Impacts of designed vanillic acid-polymer-magnetic iron oxide nanocomposite on breast cancer cells.

The engineered nano-vehicle was constructed using magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MIONs) and chitosan (CTS) to stabilize anticancer agent vanillic acid (VNA) which was loaded on CTS-coated MIONs nanocarrier, and more importantly, to achieve sustained VNA release and subsequent proper anticancer activity. The new thermally stable VNA-CTS- MIONs nanocomposite was spherical with a middle diameter of 6 nm and had a high drug loading of about 11.8 %. The MIONs and resulting nanocomposite were composed of pure magnetite and therefore, were superparamagnetic with saturation magnetizations of 53.3 and 45.7 emu.g-1, respectively. The release profiles of VNA from VNA-CTS-MIONs nanocomposite in different pH values were sustained and showed controlled pH-responsive delivery of the loaded VNA with 89 % and 74 % percentage release within 2354 and 4046 min at pH 5 and 7.4, respectively, as well as were in accordance with the pseudo-second-order model. The VNA-CTS-MIONs nanocomposite treatment at diverse concentrations remarkably decreased the viability and promoted ROS accumulation and apoptosis in the MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Hence, it can be a propitious candidate for the management of breast cancer in the future.

Diagnosis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease by Abdominal Ultrasound and Color Doppler Techniques.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The utility of ultrasound and color Doppler in the diagnosis and evaluation of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) has not been studied enough. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to evaluate the importance of conventional abdominal ultrasound and color Doppler in diagnosing IBD and assessing disease activity. METHODS: The study was conducted at the National Hepatology and Tropical Medicine Research Institute (NHTMRI) between July 2018 and January 2019, in which 150 patients were suffering from diarrhea, dysentery, tenesmus, or rectal bleeding were evaluated by colonoscopy, high-resolution ultrasound, and color Doppler scans. RESULTS: The present study was conducted on 150 patients; 84 (56%) had ulcerative colitis (UC), 16 (10.7%) had Crohn's disease (CD), and 50 (33.3%) had normal colonoscopy results with a mean age 37.2 ± 9.059. The superior mesenteric Artery Peak Systolic Velocity (SMA-PSV) and End Diastolic Velocity (EDV) were significantly higher in both UC and CD than in the control group; however, pulsatility index (PI) was significantly higher in the control group than both UC and CD. However, there was no significant difference between UC and CD. The inferior mesenteric artery PSV and EDV were significantly higher in both UC and CD than in the control group. CONCLUSION: Doppler ultrasound findings of SMA and IMA correlate with the incidence of inflammatory bowel disease, the site of disease, and its activity.

Adhesive precoated bracket systems and operator coated bracket systems: Is there any difference? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether adhesive precoated brackets (APC) are more efficient than operator-coated brackets (OPC) regarding failure rate, bonding time, patient experience, gingival health, plaque accumulation, and white spot lesion formation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five online databases: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Scopus, PubMed, MEDLINE, and Web of Science were searched for potential eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs). A Google Scholar and gray literature search was undertaken. References of included studies were screened for potential eligible studies. Results were collated from each database and modified Cochrane data extraction forms were completed. Quality assessment was performed using Cochrane RoB 2.0 tool for RCTs. RESULTS: Five studies met the inclusion criteria. All reported failure rates using metal brackets for both APC and OPC systems except one that compared clear APC to clear OPC. Three studies reported bonding time differences between the bracket systems. A quantitative synthesis of four studies reporting failure and three reporting bonding time was undertaken. Random effect meta-analysis determined there were no statistically significant differences in bond failures between bracket systems with an odds ratio of 0.890 (P = .808). Bonding time showed a statistically significant (P = .01) but not clinically significant shorter bonding time with OPC. There was insufficient evidence to assess plaque accumulation, gingival health, and either patient or operator experience. CONCLUSIONS: There is no superiority of either bracket system regarding failure rate. OPC are statistically significantly superior over APC in bonding time although this is most likely not clinically significant.

Influence of tumor necrosis factor alpha gene promoter polymorphisms and its serum level on migraine susceptibility in Egyptian patients.

BACKGROUND: Migraine is a common chronic neurological disorder with still largely unknown pathogenesis. We aimed to explore the possible role of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) gene polymorphisms as risk factors of migraine, and whether they influence the TNF-α level. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred patients with migraine and 200 controls were enrolled in this study. Polymorphisms of TNF-α gene were detected using polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Serum TNF-α level was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: TNF-α-308 GA, AA genotypes and A allele, TNF-α-857 CT genotype and T allele were associated with increased risk of migraine, while the TNF-α-238 polymorphism was not. TNF-α-308 GA, AA genotypes and A allele or AA genotype were associated with increased risk of migraine with aura (MA) and migraine without aura (MO) respectively; this was more significant in female patients with MA than in males. TNF-α-857 CT genotype was associated with increased risk of MO, or MA in females or males. While -857T allele was significantly associated with MO or MA in males and with MA only in females. On the other hand, we didn't find any significant associations of TNF-α-238 polymorphism with MO, or MA in males or females. TNF-α levels were higher in patients with migraine, MA, or MO than in controls (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: TNF-α polymorphisms were associated with migraine, MA, or MO in Egyptians.

Central corneal pachymetry in Yemeni patients undergoing refractive surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the preoperative central corneal thickness (CCT) of myopic and/or astigmatism patients presenting for refractive surgery in a tertiary hospital in Yemen. METHODS: In this hospital-based cross-sectional study, 2,304 subjects aged 18-50 years with myopia and myopic astigmatism who presented to the refractive surgery unit were recruited. Data for the current study was collected from our electronic pool of patients presenting to the refractive surgery clinics in Yemen Magrabi Hospital, Sana`a, Yemen, between January 2006 and December 2008. The inclusion criteria were absence of corneal or anterior segment disease, glaucoma, and any ocular surgery. Central corneal thickness was assessed by ultrasound pachymetry. Data from the right eye only was analyzed. RESULTS: All patients were Yemeni citizens, where the majority (1248; 54.2%) were women with a mean (+/-SD) age of 26.74 (+/-6.1), range 18-50 years. The mean (+/-SD) CCT was 521.7 (+/-31.62), range 432-643 um. The measured CCT was independent of gender (p=0.567) and did not differ between both eyes (p=0.371). Corneal thickness increased with age, correlated to vision (p=0.027), keratometric readings (K1 , K2) (p<0.001 for both), and increased with the increase in severity of myopia (p=0.026). CONCLUSION: Yemeni patients have thinner CCT compared to other populations. Refractive surgeons should be careful in choosing the suitable procedures. The available cornea for ablation in Laser-Assisted in situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) is very limited. Possible alternative treatments; namely photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and phakic intraocular lens implantation options should be discussed with patients prior to surgery.

Role of virtual bronchoscopy in the evaluation of bronchial lesions.

BACKGROUND: Virtual bronchoscopy (VB) is a type of 3-dimensional reconstruction in which the observation point is placed within the airway to produce an endoscopiclike view. AIM: To evaluate the diagnostic role of VB in the diagnosis of tracheobronchial lesions, as compared to fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB). SUBJECTS: Fifty patients with tracheobronchial lesions were enrolled (30 patients with bronchogenic carcinomas and 20 patients with tracheobronchial inflammatory lesions). METHODS: The patients were examined using VB and FOB. Virtual bronchoscopic studies were calculated and reconstructed from cross-sectional images obtained from spiral computed tomographic examination of the chest. RESULTS: Virtual bronchoscopy provided an excellent overview of the trachea, main stem, and lobar bronchi up to the fourth order. The data obtained by VB and FOB (signs of tumor infiltration including endobronchial mass, stenosis, obstruction, and external indentations) were comparable. However, FOB had the advantage of giving direct cues to color, vascularity, and motility. It also detected early tumor infiltration by picking up subtle mucosal changes. Alternatively, VB was superior in bypassing any obstruction and therefore provided an excellent view distal to the obstructive lesions or stenotic segments. Virtual bronchoscopy also defined the optimum pathway for passing instruments into lesions beyond the field of view. CONCLUSIONS: Here, we compared the diagnostic capacities of both VB and FOB. The interventional and therapeutic ramifications of our findings await further investigations.

Assessment of hand washing facilities, personal hygiene and the bacteriological quality of hand washes in some grocery and dairy shops in alexandria, egypt.

UNLABELLED: Food produced with satisfactory hygienic standards is one of the essential conditions for promoting and preserving health. A total of 15 grocery and dairy shops were randomly selected from Alexandria, Egypt to assess their hand washing facilities and personal hygiene of food handlers using a pre-designed sanitation checklist. Also the bacteriological profile of the handlers' hand washes was determined. Only 20% of these shops were acceptable concerning their hand washing facilities ((3) 50% score percentages). Observing 29 food handlers revealed that only 3.4% of them were acceptable in their personal hygiene with a mean score percentage of only 31.0 +/- 9.2. Although the hand washing method followed by the food handlers significantly decreased both aerobic mesophilic and staphylococci counts, they were still high. Moreover, fecal coliforms increased insignificantly from 5 to 7 MPN/100ml indicating that the hand washing was improperly done due several pitfalls. Most of the handlers who washed their hands for less than 10 seconds (41.4%) had higher counts of aerobic mesophiles and staphylococci than those who washed for more 10 seconds. Most of the handlers (93.1%) did not avoid contamination from the tap after hand washing. Moreover, their hand washes were contaminated with fecal coliforms (8 MPN/100ml) and with slightly higher staphylococci counts than those who avoid contamination either by rinsing a tap or closing it by elbow. RECOMMENDATIONS: Much effort should be done from the responsible authority to improve the sanitation inside these shops and food handlers should be given in-service training to know how to efficiently wash their hands.

Food Safety Knowledge and Practices among Women Working in Alexandria University, Egypt.

UNLABELLED: Ensuring food safety at the household level is well accepted and an understanding of the status of the food handling knowledge and practices is needed. Food safety knowledge and practices of 270 women working in six faculties and institutions of Alexandria University were assessed using a questionnaire including data on personal characteristics, previous attack of prominent food poisoning, and four parameters of food safety knowledge and practices. The highest percentage of food poisoning cases (46.8%) was belonging to staff members and 39.7% were in the age group <10 years. Half of the cases resulted from eating outside home compared to 16.7% from eating at home. The mean score percentage of the total safety Knowledge of the sample was 67.4 compared to 72.0 for their safety practices. The highest Knowledge score was in personal hygiene (73.8) while the highest practice score was in cooking (77.5). The lowest Knowledge score was in food preparation (59.8) whereas the lowest practice was in purchasing and storage (62.7). The highest mean scores percentages of the total food safety knowledge and its four associated parameters were among staff members with significant differences among different jobs except in food preparation. The highest scores of the total food safety practices and their parameters were among clerks except in practicing safe purchasing and storage where the highest mean score was among staff members (66.5+/- 12.8) with significant differences among jobs except in practicing personal hygiene. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS: The study showed inadequate safety Knowledge and practices among all job categories. The inconsistencies between Knowledge and practices emphasize the need for implementing repeated food safety education programs.

Comparison of immediate and mid-term results of mitral balloon valvotomy in children and adolescents with those in adults.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: The study aim was to evaluate and compare the hemodynamic benefits of mitral balloon valvotomy (MBV) in young (child/adolescent) and older (adult) patients with severe mitral stenosis. METHODS: The younger group comprised 61 patients (mean age 17 +/- 3 years), and the older group 264 patients (mean age 35 +/- 10 years). All patients underwent MBV using an Inoue balloon to treat symptomatic and severe mitral stenosis. The long-term follow up of both groups was monitored on a comparative basis. RESULTS: The success rate of MBV was similar in both groups (95% in younger patients, 96% in older patients) (p = 0.36). Mitral valve area (MVA) was increased from 0.8 +/- 0.2 to 2.0 +/- 0.3 cm2 in the younger group, and from 0.8 +/- 0.3 to 1.9 +/- 0.3 cm2 in the older group. The mean mitral valve gradient was decreased significantly both in the younger group (from 13 +/- 5 to 5 +/- 2 mmHg) and older group (from 12 +/- 5 to 5 +/- 3 mmHg) (p < 0.001). Both groups had similar MVA and mean gradient at baseline and follow up. At follow up (mean 37 +/- 27 months), MVA monitored by Doppler echocardiography remained at 1.7 +/- 0.4 and 1.6 +/- 0.4 cm2 (p = 0.08). Similarly, the mitral valve mean gradient remained stable (p = 0.92). Severe mitral regurgitation developed in one younger patient, and in seven older patients (p = 0.66). Two cases of tamponade occurred in each group, and one older patient suffered a transient stroke. There was no mortality in either group. CONCLUSION: In patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis, the outcome of MBV in children and adolescents was at least comparable with that in adults. In addition, the benefits were similar in each age group on completion of follow up.

Vegetable-transmitted parasites among inhabitants of El-Prince, Alexandria and its relation to housewives' knowledge and practices.

In the present study, stool samples were obtained from 575 individuals from El-Prince, a suburban village of Alexandria, Egypt to detect helminthic eggs and protozoan cysts. The results showed that, 35.7% of the sample had at least one vegetable-transmitted parasite, the highest percentage (46.4%) was in the age group of 6 to less than 15 years. The nematode Ascaris lumbricoides was the most prevalent in 18.4%, followed by the protozoan Giardia lamblia in 10.4%. Fasciola eggs were found in 2.4% of samples. Knowledge and practices of housewives concerning Fasciola and its source of transmission and methods of washing leafy vegetables was obtained through house-to-house interviews with 303 housewives. Knowledge that leafy vegetables were a source of Fasciola infection was indirectly proportional with better in younger housewives and those of secondary or higher education. More than half of the interviewed housewives (57.7%) washed leafy vegetables under running tap water and 32.7% soaked them in tap water. Only 9.6% soaked them in water mixed with a substance as vinegar, lemon juice or common salt. Only 5% of those who were infected with vegetable transmitted parasites washed vegetables by soaking in water with an added substance compared to 19.6% of parasite free housewives. Most of those adding a substance to soaking water (89.7%) used vinegar. Results of the study revealed that a serious and consistent effort through public health activities is essential to educate housewives about vegetable-transmitted parasites, their transmission and ways of prevention.

Detection of coagulase positive staphylococci in meat products sold in Alexandria using two different media.

Microbiological examination of 200 meat products collected from 30 supermarkets in Alexandria revealed that CHROMagar Staph aureus yielded higher counts than Baird Parker medium that were significant in all examined products except sausage. The prevalence of coagulase positive staphylococci was 4%, moreover, CHROMagar Staph aureus showed higher recovery rate and specificity (87.5% and 98.9%; respectively) than Baird Parker medium (50.0% and 15.6%; respectively) during their detection. Sanitary evaluation of the supermarkets revealed that all of them were acceptable regarding prevention of bacterial growth parameter, although their mean score was only 55%. Avoidance of contamination parameter had the lowest mean score percent (15.6 +/- 27.3) with only about seven percent of the inspected supermarkets being acceptable. Although all recruited food handlers were apparently healthy, in few supermarkets, handlers were wearing clean light colored uniform (6.7%) and gloves (3.3%). Despite the presence of hand washing basins in all supermarkets, few of them were provided with hot water (6.7%) and detergents were available in 30% of them. Improvement of the sanitary conditions under which meat products are handled in the supermarkets is a must, also, improving the selectivity of CHROMagar Staph aureus in addition to both specificity and recovery rates of Baird Parker medium is recommended.

Immediate and midterm outcome of balloon mitral valvotomy in children and adolescents.

BACKGROUND: The midterm and long term results of balloon mitral valvotomy (BMV) have not been well characterized, particularly in those below the age of 20 years. AIM: The present study evaluated the hemodynamic benefits, safety and efficacy, as well as the midterm follow-up results, of Inoue BMV in children and adolescents less than 20 years of age who have severe mitral stenosis. PATIENTS: Sixty-one patients younger than 20 years of age underwent BMV between December 1989 and May 1998. METHODS: All patients underwent BMV using the Inoue balloon for symptomatic severe mitral stenosis with a mitral valve area less than 1.2 cm2. Cardiac hemodynamics were acquired before and immediately after BMV. In addition, Doppler echocardiography measurements were obtained during follow-up. RESULTS: The procedure was successful in 59 patients (96.7%). There were no deaths during the procedure or during follow-up. The mean Boston Mitral Echo score was 7.4 1.4. Mitral valve area on cardiac catheterization increased from 0.8 0.3 to 1.9 0.6 cm2 (P<0.001), and the mean mitral valve gradient decreased from 16.9 5 to 5.8 2.8 mmHg (P<0.001). Severe mitral regurgitation developed in one patient (1.6%) and cardiac tamponade developed in two. At a mean follow-up of 36.9 27 months (range 12 to 84 months), mitral valve area by Doppler echocardiography remained at 1.7 0.4 cm2 and the mean mitral valve gradient by Doppler echocardiography was 6 2 mmHg. CONCLUSIONS: BMV is safe and effective in children and adolescent patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis and provides a similar hemodynamic benefit with that reported in adults. The benefits were sustained during a mean follow-up period of 36 months.