Medical prospects of cryptosporidiosis in vivo control using biofabricated nanoparticles loaded with Cinnamomum camphora extracts by Ulva fasciata

Background and Aim: Global efforts are continuing to develop preparations against cryptosporidiosis. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of biosynthesized Ulva fasciata loading Cinnamomum camphora oil extract on new zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs shorten to ZnNPs) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) as alternative treatments for Cryptosporidium parvum experimental infection in rats. Materials and Methods: Oil extract was characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, loaded by U. fasciata on ionic-based ZnO and NPs, and then characterized by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Biosafety and toxicity were investigated by skin tests. A total of 105 C. parvum oocysts/rat were used (n = 81, 2–3 W, 80–120 g, 9 male rats/group). Oocysts shedding was counted for 21 d. Doses of each preparation in addition to reference drug were administered daily for 7 d, starting on post-infection (PI) day (3). Nitazoxanide (100 mg) was used as the reference drug. After 3 weeks, the rats were sacrificed for postmortem examination and histopathological examination. Two blood samples/rat/group were collected on the 21st day. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid blood samples were also used for analysis of biochemistry, hematology, immunology, micronucleus prevalence, and chromosomal abnormalities. Results: C. camphora leaves yielded 28.5 ± 0.3 g/kg oil and 20 phycocompounds were identified. Spherical and rod-shaped particles were detected at 10.47–30.98 nm and 18.83–38.39 nm, respectively. ZnNPs showed the earliest anti-cryptosporidiosis effect during 7–17 d PI. Other hematological, biochemical, immunological, histological, and genotoxicity parameters were significantly fruitful; hence, normalized pathological changes induced by infestation were observed in the NPs treatments groups against the infestation-free and Nitazoxanide treated group. Conclusion: C. camphora, U. fasciata, ZnNPs, and AgNPs have refluxed the pathological effects of infection as well as positively improved host physiological condition by its anticryptosporidial immunostimulant regenerative effects with sufficient ecofriendly properties to be proposed as an alternative to traditional drugs, especially in individuals with medical reactions against chemical commercial drugs

Text Mining for Precision Medicine : Natural Language Processing, Machine Learning and Information Extraction for Knowledge Discovery in the Health Domain

In recent years, the Precision Medicine paradigm has emerged to compensate for the shortcomings of the traditional 'one-size-fits-all' approach that has dominated the medical practice for so long. It aims at developing more precise and tailored plans for patients starting from screening and diagnosing to treatment and interventions. Turning the Precision Medicine dream into a clinical reality requires the integration of different sources of data such as scientific literature, electronic health records, and structured databases through the means of Text Mining, Information Extraction, and Machine learning. This dissertation investigates, in specific, the role of Biomedical Natural Language Processing in the Precision Medicine revolution. The potential benefit of extracting valuable information from existing unstructured data improves the understanding of the field and contributes to better health care. This research focuses on two main aspects: proving the efficacy of Precision Medicine and advancing its integration into practice. To explore both aspects, this dissertation employs and extends methods and techniques such as automatic curation, ontology reuse ,and natural language inference

Text Mining for Precision Medicine : Natural Language Processing, Machine Learning and Information Extraction for Knowledge Discovery in the Health Domain

In recent years, the Precision Medicine paradigm has emerged to compensate for the shortcomings of the traditional 'one-size-fits-all' approach that has dominated the medical practice for so long. It aims at developing more precise and tailored plans for patients starting from screening and diagnosing to treatment and interventions. Turning the Precision Medicine dream into a clinical reality requires the integration of different sources of data such as scientific literature, electronic health records, and structured databases through the means of Text Mining, Information Extraction, and Machine learning. This dissertation investigates, in specific, the role of Biomedical Natural Language Processing in the Precision Medicine revolution. The potential benefit of extracting valuable information from existing unstructured data improves the understanding of the field and contributes to better health care. This research focuses on two main aspects: proving the efficacy of Precision Medicine and advancing its integration into practice. To explore both aspects, this dissertation employs and extends methods and techniques such as automatic curation, ontology reuse ,and natural language inference

Demographic, clinical and radiological characteristics of seronegative spondyloarthritis Egyptian patients: A rheumatology clinic experience in Mansoura

Introduction: Seronegative spondyloarthritis (SpA) is a group of chronic potentially disabling diseases that affect mainly axial joints in addition to extra-articular manifestations such as enthesitis, dactylitis and uveitis. Aim of the work: To assess the demographic features, clinical manifestations and radiological findings of SpA in Egyptian patients. Patients and methods: Fifty-three SpA patients were recruited from the Rheumatology and Immunology Unit of Mansoura University Hospital. Demographic, clinical and therapeutic data were collected. Skin was carefully assessed for psoriasis. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured. All patients were evaluated by conventional radiographs of hands, knees, ankles, sacroiliac joints (SIJ) and lumbosacral spines in addition to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the SIJs. Results: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) was the most prevalent (55%) followed by psoriatic arthritis (PsA) (38%) and 2 patients had enteropathic arthritis, one had reactive arthritis and another had undifferentiated SpA. The mean age of the patients was 39 ± 10.8 years; disease duration was 10 ± 3.5 years with a male predominance (58%). Inflammatory low back pain was present in all the patients and 77.4% had both axial and peripheral arthritis. Extra-articular manifestations as enthesitis, bursitis and dactylitis were detected in only 9.4% of patients. Sacroiliitis was detected in 81.1% of patients using conventional radiographs. MRI detected bone marrow edema in 9.4%, narrowing in 11.3%, sclerosis in 17% and ankylosis in 52.8%. Conclusion: The demographic, clinical and radiological characteristics of Egyptian SpA patients are comparable to those from other countries except for the lower prevalence of extra-articular manifestations

Utility of anti-carbamylated protein antibodies in the diagnosis of early rheumatoid arthritis

Background: Anti-carbamylated protein (anti-CarP) antibodies are present in patients with Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and may present before disease onset. Our aim is to investigate the diagnostic value of anti-CarP antibody in Egyptian RA patients. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 96 RA patients (56 patients with early disease and 40 patients with established disease) and 60 healthy controls. Demographic and clinical data, smoking status, and disease activity score were recorded. Laboratory tests included erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, rheumatoid factor, anti-citrullinated protein antibodies, and anti-CarP antibody. Results: Anti-CarP antibody levels in RA patients were significantly higher than in controls (8.80 ± 5.95 vs. 2.19 ± 1.01, P < 0.0001). Out of 96 RA patients; 74 (77.1%) were positive for anti -CarP anti body including 47patients with early RA while only 5 subjects (8.3%) in control group were positive. Receiver-operating characteristic curve study for diagnostic efficacy of anti-CarP antibody in early RA diagnosis demonstrated a significant area under the curve, 0.950 (95% confidence interval, 0.912–0.987, P < 0.0001) and yielded a sensitivity of 85.4%, a specificity of 93.3%, a positive predictive value of 0.90, and a negative predictive value of 0.86. Conclusion: Anti-CarP antibody is a useful biomarker for early RA diagnosis

Maintenance of Antibody Response in Egyptian Healthcare Workers Vaccinated with ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 Vaccine during Delta and Omicron Variants Pandemic: A Prospective Study

Background: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a constantly evolving virus, resulting in an increased burden on the existing COVID-19 vaccines. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are the first line of defense against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and have been prioritized among the risk categories receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. This work aimed to investigate the maintenance of antibody response of the Oxford&ndash;AstraZeneca vaccine (ChAdOx1/nCoV-19). Methods: Anti-spike immunoglobulin G (IgG) was measured at baseline point (immediately prior to vaccination) and 12- and 24-week (w) points following vaccination. Adverse reactions to the vaccine were reported. Participants were followed up for the incidence of COVID-19 during the 12 w interval between vaccination doses for 24 w after the second dose. Results: A total of 255 HCWs participated in the study. Prior to vaccination, 54.1% experienced COVID-19, 88.2% were seropositive after the first dose, while seropositivity reached 95.7% after the second dose. Following the first and second doses, the anti-spike IgG serum level was significantly higher in subjects with past COVID-19 than in others (p &lt; 0.001 and =0.001, respectively). Conclusions: The Oxford&ndash;AstraZeneca vaccine is generally safe and provides a highly effective long-term humoral immune response against the Delta and Omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2

Fragmented QRS complex, highly sensitive CRP, and fibrinogen in early detection of asymptomatic cardiac involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract Background Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have an increased risk of developing cardiovascular illnesses. Asymptomatic affection might exist, so early diagnosis can improve the outcome. Aim The purpose of this study was to determine the importance of highly sensitive C-reactive protein, fragmented QRS, and fibrinogen levels in identifying subclinical cardiac involvement in SLE patients, as well as how these variables relate to disease activity. Results Regarding hs-CRP and fibrinogen, there were significant differences between the SLE and control group, with a higher frequency of fQRS in the lupus group. The lupus group was divided into 2 subgroups: 44 patients with fragmented QRS in ECG (83%) and 9 patients with normal QRS (17%) with a higher mean value of hs-CRP and fibrinogen level (58.76 ± 70.15, 18.54 ± 26.79) and low HDL (53.37 ± 10.37) in those with fQRS ( +). The sensitivity and specificity of hs-CRP at a cut of level (3.5 mg/L) for fQRS in SLE patients were 75.5%, and 71.7%, respectively. Regression analysis showed hs-CRP and were significant predictors for fQRS changes in SLE patients. Conclusions A more thorough evaluation of SLE patients with fQRS complexes with hs-CRP and fibrinogen is important with close follow-up for the detection of subclinical cardiac involvement in SLE. Also, SLE activity is linked to fQRS and fibrinogen. Therefore, we advise using them for additional medical care for lupus