Biosynthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Using Bacillus paramycoides for In Vitro Biological Activities and In Vivo Assessment Against Hepatorenal Injury Induced by CCl4 in Rats.

Recently, impressive developments in the field of nanotechnology have been achieved. The study aimed to synthetize zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) from locally isolated terrestrial Bacillus paramycoides (MCCC 1A04098) bacteria and assess its role as antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer agent. The antioxidant activity was done using the percentage of DPPH scavenging method. The antibacterial activity was evaluated against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, and Candida albicans. The anti-proliferation assay against hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) and human breast cancer (MCF-7) cell lines was estimated by neutral red assay. The apoptotic effect of ZnONP was measured by flow cytometry. The in vivo evaluation was carried out against hepatorenal injuries induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in rats comparing with silymarin as a reference drug. The oxidative stress markers, liver and kidney function enzyme indices, lipid profile, and the histological features of the liver and kidney were also examined. ZnONPs revealed antioxidant and antibacterial effects. It also exerted cytotoxic and apoptotic effect in a dose dependent manner without any toxicity on normal cell line. ZnONPs improved all the biochemical parameters under investigation to varying degrees, and the histological pictures of the liver and kidney confirmed the results. In conclusion, ZnONPs were successfully synthesized from the terrestrial Bacillus paramycoides and recorded in vitro antioxidant, anticancer, and antibacterial effects as well as in vivo anti-hepatorenal toxicity effects.

Insertion of a urinary catheter on admission lowers acute kidney injury incidence in patients with hip fractures.

PURPOSE: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common adverse event in patients undergoing hip fracture repair surgery, increasing morbidity and mortality. Our study hypothesis was that routine insertion of a urinary catheter, on admission to the hospital or immediately before surgery, will reduce AKI incidence in hip fracture patients. METHODS: Determined by alternating days of admission, a urinary catheter was inserted routinely on admission (catheter group) or as needed (non-catheter group) in 250 consecutive patients who presented with a hip fracture to our emergency department. The incidence of AKI according to the KDIGO criteria and morbidity and mortality were compared between the study groups. RESULTS: The overall incidence of AKI was 11.6% (29/250). The catheter group (N = 122) had a significantly lower rate of AKI (6.6% vs. 16% p = 0.018). At 12-month follow-up, the overall mortality was 10.8% (27/250), in-hospital 7.4% (2/27), short-term (within 30 days) 7.4% (2/27), and long-term (30 days to 1 year) 85.8% (23/27). All in-hospital mortality occurred in the AKI group. Patients with no AKI had a better survival rate; however, the difference was not significant (p-value = 0.21). Mortality rate was lower in the catheter group but not significant (8.2% compared with 13.8% in the non-catheter group, p = 0.225). Post-operative respiratory and cardiac complications were more frequent in the AKI group (p = 0.02 and 0.043 accordingly). CONCLUSIONS: Insertion of a urinary catheter upon admission or before surgery lowered AKI incidence significantly. Peri-operative AKI was associated with higher rates of post-operative complications and worse survival.

Trust-Aware Routing Mechanism through an Edge Node for IoT-Enabled Sensor Networks.

Although IoT technology is advanced, wireless systems are prone to faults and attacks. The replaying information about routing in the case of multi-hop routing has led to the problem of identity deception among nodes. The devastating attacks against the routing protocols as well as harsh network conditions make the situation even worse. Although most of the research in the literature aim at making the IoT system more trustworthy and ensuring faultlessness, it is still a challenging task. Motivated by this, the present proposal introduces a trust-aware routing mechanism (TARM), which uses an edge node with mobility feature that can collect data from faultless nodes. The edge node works based on a trust evaluation method, which segregates the faulty and anomalous nodes from normal nodes. In TARM, a modified gray wolf optimization (GWO) is used for forming the clusters out of the deployed sensor nodes. Once the clusters are formed, each cluster's trust values are calculated, and the edge node starts collecting data only from trustworthy nodes via the respective cluster heads. The artificial bee colony optimization algorithm executes the optimal routing path from the trustworthy nodes to the mobile edge node. The simulations show that the proposed method exhibits around a 58% hike in trustworthiness, ensuring the high security offered by the proposed trust evaluation scheme when validated with other similar approaches. It also shows a detection rate of 96.7% in detecting untrustworthy nodes. Additionally, the accuracy of the proposed method reaches 91.96%, which is recorded to be the highest among the similar latest schemes. The performance of the proposed approach has proved that it has overcome many weaknesses of previous similar techniques with low cost and mitigated complexity.

Natural resistance of tomato plants to Tomato yellow leaf curl virus.

Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) is one of the most harmful afflictions in the world that affects tomato growth and production. Six regular antagonistic genes (Ty-1, Ty-2, Ty-3, Ty-4, ty-5, and Ty-6) have been transferred from wild germplasms to commercial cultivars as TYLCV protections. With Ty-1 serving as an appropriate source of TYLCV resistance, only Ty-1, Ty-2, and Ty-3 displayed substantial levels of opposition in a few strains. It has been possible to clone three TYLCV opposition genes (Ty-1/Ty-3, Ty-2, and ty-5) that target three antiviral safety mechanisms. However, it significantly impacts obtaining permanent resistance to TYLCV, trying to maintain opposition whenever possible, and spreading opposition globally. Utilizing novel methods, such as using resistance genes and identifying new resistance resources, protects against TYLCV in tomato production. To facilitate the breeders make an informed decision and testing methods for TYLCV blockage, this study highlights the portrayal of typical obstruction genes, common opposition sources, and subatomic indicators. The main goal is to provide a fictitious starting point for the identification and application of resistance genes as well as the maturation of tomato varieties that are TYLCV-resistant.

Assessment of Interferon Gamma-Induced Protein 10 mRNA Release Assay for Detection of Latent Tuberculosis Infection in Egyptian Pediatric Household Contacts.

OBJECTIVES: Current diagnostic tests for tuberculosis (TB) in children living in low-endemic countries are limited by low specificity and the inability of the current tests to differentiate between active TB and latent TB infection (LTBI). This study aimed to evaluate the blood IP-10 mRNA expression level to detect LTBI in Egyptian pediatric household contacts (PHC). METHODS: TB-specific IP-10 and IFN-γ mRNA levels were assessed by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) in 72 Egyptian PHC of active pulmonary TB cases. All study participants were also assessed by Tuberculin Skin Test (TST) and Quantiferon gold in tube (QFN-GIT) assay. RESULTS: IP-10 and IFN-γ mRNA expression levels were significantly higher in PHC with active TB or LTBI than TB negative (p < 0.0001). The level of IP-10 mRNA expression was significantly higher in PHC with active TB than LTBI (p = 0.0008). In contrast, there was no significant differences in the IFN-γ mRNA expression between PHC with active TB compared to LTBI (p = 0.49). The sensitivity and specificity of the IP-10 RT-qPCR were 94.2% and 95.2%, respectively, in PHC with active TB compared to 85.7% and 81.8% in PHC with LTBI. The negative and positive predictive values and accuracy of IP-10 RT-qPCR for distinguishing active TB from LTBI were 85.2%, 58.3%, and 72.6% respectively. CONCLUSION: Blood IP-10 mRNA expression level may be a potential diagnostic marker to help distinguish active TB from LTBI in PHC.

Assessment of Human Papillomavirus Infection and Risk Factors in Egyptian Women With Breast Cancer.

Numerous risk factors for breast cancer (BC) have been identified. High-risk human papilloma virus (HR-HPV) is the etiological agent of cervical cancer and in some cases of head and neck cancer, specifically oropharyngeal cancer, but the role of HR-HPV in evoking neoplasia in BC is still unclear. In this study, all women above the age of 18 visiting the oncology clinic at Al-Azhar university hospital and Ain Shams specialized hospital between the period of February 2017 and March 2018 were invited to participate. We determined the prevalence of HR-HPV genotypes 16, 18, and 31 in breast tissue samples from 72 women with treatment-naïve BC and 15 women with benign breast lesions (BBL) by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and primer sets targeting the E6 and E7 regions. High-risk human papilloma virus DNA was detected in 16 of 72 (22.2%) BC cases (viral load range = 0.3-237.8 copies/uL) and 0 of 15 women with BBL. High-risk human papilloma virus was detected in 14 of 16 (87.5%), 2 of 16 (12.5%), and 0 of 16 (0%) for genotypes 16, 18, and 31, respectively. Forty-three age-matched healthy Egyptian women were enrolled as controls for assessment of local risk factors that can be used to initiate a strategy of BC prevention in Egypt. Assessment of the risk factors demonstrated that low education level, passive smoking, lack of physical activity, family history of cancer, and use of oral contraception were significant risk factors for BC. In conclusion, our results lead us to postulate that HR-HPV infection may be implicated in the development of some types of BC in Egyptian women. In addition, identification of local risk factors can support practical prevention strategies for BC in Egypt.

Case report of epithelioid osteoblastoma of the mandible: findings on positron emission tomography/computed tomography and review of the literature.

Epithelioid osteoblastoma is a clinically aggressive subtype of osteoblastoma that favors the mandible and the maxilla. Its histologic features lie on a spectrum between conventional osteoblastoma and low-grade osteosarcoma, thus making it difficult at times to confirm the diagnosis. It is known to have a high risk of recurrence after surgical resection, but it is a benign entity and does not have the propensity to metastasize. To our knowledge, there are no published reports on findings of epithelioid osteoblastoma on positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT). We report a case of a 25-year-old male patient with a diagnosis of epithelioid osteoblastoma of the mandible. The lesion exhibited significantly increased fluorodeoxyglucose uptake on PET/CT with a maximum standardized uptake value of 5.5. PET/CT is not specific in differentiating between malignant and benign bone lesions but may be necessary to rule out distant lesions when a confirmed diagnosis of epithelioid osteoblastoma cannot be obtained through histologic examination.

Concomitant Intraocular Retinoblastoma and Choroidal Hemangioma in a 1-Year-Old Boy.

We report a case of concomitant choroidal hemangioma in an eye that harbored intraocular retinoblastoma (RB) in a 1-year-old child. A 12-month-old boy presented with right white pupil (Leukocoria). The initial clinical diagnosis was unilateral intraocular RB Group C. The eye was treated initially by systemic chemotherapy combined with focal consolidation therapy followed by I-125 plaque radiotherapy. Massive sub-retinal recurrence was seen 4 months later, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) showed extra-scleral invasion of the tumor, and therefore enucleation was performed. Microscopic examination revealed a differentiated retinoblastoma associated at the site of the base of the tumor with choroidal hemangioma with trans-scleral invasion. Orbit MRI was repeated 3 months after the surgery, and there was no orbital tumor recurrence. We are reporting a rare case of pathologically concomitant choroidal hemangioma with trans-scleral invasion in an eye that harbored active recurrent intraocular RB. This trans-scleral extension of hemangioma was misinterpreted by MRI as extraocular retinoblastoma and resulted in enucleation.

The predictive value of magnetic resonance imaging of retinoblastoma for the likelihood of high-risk pathologic features.

PURPOSE:: To evaluate the predictive value of magnetic resonance imaging in retinoblastoma for the likelihood of high-risk pathologic features. METHODS:: A retrospective study of 64 eyes enucleated from 60 retinoblastoma patients. Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging was performed before enucleation. Main outcome measures included demographics, laterality, accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of magnetic resonance imaging in detecting high-risk pathologic features. RESULTS:: Optic nerve invasion and choroidal invasion were seen microscopically in 34 (53%) and 28 (44%) eyes, respectively, while they were detected in magnetic resonance imaging in 22 (34%) and 15 (23%) eyes, respectively. The accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging in detecting prelaminar invasion was 77% (sensitivity 89%, specificity 98%), 56% for laminar invasion (sensitivity 27%, specificity 94%), 84% for postlaminar invasion (sensitivity 42%, specificity 98%), and 100% for optic cut edge invasion (sensitivity100%, specificity 100%). The accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging in detecting focal choroidal invasion was 48% (sensitivity 33%, specificity 97%), and 84% for massive choroidal invasion (sensitivity 53%, specificity 98%), and the accuracy in detecting extrascleral extension was 96% (sensitivity 67%, specificity 98%). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE:: Magnetic resonance imaging should not be the only method to stratify patients at high risk from those who are not, eventhough it can predict with high accuracy extensive postlaminar optic nerve invasion, massive choroidal invasion, and extrascleral tumor extension.

Fingernail length as a predisposing factor for perforations of latex gloves: a simulated clinical experiment.

BACKGROUND: Concerns have been raised over the integrity of gloves and the longevity of their protective barrier function. AIMS: This study aimed to assess the effect of clinicians' fingernail length as a predisposing factor for perforation of latex gloves. METHODS: We assessed 2006 latex examination gloves for perforations using the water inflation method after being used by 6 senior dental students who had fingernail lengths ranging from 0 to 3 mm. Four simulated clinical procedures representing a variety of hand movements were used for this purpose and were repeated 30 times, followed by a water leakage assessment test. Data were analysed using the χ2 test, analysis of variance and logistic regression. RESULTS: Leakage was detected in 222 (11.1%) gloves, and was most frequent with longer fingernails (odds ratio =1.431, 95% confidence interval 1.249-1.640; P < 0.001). This was independent from the simulated clinical procedure. Most perforations were over the index fingers and thumbs (63.5% and 24.3%, respectively; P < 0.001). The simulated procedures with most perforations were wiping the scaler tip with gauze (20.8%) and placing the chamfer bur (15.3%). The procedure with the fewest perforations was placing the triple way syringe (3.5%). CONCLUSION: The length of the clinicians' fingernails significantly compromises the integrity of latex gloves. Maintaining short fingernails is important in reducing the risk of damaging latex gloves intraoperatively, and hence maintaining the barrier function of the gloves.

Ileocolic Intussusception in a Leukemic Adult Patient: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

We present a rare case of intussusception in a 41-year-old man with acute myeloid leukemia without an evidence of leukemic infiltration of the bowel. The patient presented to the emergency room with right lower quadrant pain. Initially he was diagnosed with typhlitis. CT scan was done and showed ileocolic intussusception without a definitive lead point identified. Patient underwent hemicolectomy and histopathological study of the specimen did not show any leukemic infiltrate. High suspicion of intussusception should be kept in mind with leukemic patients presenting with abdominal pain.

Design of DPSS based fiber bragg gratings and their application in all-optical encryption, OCDMA, optical steganography, and orthogonal-division multiplexing.

The future information infrastructure will be affected by limited bandwidth of optical networks, high energy consumption, heterogeneity of network segments, and security issues. As a solution to all problems, we advocate the use of both electrical basis functions (orthogonal prolate spheroidal basis functions) and optical basis functions, implemented as FBGs with orthogonal impulse response in addition to spatial modes. We design the Bragg gratings with orthogonal impulse responses by means of discrete layer peeling algorithm. The target impulse responses belong to the class of discrete prolate spheroidal sequences, which are mutually orthogonal regardless of the sequence order, while occupying the fixed bandwidth. We then design the corresponding encoders and decoders suitable for all-optical encryption, optical CDMA, optical steganography, and orthogonal-division multiplexing (ODM). Finally, we propose the spectral multiplexing-ODM-spatial multiplexing scheme enabling beyond 10 Pb/s serial optical transport networks.

Sporadic Lateral Ventricular Hemangioblastoma presenting with Intraventricular and Subarachnoid Haemorrhage.

Intraventricular hemangioblastoma (HB) is very rare; few cases of intraventricular HB have been reported in the literature, either sporadically or in association with von Hippel-Lindau disease. Furthermore, the incidence of ventricular haemorrhage from HB seems to be uncommon. We report a unique case of sporadic HB of the right lateral ventricle presenting with intratumoural and intraventricular haemorrhage in addition to multifocal intracranial superficial siderosis, indicating the presence of a subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) as well. Such a combination has not been reported before. In the future, the detection of an intraventricular mass in association with ventricular haemorrhage, with or without SAH, should include HB as a differential diagnosis, particularly when the imaging appearances are not typical of the more common intraventricular tumours.

Giant Spontaneous Femoral Artery Pseudoaneurysm Treated with Covered Stents: Report of a rare presentation and review of literature.

We report the case of a 62-year-old woman who presented with a one-month history of a pulsatile mass, with no antecedent trauma or intervention. Imaging showed a large pseudoaneurysm (PSA) of the distal portion of the left superficial femoral artery. The PSA was treated successfully with endovascular placement of covered stents.

Deep venous thrombosis in spine surgery patients: incidence and hematoma formation.

Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) is a significant health care problem; a variety of factors place spinal surgery patients at high risk for DVT. Our aim is to define the incidence of DVT occurrence in spite of prophylactic measures (mechanical and chemoprophylaxis), and the development of spinal epidural hematoma as a complication of chemoprophylaxis. In a single-center prospective study, 158 patients who underwent spinal surgical procedures were evaluated by clinical evaluation and lower limb Doppler ultrasonography imaging. Only one patient (0.6%) developed DVT; this patient was treated successfully without thrombus progression, with full recanalization. Three patients (1.8%) developed spinal epidural hematoma, but only one required surgical evacuation, and none sustained neurologic deficit. Careful evaluation for DVT risk on an individual basis and good prophylaxis helps to minimize the risk of DVT. The neurosurgeon is thus left to weigh the risks of postoperative hematoma formation against the benefits of protecting against DVT.

The combined effect of radiofrequency and ethanol ablation in the management of large hepatocellular carcinoma.

Only a small percentage of patients with large hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) may benefit out of surgical resection. Thus, most of these patients are in need of a form of local control, such as ethanol ablation, transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), radiofrequency thermal ablation (RF), or laser induced thermotherapy (LITT). The purpose of this study was to assess the short-term effect of sequential RF and ethanol ablation in the management of large HCC (>5 cm). Our series included 40 patients with large HCC tumors (>5 cm in diameter). We adopted a protocol of overlapping RF applications, followed by repeated ethanol ablation sessions. Our results showed that the volume of tumor coagulative necrosis initially induced by RF has significantly risen after adjuvant ethanol ablation sessions (P < 0.001). Patients who achieved complete tumor necrosis after RF ablation were 52.5% of the series. This percent has jumped to 80% of the series at the end of the protocol. This indicates that such combined protocol is more effective than RF alone. Besides, it is valuable in reducing the number of RF sessions.