterial infections were found to be strongly related to mortality in COVID-19 patients. In addition, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria played an important role in the series of bacterial infections that accompany infection in COVID-19. The objective of the present study was to investigate the ability of biosynthesized silver nanoparticles from strawberries (Fragaria ananassa L.) leaf extract without a chemical catalyst to inhibit Gram-negative P. aeruginosa and Gram-positive Staph aureus isolated from COVID-19 patient’s sputum. A wide range of measurements was performed on the synthesized AgNPs, including UV–vis, SEM, TEM, EDX, DLS, ζ -potential, XRD, and FTIR. UV-Visible spectral showed the absorbance at the wavelength 398 nm with an increase in the color intensity of the mixture after 8 h passed at the time of preparation confirming the high stability of the FA-AgNPs in the dark at room temperature. SEM and TEM measurements confirmed AgNPs with size ranges of ∼40-∼50 nm, whereas the DLS study confirmed their average hydrodynamic size as ∼53 nm. Furthermore, Ag NPs. EDX analysis showed the presence of the following elements: oxygen (40.46%), and silver (59.54%). Biosynthesized FA-AgNPs (ζ = −17.5 ± 3.1 mV) showed concentration-dependent antimicrobial activity for 48 h in both pathogenic strains. MTT tests showed concentration-dependent and line-specific effects of FA-AgNPs on cancer MCF-7 and normal liver WRL-68 cell cultures. According to the results, synthetic FA-AgNPs obtained through an environmentally friendly biological process are inexpensive and may inhibit the growth of bacteria isolated from COVID-19 patients

Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Vertical Transmission in 12-Month-Old Infants Born to HCV-Infected Women and Assessment of Maternal Risk Factors

Background. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an underappreciated cause of pediatric liver disease, most frequently acquired by vertical transmission (VT). Current guidelines that include the option of screening infants for HCV RNA at 1–2 months are based on data prior to current real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based testing. Previous studies have demonstrated VT rates of 4%–15% and an association with high maternal viral load. We evaluated HCV RNA in infants with HCV VT and assessed maternal risk factors in a prospective cohort in Cairo, Egypt

Dyslipidemia in type 1 diabetes mellitus: Relation to diabetes duration, glycemic control, body habitus, dietary intake and other epidemiological risk factors

Background: Diabetes is associated with a high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The classic “diabetic dyslipidemia” is mostly described as hypertriglyceridemia and low levels of HDL-C. Elevated LDL-C is an established risk factor for CVD. Objective: Identify the pattern of dyslipidemia in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus regularly following at Diabetes Endocrine and Metabolism Pediatric Unit (DEMPU) at Children’s Hospital of Cairo University; and to detect its relation to different risk factors. Methods: Sixty children and adolescents with T1DM, (34 males and 26 females, mean age 12.5 ± 2.4 years and mean duration of diabetes 4.3 ± 2.7 years) were evaluated by full history and clinical examination including 3 day dietetic history for analysis, BMI and waist circumference. Records were revised for mean blood glucose and HbA1c. Fasting lipid profile (total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-C and LDL-C) was performed. Thirty-nine healthy age and sex matched children were included as control for lipid profile. Results: Dyslipidemia significantly more frequent among T1DM children and adolescents compared to control subjects (39/60, 65% vs. 11/39, 28.2%, p < 0.001); and the dyslipidemic (39/60) compared to normoalbuminuric (21/60) children had significantly higher mean waist circumference. Both groups were comparable regarding age, age at onset and duration of diabetes, family history of diabetes and CVD, degree of glycemic control and dietary analysis. Conclusion: Dyslipidemia is significantly more frequent in children and adolescents with T1DM compared to non-diabetic peers. The most frequent type of dyslipidemia was high LDL-C and low HDL-C in the dyslipidemic group

Association of CARD10 rs6000782 and TNF rs1799724 variants with paediatric-onset autoimmune hepatitis

Although the pathogenesis of paediatric-onset autoimmune hepatitis (pAIH) remains incompletely understood, genetic variants and environmental factors are known to be involved. Caspase recruitment domain family member 10 (CARD10) is a scaffold protein that participates in a complex pathway activating nuclear factor kappa-B (NFκB) and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). This study aimed to investigate the association of CARD10 rs6000782 (g.37928186A > C) and TNF gene promoter rs1799724 (c.-1037C > T) variants with pAIH susceptibility in a cohort of Egyptian children. The research was also extended to assess the relationship of these variants with levels of NFκB-p65 and TNF-α. Fifty-six pAIH patients and 44 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were included. Variant genotyping was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Serum NFκB-p65 and TNF-α levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). rs6000782 C and rs1799724 T alleles, separate or in combination, were significantly increased in pAIH patients compared to controls. Serum levels of NFκB-p65 and TNF-α were higher in pAIH differentiating both groups. Moreover, the recessive model of rs6000782 revealed a significant association with the levels of both NFκB-p65 and TNF-α. In conclusion, rs6000782 and rs1799724 variants are potential genetic risk factors for pAIH predisposition, with the former affecting NFκB-p65 and TNF-α levels. Overall, the inflammatory cascade was associated with the degree of liver cell destruction. Clinically, screening and genetic counselling are recommended for relatives of pAIH patients. Keywords: Hepatitis, Autoimmune, Variants, Paediatrics, Cytokines, Tumour necrosis facto

Reliability of salivary testosterone measurements in diagnosis of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of a non-invasive method (saliva) for determination of testosterone level in diagnosing cases of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), and comparing it with serum free testosterone. Study design: Prospective clinical controlled trial. Participants and interventions: Fifty women with PCOS and 20 normal women as control group were selected for the study. They all aged between 23 and 35year. For all patients serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) were assessed by chemiluminescent assay. Serum free testosterone (FT) was assayed by radioimmunoassay (RIA) and salivary testosterone (ST) by ELISA technique. BMI was calculated for all participants and transvaginal sonography to determine ovarian morphology and ovarian volume. Results: The present study showed a significant positive correlation between salivary testosterone, as measured by ELISA, and serum free testosterone measured by RIA (p=0.001 and r=0.52). Using the receiver operator curve, salivary testosterone was found to be more sensitive than serum (FT) (84% vs. 66%) in diagnosing PCOS patients. Conclusion: Determination of salivary testosterone is a reliable method to detect changes in the concentration of available biologically active testosterone in the serum. Salivary testosterone provides a sensitive, simple, reliable, non-invasive and uncomplicated diagnostic approach for PCOS

Multiple sclerosis and fecundity: a study of anti-mullerian hormone level in Egyptian patients

Abstract Background Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurological disease that affects people aged 20–40 years on average. It classically affects young females of reproductive age. The prevalence of MS for females to males has increased markedly in recent years (from 2.3 to 3.5:1). Females with MS seem to use infertility treatments more frequently and fecundity could be affected years before making an MS diagnosis. The anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) level is the strongest marker of ovarian reserve. Although recent studies suggest that patients with MS have lower ovarian reserve, there is no definite data to conclude that females with MS suffer from impaired fertility. This study aimed to investigate fertility and fecundity among female patients with MS by assessing AMH level. This study included 100 patients with MS and 60 healthy controls (HC). Both groups were assessed for AMH levels, activities of daily living (ADL) were assessed using the Kurtzke Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and the reproductive history of both groups was assessed via a self-administered questionnaire. Results AMH levels among the HCs (0.34–2 ng/ml with a mean of 1.03 ± 0.41 ng/ml) were significantly higher than in patients with MS (0.15–2 ng/ml with a mean of 0.68 ± 0.31 ng/ml). The use of disease-modifying therapies (DMT) was the only predictor of below normal AMH among patients, but there was no significant correlation with age, duration of disease or type of DMT. Conclusions Levels of AMH were significantly lower in MS patients than in healthy controls

Aberrant p16INK4A methylation: Relation to viral related chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is currently the fifth most common solid tumor worldwide and the third leading cause of cancer related deaths. Several studies have shown that the tumor suppressor gene p16INK4A is frequently downregulated by aberrant methylation of the 5′-cytosine-phosphoguanine island within the promoter region. Aim: To find out the frequency of methylated p16INK4A in the peripheral blood of HCC and cirrhotic patients and to evaluate its role in hepatocarcinogenesis. Patients and Methods: This study was performed on 58 subjects: 30 HCC patients, 20 cirrhotic patients, and eight healthy volunteers. Methylation of p16INK4A was examined using methylation specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (MSP). Comparison of quantitative variables between the study groups was done using Mann-Whitney U test for independent samples when not normally distributed. For comparing categorical data, Chi-square (χ2 ) test was performed. Exact test was used instead when the expected frequency was less than 5. Results: Methylation of p16INK4A was found in 6.7% of HCC patients, 5% of liver cirrhosis (LC) patients, and none of the healthy volunteers; 66.67% of the p16INK4A-methylated cases (2/3) were positive for anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies (one of them had HCC). All HCC cases with aberrant p16INK4A methylation show very high serum alpha fetoprotein (AFP) level (9,080; 30,000 μg/mL). There were no significant associations between the status of p16INK4A methylation and tumor size. Conclusion: Hypermethylation of p16INK4A was found to be infrequent among Egyptian patients with HCC