PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF EPROSARTAN IN RENAL ISCHEMIA REPERFUSION INJURY BY REGULATING OXIDATIVE STRESS, INFLAMMATION, AND APOPTOTIC CASCADES IN A BILATERAL RAT MODEL.

OBJECTIVE: The aim: To evaluate the potential protective effect of Eprosartan (ARB) in bilateral renal IRI in male rats. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: 20 Sprague-Dawley rats divided into four groups. Sham group had surgery without IRI. Control group was subjected to 30 min ischemia and 2 hours of reperfusion. Vehicle group received 14 ml/kg (IP) injection of solvent mixture containing (10% DMSO, 40% PEG300, 5% Tween-80, and 45% normal saline) 30 minutes before clamping. Eprosartan-treated group with 30 mg/kg Eprosartan intraperitoneally 30 min before occlusion of renal pedicles followed by 30 minutes of ischemia and 2 hours of reperfusion. Serum BUN and Creatinine used to assess renal function. Renal tissue was used to measure the levels of TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6, F2-isoprostane, and Caspase3 were measured by assessment of renal tissue. Histopathological examinations were conducted to detect parenchymal damage. RESULTS: Results: Mean serum levels of BUN and Creatinine as well as mean renal tissue levels of TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6, F2-isoprostane, and Caspase3 were significantly increased in control and vehicle groups together with increase in histological damage score compared to sham group, whereas treatment of rats with Eprosartan resulted in significant reduction in mean serum levels of BUN and Creatinine and mean renal tissue levels of TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6, F2-isoprostane, and Caspase3 and obvious reduction in tissue injury. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: This study demonstrates that Eprosartan pretreatment enhances kidney function by decreasing serum BUN and Creatinine, oxidative stress, cytokines, and apoptotic markers.

Clinical Characteristics of Adult Functional Constipation Patients with Rectoanal Areflexia and Their Response to Biofeedback Therapy.

Background: The London Classification for anorectal physiological dysfunction specifically proposes rectoanal areflexia (RA), which means the absence of a rectoanal inhibitory reflex (RAIR) based on a manometric diagnosis. Although RA is not observed in healthy people, it can be found in adult patients with functional constipation (FC). This study describes the clinical manifestations of adult patients with FC and RA and their response to biofeedback therapy (BFT). Methods: This retrospective study reviewed the reports of high-resolution anorectal manometry (HR-ARM) and the efficacy of BFT in adult patients with FC. In addition, the Constipation Scoring System (CSS) scale, Patient Assessment of Constipation Symptoms (PAC-SYM) scale, Patient Assessment of Constipation Quality of Life (PAC-QOL) scale, Zung's Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Zung's Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), balloon expulsion test (BET), and the use of laxatives were assessed. Results: A total of 257 adult patients diagnosed with FC were divided into the RA group (n = 89) and the RAIR group (n = 168). In the RA and RAIR groups, 60 (67.4%) and 117 (69.6%) patients, respectively, had dyssynergic defecation (DD) during simulated defecation. Type II pattern of dyssynergia was most frequently observed in both groups. Compared with the RA group, the RAIR group showed a higher CSS score, physical discomfort score, and prevalence of inadequate relaxation of the anal sphincter (p < 0.001, p = 0.036, and p = 0.017, respectively). The anxiety and depression scores were not different between the two groups. The proportion of patients using volumetric and stimulant laxatives and their combination was significantly higher in FC patients with RA, whereas the efficacy of BFT was significantly lower (p = 0.005, p < 0.001, p = 0.045, and p = 0.010, respectively). Conclusion: Adult FC patients with RA may suffer more severe constipation and have a lower efficacy of BFT compared with those with RAIR.

THE POTENTIAL RENOPROTECTIVE EFFECT OF TILIANIN IN RENAL ISCHEMIA REPERFUSION INJURY IN MALE RAT MODEL.

OBJECTIVE: The aim: To determine whether Tilianin (TIL) may have Nephroprotective effects on bilateral renal IRI in rats by analyzing kidney function biomarkers U and Cr, inflammatory cytokines like TNF α and IL-1ß, antioxidant marker total anti-oxidant Capacity (TAC), anti-apoptotic markers caspase-3, and histopathological scores. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: 20 rats divided into even 4 groups as: Sham group: Rats underwent median laparotomies without having their ischemia induced. Control group: Rats had bilateral renal ischemia for 30 minutes, followed by 2 hours of reperfusion. Vehicle group: 30 minutes prior to the onset of ischemia, rats were given a pretreatment of corn oil and DMSO. Tilianin treated group: Rats administered Tilianin 5 mg/kg for 30 min prior to ischemia induction, then IRI. RESULTS: Results: The study found that the serum levels of TNF, IL-1, caspase-3, urea and creatinine, as well as TNF and creatinine in the Tilianin group were significantly lower than those of the control and vehicle groups. On the other hand, it revealed that TAC levels are remarkably higher in the Tilianin group than they are in the control and vehicle groups. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: This study concluded that Tilianin have a Nephroprotective effect via multiple impacts as anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and anti-oxidant agents.

Cardamonin mitigates kidney injury by modulating inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptotic signaling in rats subjected to renal ischemia and reperfusion.

Renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is a critical health concern that aggravates the pathophysiology of acute kidney injury (AKI), leading to high mortality rates in intensive care units. Cardamonin is a natural compound with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. The current study aimed to evaluate the renoprotective impact of cardamonin against AKI induced by renal IRI. Male rats (n=5 per group) were divided into four groups: the sham group underwent anesthesia and abdominal incision only; the control group experienced bilateral renal artery clamping for 30 minutes followed by 2 hours of reperfusion; the vehicle group received the cardamonin vehicle 30 minutes before ischemia induction; and the cardamonin group was administered 5 mg/kg of cardamonin 30 minutes before ischemia. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine were measured to assess the renal function. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 1 beta (IL-1ß), interleukin-6 (IL-6), caspase 3, and F2-isoprostane were assessed in renal tissues. Kidney injury was examined using the hematoxylin and eosin stain method. Compared to the sham group, the control group exhibited significantly higher levels of BUN, creatinine, TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6, F2-isoprostane, and caspase 3 in renal tissues, along with severe kidney injury as evidenced by histological analysis. Compared to the control group, pretreatment with cardamonin resulted in a significant reduction in these biomarkers and alleviated renal damage. Cardamonin had renoprotective effects against renal ischemia and reperfusion injury via modulating inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis pathways.

Characterizing optimum electrospinning conditions for graft urethanized Poly(Vinyl Alcohol)(U-PVA).

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) is a water-soluble polymer that has been widely used in medical and pharmaceutical applications. For this study, we grafted urea to PVA to enhance its wettability and solubility in water. We used a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to characterize the electrospun graft urethanized poly(vinyl alcohol) U-PVA and determine the best electrospinning conditions. The capillary-collector distance, applied voltage, and flow rate all had notable effects on fiber diameter and morphology. When we increased the capillary-collector distance to 20 cm and set the applied voltage to 25 kV, the fiber diameter and bead formation decreased, while decreasing the flow rate to 1 mL/h resulted in a homogeneous fibrous structure with an average fiber diameter equal to 159 ± 59.3 nm. We compared the wettabilities, Fourier transform infra-red FTIR spectra and insulin drug release of graft U-PVA and pure PVA electrospun specimens. Grafting urea to PVA enhanced its wettability, and drug release rate with time; indicating the effectiveness of graft U-PVA as a drug delivery system with high drug-release rates.

Cardiovascular sequelae of dengue fever: a systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Dengue is one of the most important viral diseases globally and a majority of symptomatic infections result in a benign course. However, a small number of patients develop severe manifestations, including the cardiovascular (CV) manifestations, including myocardial impairment, arrhythmias, and fulminant myocarditis. AREAS COVERED: Electronic databases, including PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, and CINAHL were searched for articles incorporating CV manifestations of dengue fever (DF). EXPERT OPINION: Included studies involved 6,773 patients, and 3,122 (46.1%) exhibited at least one cardiac manifestation. Electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities (30.6%) included sinus bradycardia (8.8%), nonspecific ST-T changes (8.6%), ST depression (7.9%), and T-wave inversion (2.3%). Mechanical sequelae were present in 10.4%, including left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction (5.7%), and myocarditis (2.9%). Pericardial involvement was noted as pericarditis (0.1%), pericardial effusion (1.3%), and pericardial tamponade (0.1%). Apart from that, the cardiac injury was depicted through a rise in cardiac enzymes (4.5%). The spectrum of CV manifestations in dengue is broad, ranging from subtle ST-T changes to fulminant myocarditis and the use of contemporary techniques in diagnosing cardiac involvement should be employed for rapid diagnosis and treatment.

An unusual cause of gynaecomastia in a male

Summary: Beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (ßhCG) is normally produced by syncytiotrophoblasts of the placenta during pregnancy and aids embryo implantation. However, it is also secreted in varying amounts in non-pregnant conditions commonly heralding a neoplastic process. We present a case of 50-year-old man, who presented with bilateral gynaecomastia with elevated testosterone, oestradiol, suppressed gonadotropins with progressively increasing levels of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Biochemical and radiological investigations including ultrasonography of testes, breast tissue, MRI pituitary and CT scan full body did not identify the source of hCG. FDG PET scan revealed a large mediastinal mass with lung metastasis. Immunostaining and histological analysis confirmed the diagnosis of primary choriocarcinoma of the mediastinum. It is highly aggressive and malignant tumor with poor prognosis. Early diagnosis and management are essential for the best outcome. Learning Points: High ßhCG in a male patient or a non-pregnant female suggests a paraneoplastic syndrome. In the case of persistently positive serum hCG, exclude immunoassay interference by doing the urine hCG as heterophilic antibodies are not present in the urine. Non-gestational choriocarcinoma is an extremely rare trophoblastic tumor and should be considered in young men presenting with gynaecomastia and high concentration of hCG with normal gonads. A high index of suspicion and extensive investigations are required to establish an early diagnosis of extra-gonadal choriocarcinoma. Early diagnosis is crucial to formulate optimal management strategy and to minimize widespread metastasis for best clinical outcome.

Emergency department resource utilization during Ramadan: distinct and reproducible patterns over a 4-year period in Abu Dhabi.

OBJECTIVES: Emergency Department (ED) patient arrivals vary daily and change considerably during holidays, posing challenges to resource allocation. Ramadan, during which observant Muslims follow a daily fasting period for ∼30 days, could represent a unique annual circumstance that predictably alters ED arrivals in predominantly Muslim populations. Our study examined an adult and pediatric ED in the United Arab Emirates to determine whether arrival patterns and patient characteristics differed during Ramadan. METHODS: Hourly arrivals, census (number of patients in ED at any given time), and visit characteristics were retrospectively compared for Ramadan versus non-Ramadan periods over 4 years (2010-2013). Hourly arrivals and census were plotted using two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance. Differences in characteristics were examined using the χ-test and Wilcoxon rank sum tests. RESULTS: Ramadan adult and pediatric ED arrival patterns differed significantly (P<0.001) from non-Ramadan days, with sharp decreases after the fast was broken around 6 p.m. (sunset), followed by steep increases by 8:30 pm. The median daily adult arrivals were similar [143 (Ramadan) vs. 148 (non-Ramadan); P=0.060], with slightly decreased length-of-stay (7%; P<0.001) during Ramadan. The median daily pediatric arrivals were lower during Ramadan (43 vs. 57; P<0.001), with decreased length-of-stay (20%; P<0.001). Arrival pattern shifts led to significant census redistribution to evening hours. Patient characteristics were similar during both periods. CONCLUSION: A distinct, predictable pattern of arrivals emerged during Ramadan. EDs serving predominantly Muslim populations or anticipating increases in Muslim patients in their catchment region may benefit from advanced planning for efficient distribution of provider hours during Ramadan.

An assessment of hydrocarbon species in the methanol-to-hydrocarbon reaction over a ZSM-5 catalyst.

A ZSM-5 catalyst is examined in relation to the methanol-to-hydrocarbon (MTH) reaction as a function of reaction temperature and time-on-stream. The reaction profile is characterised using in-line mass spectrometry. Furthermore, the material contained within a catch-pot downstream from the reactor is analysed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. For a fixed methanol feed, reaction conditions are selected to define various stages of the reaction coordinate: (i) initial methanol adsorption at a sub-optimum reaction temperature (1 h at 200 °C); (ii) initial stages of reaction at an optimised reaction temperature (1 h at 350 °C); (iii) steady-state operation at an optimised reaction temperature (3 days at 350 °C); and (iv) accelerated ageing (3 days at 400 °C). Post-reaction, the catalyst samples are analysed ex situ by a combination of temperature-programmed oxidation (TPO) and spectroscopically by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), diffuse-reflectance infrared and inelastic neutron scattering (INS) spectroscopies. The TPO measurements provide an indication of the degree of 'coking' experienced by each sample. The EPR measurements detect aromatic radical cations. The IR and INS measurements reveal the presence of retained hydrocarbonaceous species, the nature of which are discussed in terms of the well-developed 'hydrocarbon pool' mechanism. This combination of experimental evidence, uniquely applied to this reaction system, establishes the importance of retained hydrocarbonaceous species in effecting the product distribution of this economically relevant reaction system.

Structural and electronic properties of new fullerene derivatives and their possible application as HIV-1 protease inhibitors.

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations have been carried out at the hybrid Becke 3-Lee-Yang-Parr; B3LYP/3-21G** level of theory to study two series of hydroxy-chalca-acetic acid-(4-pyrrolidin-1-yl-phenyl) ester [C(60)-C(2)H(4)N-(4-XCOCH(2)OH)C(6)H(4)] and hydroxy-chalcoacetic acid-[2-(2-hydroxy-acetylchalcanyl)-4-pyrrolidin-1-yl-phenyl] ester[C(60)-C(2)H(4)N-(3,4-XCOCH(2)OH)C(6)H(4)]. The X atom is O, S or Se for the two series. The vibrational spectra, physical, chemical, thermodynamics and Quantitative Structure Activity Relationship (QSAR) properties of the studied molecules are calculated and discussed. We have evaluated these molecules as HIV-1 protease inhibitors based on the hydrogenation interaction between the hydroxymethylcarbonyl (HMC) groups and the two aspartic acid of the HIV-1 protease active site. Results show that some of the investigated fullerene-based derivatives can be considered promising as HIV-1 protease inhibitors.

Molecular spectroscopic study of river nile sediment in the greater cairo region.

The greater Cairo region is the most populated area in Egypt. The aquatic environment of the Nile River in this area is being affected by industrial activities. The study of the molecular structure of sediment may provide a good trace for such changes. Both Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and density functional theory (DFT) were used to study the effect of industrial waste disposal south of Cairo on the molecular structure of Nile River sediment. Four seasonal samples were collected from six sites covering 75 km along the Nile River. Grain sizes of 200 microm, 125 microm, 65 microm, and 32 microm, respectively, were examined. The results indicate that hydrated aluminum hydroxide controls the distribution of organic matter in the different grain sizes. Furthermore, the hydration of phenol may take place in grain sizes lower than 200 microm, which is indicated by the OH stretching at 3550 cm(-1) and verified by the obtained model. The formation of metal carboxylate bonds at 1638 cm(-1) (asymmetric) and 1382 cm(-1) (symmetric) indicate the possible interaction between heavy metals and other organic structures, mainly humic substances.

Housekeeping gene expression during fetal brain development in the rat-validation by semi-quantitative RT-PCR.

Mammalian gene expression is usually carried out at the level of mRNA where the amount of mRNA of interest is measured under different conditions such as growth and development. It is therefore important to use a "housekeeping gene", that does not change in relative abundance during the experimental conditions, as a standard or internal control. However, recent data suggest that expression of some housekeeping genes may vary with the extent of cell proliferation, differentiation and under various experimental conditions. In this study, the expression of various housekeeping genes (18S rRNA [18S], glyceraldehydes-3-phosphate dehydrogenase [G3PDH], beta-glucuronidase [BGLU], histone H4 [HH4], ribosomal protein L19 [RPL19] and cyclophilin [CY]) was investigated during fetal rat brain development using semi-quantitative RT-PCR at 16, 19 and 21 days gestation. It was found that all genes studied, with exception to G3PDH, did not show any change in their expression levels during development. G3PDH, on the other hand, showed increased expression with development. These results suggest that the choice of a housekeeping gene is critical to the interpretation of experimental results and should be modified according to the nature of the study.