Immunomodulatory effects of food

There is a strong consensus that nutrition plays a role in modulating immune function and that the immune system needs adequate supply of nutrients to function properly. The complexity of the immune system supports this idea because its optimal functioning involves a variety of biological activities including cell division and proliferation, energy metabolism, and production of proteins. The micronutrients most often cited as being important to immune function include vitamins A, C, E, and B6, folate, iron, zinc, and selenium. Other nutrients mentioned as playing a role in immune function include beta-carotene (a precursor to vitamin A), vitamin B12, and vitamin D. On the other hand, over-activation of the immune system can lead to detrimental effects such as chronic inflammation or autoimmune diseases. In persons with allergies, a normally harmless material can be mistaken as an antigen. Some individuals develop an exaggerated immune response to food through developing food allergy which may be IgE mediated, non-IgE mediated, or mixed. This review will highlight the interaction between the immune system and some foods and food components in terms of modulation of immune functions by a variety of mechanisms.Egypt J Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2011;9(1):3-1

Antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects of Astragalus echinops and Astragalus logopodioides ethanolic extracts on paracetamol-induced liver injury in rats

Background: Paracetamol (PCM) has an adequate safety profile when taken in normal doses. However, it could produce oxidative stress with liver injury when taken in an overdose. Plants of Astragalus genus (F. Fabaceae) are of wide-spread applications. Astragalus echinops (A. echinops) and Astragalus logopodioides (A. logopodioides) were tested for their potential hepatoprotective activities against liver injury induced by PCM in rats.Material and Methods: Seven groups of rats were used for determination of hepatoprotective activities of the extracts. The normal and hepatotoxic control groups received the vehicle while other groups were treated with silymarin (100 mg/ kg), A. echinops (250 and 500 mg/kg) and A. logopodioides (250 and 500 mg/ kg), respectively for seven days. Liver injury was induced on the 5th day by oral dosing of PCM (2g/kg) to all rats except those in normal control group. Moreover, the in vitro antioxidant activities of A. echinops and A. logopodioides extracts were tested using 2,2- diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging.Results: Hepatic enzyme markers as alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and glutamyl transferase and level of total bilirubin were significantly elevated, while total protein and albumin were declined significantly in PCM-exposed animals. The liver antioxidant markers like the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase and the levels of reduced glutathione were significantly declined, while hepatic malondialdehyde levels were significantly increased in PCM alone-treated rats. Administration of A. echinops (250 and 500 mg/kg) and A. logopodioides (500 mg/ kg) extracts prior to PCM, significantly protected against the elevation in the serum activities of hepatic enzymes and bilirubin and reduced oxidative stress. The hepatoprotective effect of both extracts was further confirmed by histological findings in the liver tissue. In addition, both extracts displayed in vitro antioxidant activities in a concentration-dependent way.Conclusion: Our results suggest that both extracts protect the liver against oxidative damage and they could be used as effective hepatoprotectives against PCM induced liver injury.Keywords: Astragalus, Paracetamol, Hepatotoxicity, Hepatoprotective, DPPH, Antioxidan

Current coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) epidemiological, diagnostic and therapeutic approaches

Coronaviruses are a group of enveloped viruses with non-segmented, single-stranded, and positive-sense RNA genomes. In December 2019, an outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), in Wuhan City, China. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus outbreak as a global pandemic in March 2020. Fever, dry cough and fatigue are found in the vast majority of all COVID-19 cases. Early diagnosis, treatment and future prevention are keys to COVID-19 management. Currently, the unmet need to develop cost-effective point-of-contact test kits and efficient laboratory techniques for confirmation of COVID-19 infection has powered a new frontier of diagnostic innovation. No proven effective therapies or vaccines for SARS-CoV-2 currently exist. The rapidly increasing research regarding COVID-19 virology provides a significant number of potential drug targets. Remdesivir may be the most promising therapy up till now. On May 1, 2020, Gilead Sciences, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted emergency use authorization (EUA) for the investigational Remdesivir as a potential antiviral for COVID-19 treatment. On May 7, 2020, Gilead Sciences, announced that the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) has granted regulatory approval of Veklury® (Remdesivir) as a treatment for SARS-CoV-2 infection, the virus that causes COVID-19 acute respiratory syndrome, under an exceptional approval pathway. Also, Corticosteroids are recommended for severe cases only to suppress the immune response and reduce symptoms, but not for mild and moderate patients where they are associated with a high-risk side effect. Based on the currently published evidence, we tried to highlight different diagnostic approaches, side effects and therapeutic agents that could help physicians in the frontlines

The effect of serum angiotensin II and angiotensin II type 1 receptor gene polymorphism on pediatric lupus nephritis

Background: Angiotensin II (Ang II) is found to perpetuate inflammation and visceral damage in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). It mediates most of its actions through Ang II receptor type I (AT1) whose gene polymorphism A1166C (CC genotype) seems to have pathogenic effects. Objective: To measure serum Ang II and the frequency of AT1 receptor CC genotype among a group of Egyptian patients with pediatric onset lupus nephritis (pLN). Methods: This is a case-control cross sectional study which included 24 patients with pLN and 24 age and sex-matched healthy subjects as controls. Clinical evaluation and routine laboratory markers for SLE patients were done. SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) and the British Isles Lupus Assessment Group (BILAG)-2004 renal score were measured. Serum Ang II was measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and detection of ATI receptor CC genotype by polymerase chain reaction were done for both patients and controls. Results: Patients had significantly higher serum Ang II than the controls (p=0.0001). The frequency of AT1 receptor CC genotype was significantly higher among patients as compared to the control group (p=0.008). Both serum Ang II and AT1 receptor CC genotype were comparable between patients with proliferative LN class III and IV and those with LN class II (p>0.05). Serum Ang II did not correlate significantly with SLEDAI or BILAG-renal score (p>0.05). Conclusion: Serum Ang II and AT1 receptor CC genotype seem to have pathogenic role in pLN but with no deleterious effects on the phenotype of LN for further assessment.Keywords: Lupus nephritis; Angiotensin II; Angiotensin II type 1 receptor; Polymorphism; Pediatrics

Anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective potentials of the aerial parts of Silene villosa Caryophyllaceae methanol extract in rats

Purpose: To explore the anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective potentials of Silene villosa Caryophyllaceae methanol extract in rats.Methods: Toxicity of S. villosa extract was evaluated in rats. Inflammation was induced in rats by injection of 0.1 mL carrageenan (1 %) in the left hind paws. Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) was used to induce liver damage. Five groups of rat were used. The 1st (normal control) and 2nd (hepatotoxic) groups received the vehicle. The 3rd, 4th, and 5th groups received silymarin, 250 and 500 mg/kg of S. villosa extract, respectively, for 7 days. Liver injury was induced on the 7th day by intraperitoneal administration of 1 mL/kg of CCl4 to rats in groups 2 - 5.Results: The results showed that S. villosa is safe. It significantly reduced carrageenan-induced edema compared to normal (p < 0.01) and standard (p < 0.01) groups. The extract protected (p < 0.01) rats against the deleterious effect of CCl4. It decreased (p < 0.01) the elevated serum activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), γ-glutamyl transferase (γ-GT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) as well as elevated serum levels of bilirubin (BRN), compared to CCl4 control rats. Reduced activities of the antioxidant enzymes were significantly increased (p < 0.01) in rat liver, compared with CCl4 control group. The results were confirmed by histological findings in rat liver as the extract reduced necrosis and hydropic degeneration of hepatic tissue compared to CCl4 control group.Conclusion: The results suggest that S. villosa possesses anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective activities in rats, and therefore, has therapeutic potentials in humans.Keywords: S. villosa, anti-inflammatory, carrageenan, CCl4, antioxidant, hepatotoxicity

Fabrication and Characterization of Effective Biochar Biosorbent Derived from Agricultural Waste to Remove Cationic Dyes from Wastewater

The main aim of this work is to treat sugarcane bagasse agricultural waste and prepare an efficient, promising, and eco-friendly adsorbent material. Biochar is an example of such a material, and it is an extremely versatile and eco-friendly biosorbent to treat wastewater. Crystal violet (CV)-dye and methylene blue (MB)-dye species are examples of serious organic pollutants. Herein, biochar was prepared firstly from sugarcane bagasse (SCB), and then a biochar biosorbent was synthesized through pyrolysis and surface activation with NaOH. SEM, TEM, FTIR, Raman, surface area, XRD, and EDX were used to characterize the investigated materials. The reuse of such waste materials is considered eco-friendly in nature. After that, the adsorption of MB and CV-species from synthetically prepared wastewater using treated biochar was investigated under various conditions. To demonstrate the study’s effectiveness, it was attempted to achieve optimum effectiveness at an optimum level by working with time, adsorbent dose, dye concentration, NaCl, pH, and temperature. The number of adsorbed dyes reduced as the dye concentrations increased and marginally decreased with NaCl but increased with the adsorbent dosage, pH, and temperature of the solution increased. Furthermore, it climbed for around 15 min before reaching equilibrium, indicating that all pores were almost full. Under the optimum condition, the removal perecentages of both MB and CV-dyes were ≥98%. The obtained equilibrium data was represented by Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. Additionally, the thermodynamic parameters were examined at various temperatures. The results illustrated that the Langmuir isotherm was utilized to explain the experimental adsorption processes with maximum adsorption capacities of MB and CV-dyes were 114.42 and 99.50 mgg$_{−1}$, respectively. The kinetic data were estimated by pseudo-first and pseudo-second-order equations. The best correlation coefficients of the investigated adsorption processes were described by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Finally, the data obtained were compared with some works published during the last four years

ANTIOXIDANT AND HEPATOPROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF ASTRAGALUS ECHINOPS AND ASTRAGALUS LOGOPODIOIDES ETHANOLIC EXTRACTS ON PARACETAMOL-INDUCED LIVER INJURY IN RATS

Background: Paracetamol (PCM) has an adequate safety profile when taken in normal doses. However, it could produce oxidative stress with liver injury when taken in an overdose. Plants of Astragalus genus (F. Fabaceae) are of wide-spread applications. Astragalus echinops (A. echinops) and Astragalus logopodioides (A. logopodioides) were tested for their potential hepatoprotective activities against liver injury induced by PCM in rats. Material and Methods: Seven groups of rats were used for determination of hepatoprotective activities of the extracts. The normal and hepatotoxic control groups received the vehicle while other groups were treated with silymarin (100 mg/ kg), A. echinops (250 and 500 mg/kg) and A. logopodioides (250 and 500 mg/ kg), respectively for seven days. Liver injury was induced on the 5th day by oral dosing of PCM (2g/kg) to all rats except those in normal control group. Moreover, the in vitro antioxidant activities of A. echinops and A. logopodioides extracts were tested using 2,2- diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging. Results: Hepatic enzyme markers as alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and glutamyl transferase and level of total bilirubin were significantly elevated, while total protein and albumin were declined significantly in PCM-exposed animals. The liver antioxidant markers like the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase and the levels of reduced glutathione were significantly declined, while hepatic malondialdehyde levels were significantly increased in PCM alone-treated rats. Administration of A. echinops (250 and 500 mg/kg) and A. logopodioides (500 mg/ kg) extracts prior to PCM, significantly protected against the elevation in the serum activities of hepatic enzymes and bilirubin and reduced oxidative stress. The hepatoprotective effect of both extracts was further confirmed by histological findings in the liver tissue. In addition, both extracts displayed in vitro antioxidant activities in a concentration-dependent way. Conclusion: Our results suggest that both extracts protect the liver against oxidative damage and they could be used as effective hepatoprotectives against PCM induced liver injury

Experimental study of flow characteristics around floodplain single groyne

This study investigated the flow around river’s floodplain single groynes. Two different compound channels with one and two symmetrical floodplains having widths of 1- and 2-times of the main channel width, respectively, were used. Both impermeable and permeable groynes with three different relative lengths (relative to the floodplain width) and having three different permeability values of 40, 60, and 80% were investigated. The 3D flow velocities were measured in the horizontal plane at 0.25 and 0.5 of floodplain water depth (hf), and in the vertical plane at the main channel's centerline. Therefore, the flow velocities in the longitudinal, lateral, and vertical directions, and the flow water surfaces were measured and analyzed. The results showed that, as the groyne permeability increased up to 60%, a reduction of up to 30% to the maximum velocity and 22 % to the tip velocity were observed. The permeable groyne length had limited influence on the flow structure. Both the groyne permeability and the length ratio had significant effects on the floodplain water depth. The scouring and the deposition activities resulting from impermeable groynes can be avoided, should the groyne length be kept below half of the floodplain width

Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London