Helix pomatia mucin alleviates DSS-induced colitis in mice: Unraveling the cross talk between microbiota and intestinal chemokine.

Gut microbiota imbalance and alterations in the chemokine-chemokine receptor interactions are pivotal in the initiation and advancement of ulcerative colitis (UC). The current UC treatments are prolonged, exhibit high recurrence rates, and may lead to colorectal cancer. So, this study explores the efficacy of Helix pomatia (H. pomatia) mucin in preventing DSS-induced UC. This research focuses on investigating the underlying mechanisms, such as oxidative stress, inflammation, and alterations in gut microbiota and chemokine-chemokine receptor interactions, to understand the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant characteristics of the mucin. Using 4 % DSS in drinking water, UC was induced in C57BL/6 mice. For seven days, mice were given oral doses of either H. pomatia mucin or sulfasalazine. The study assessed changes in oxidative stress, gut microbiota, and histopathology, along with expression of IL-6, CXCR4, CCR7, CXCL9, and CXCL10. The H. pomatia mucin exhibited unique contents, including high glycolic acid (200 ± 2.08 mg/L), collagen (88 ± 2.52 mg/L), allantoin (20 ± 2 mg/L), and concentrated vitamins and minerals. Treatment with H. pomatia mucin in high dose demonstrated reduction in DAI, an increase in fecal Firmicutes, and elevated expression of colonic CCR7, CXCL9, and CXCL10, accompanied by enhanced CXCR4 (75 %) and diminished IL-6 (1.33 %) immunostaining. It also alleviated oxidative stress, reduced fecal Bacteroidetes, and mitigated inflammation, indicating its potential efficacy against DSS-induced UC. In conclusion, H. pomatia mucin is a promising candidate that could be an effective adjuvant in the management and prophylaxis of UC.

Serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor level in patients with disc induced lumbosacral radiculopathy: Relation to pain severity and functional disability.

BACKGROUND: Pain is the major cause of disability in disc induced lumbosacral radiculopathy (LSR) and is related to neurotrophins mainly brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). However, to our knowledge evaluating serum BDNF in disc induced LSR has not been reported before. This study was done to investigate serum BDNF in LSR patients and its relation to pain severity and functional disability. METHODS: This case-control study included 40 disc induced LSR patients and 40 age and sex matched healthy subjects. All patients were subjected to neurological examination, electrophysiological evaluation, pain severity assessment using numerical rating scale (NRS) and functional disability assessment using Modified Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Index (ODI) and Maine-Seattle Back Questionnaire (MSBQ). According to Douleur neuropathique 4 (DN4) questionnaire, patients were divided into those with neuropathic pain and those with non-neuropathic pain. Serum BDNF was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in all participants. RESULTS: Serum BDNF was significantly higher in LSR patients than in healthy controls (U=272.5, P<0.001). Moreover, serum BDNF was significantly higher in those with neuropathic pain compared to those with non-neuropathic pain (U=35, P=0.03). Serum BDNF had a significant positive correlation with NRS score among those with acute pain (rs=0.537, P=0.026), however there was no significant correlation among those with chronic pain. Furthermore, BDNF had no significant correlation with modified ODI and MSBQ. CONCLUSION: Increased serum BDNF may be associated with neuropathic pain and acute pain severity in disc induced LSR. However, it may not be related to chronic pain severity or functional disability.

Urinary biomarkers analysis as a diagnostic tool for early detection of pancreatic adenocarcinoma: Molecular quantification approach.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is infrequent. Currently, non-invasive biomarkers for early detection of PDAC are not accessible. Here, we intended to identify a set of urine markers able to discriminate patients with early-stage PDAC from healthy individuals. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Seventy-five urine samples from PDAC patients and 50 healthy controls were assayed using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). The chosen biomarkers were lymphatic vessel endothelial HA receptor (LYVE-1), regenerating islet-derived 1 alpha (REG1A), and trefoil factor family (TFF1). RESULTS: LYVE-1, REG1A, and TFF1 expression in PDAC proved to be significantly elevated compared to healthy individuals (p < 0.05). Determination of these markers' expression might be useful for early tumor diagnosis with a sensitivity of 96 %, 100 %, and 73.33 % respectively, and a specificity of 100 %, 82 %, and 100 % respectively. CONCLUSION: We have recognized three diagnostic biomarkers REG1A, TFF1, and LYVE1 that can detect patients with early-stage pancreatic cancer in non-invasive urine specimens with improved sensitivity and specificity. To the best of our knowledge, there have been no prior investigations examining the mRNA expression levels of them in urine within the Egyptian population.

Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy: A Recent Update on Pathophysiology and Treatment.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a major long-lasting side effect of some chemotherapy drugs, which threatens cancer survival rate. CIPN mostly affects sensory neurons and occasionally motor neurons, causing numbness, tingling, discomfort, and burning pain in the upper and lower extremities. The pathophysiology of CIPN is not completely understood; however, it is believed that chemotherapies induce peripheral neuropathy via directly damaging mitochondria, impairing the function of ion channels, triggering immunological mechanisms, and disrupting microtubules. The treatment of CIPN is a medical challenge, and there are no approved pharmacological options. Currently, duloxetine and other antidepressants, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and ion-channel targeted therapies are commonly used in clinics to relieve the symptoms of CIPN. Several other types of drugs, such as cannabinoids, sigma-1 receptor antagonists, and nicotinamides ribose, are being evaluated in preclinical and clinical studies. This paper summarizes the information related to the physiology of CIPN and medicines that could be used for treating this condition.

Effect of Placental Derived Nucleoproteins on liver regeneration in DEN-induced liver fibrosis model.

BACKGROUND: Placental Derived Nucleoproteins (PDNs) is commonly associated with the process of angiogenesis, and doesn't affect the healthy vasculature. PDNs are clinically estimated for the treatment of cancer cases and severe hepatic injuries. Thus, the pathophysiological effects of PDNs targeting liver fibrosis is a concern. OBJECTIVES: To assess the molecular, histopathological, and chemical impact of PDNs on liver regeneration in Diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced mice liver fibrosis. METHODS: Normal untreated reference group of ten mice and two groups of induced liver cirrhosis using the recommended weekly dose of Diethylnitrosamine in total of eleven doses, initially 20 mg/kg body weight, and then 30 mg/kg in the third week, followed by 50 mg/kg for the last eight weeks, one of them combined treatment aligned with injection with total dose of extracted PDNs 25 mg/kg, in comparison to PDNs only treated group. An autopsy was performed after 22 weeks of the initial dose of DEN in each group. Molecular characterization of Alpha smooth muscle actin, TGFß and NF-κB biomarkers for liver then liver function panel were analyzed and finally hepatopathological changes were observed using H&E stain and Sirius red stain. RESULTS: Liver enzymes, total bilirubin and total proteins in tissue in PDNs-DEN treated models were controlled in the direction of normal group and 50 % reduction of fibrosis in comparing to DEN-treated models. The cellular arrangement of fibrosis in the DEN entire groups were differentiated with high significant impact on the survival of mice. Increased levels of the biochemical markers in liver homogenate, loss of tissue architecture, and proliferation were observed in induced groups and down regulation of alpha smooth muscle actin, TGFß and NF-κB. CONCLUSION: This finding demonstrates an improvement of Liver tissue induced fibrosis using DEN combined with PDNs. This strategy is to generate an animal model with a lower occurrence of fibrosis in a short time treatment regarding liver regeneration.

Effects of prebiotic (lactoferrin) and diclazuril on broiler chickens experimentally infected with Eimeria tenella.

Introduction: Avian coccidiosis presents a significant challenge to the poultry industry in Egypt, highlighting the urgent need for validating new drug targets offering promising prospects for the development of advanced anticoccidials. Although numerous reports highlight the activity of lactoferrin (LF) against various microorganisms, its potential against Eimeria has not been explored. The present study evaluated the potential anticoccidial effect of LF and diclazuril in broiler chickens experimentally infected with Eimeria tenella. Methods: A total of 100 one-day-old broiler chicks were divided into five equal groups (20 each) as follows: Group 1 (G1) served as the normal healthy control group, Group 2 (G2) consisted of chickens infected with 1 × 105 sporulated E. tenella oocysts at 14 days of age, Group 3 (G3) comprised infected chickens treated with diclazuril (0.5 mL/L in drinking water) for 3 days successively, Group 4 (G4) included infected chickens treated with LF (at a dose of 250 mg/kg of diet) from one day of age until the end of the study, and Group 5 (G5) comprised infected chickens treated with both LF and diclazuril. Results: The positive control group (G2) experienced significant reductions in body weight (BW), BW gain, serum glucose, lipase, amylase, total antioxidant capacity, several hematological indices, and total proteins, along with alterations in various antioxidant enzymes. Conversely, serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Alkaline phosphatases (ALP), urea, creatinine, nitric oxide, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), White blood cells (WBCs), heterophils, alpha 2, beta 1, and liver contents of malondialdehyde were elevated in this group. Moreover, higher oocyst counts and lesion scores, along with histopathological alterations, were observed in G2. Remarkably, treatment with diclazuril and/or LF demonstrated potent antioxidant and anticoccidial effects, resulting in reduced shedding of oocysts, lesion scores, and lymphocytic infiltrates in the cecum. Additionally, these treatments improved the antioxidant and immune systems in chickens and restored all histopathological changes reported in the infected non-treated group (G2). Conclusion: This study offers novel perspectives on the potential anticoccidial effects of the combination of LF and diclazuril in broiler chickens infected with E. tenella, highlighting the potential synergistic actions of LF in treating poultry coccidiosis.

Analysis of incorporating modified Weibull model fault detection rate function into software reliability modeling.

When software systems are introduced, they are typically deployed in field environments similar to those used during development and testing. However, these systems may also be used in various other locations with different environmental conditions, making it challenging to improve software reliability. Factors such as the specific operating environment and the location of bugs in the code contribute to this difficulty. In this paper, we propose a new software reliability model that accounts for the uncertainty of operating environments. We present the explicit closed-form mean value function solution for the proposed model. The model's goodness of fit is demonstrated by comparing it to the nonhomogeneous Poisson process (NHPP) model based on Weibull model, using four sets of failure data sets from software applications. The proposed model performs well under various estimation techniques, making it a versatile tool for practitioners and researchers alike. The proposed model outperforms other existing NHPP Weibull based in terms of fitting accuracy under two different methods of estimation and provides a more detailed and precise evaluation of software reliability. Additionally, sensitivity analysis shows that the parameters of the suggested distribution significantly impact the mean value function.

Synthesis, COX-2 inhibition, anti-inflammatory activity, molecular docking, and histopathological studies of new pyridazine derivatives.

Five new pyridazine scaffolds were synthesized and assessed for their inhibitory potential against both cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) compared with indomethacin and celecoxib. The majority of the synthesized compounds demonstrated a definite preference for COX-2 over COX-1 inhibition. Compounds 4c and 6b exhibited enhanced potency towards COX-2 enzyme with IC50 values of 0.26 and 0.18 µM, respectively, compared to celecoxib with IC50 = 0.35 µM. The selectivity index (SI) of compound 6b was 6.33, more than that of indomethacin (SI = 0.50), indicating the most predominant COX-2 inhibitory activity. Consequently, the in vivo anti-inflammatory activity of compound 6b was comparable to that of indomethacin and celecoxib and no ulcerative effect was detected upon the oral administration of compound 6b, as indicated by the histopathological examination. Moreover, compound 6b decreased serum plasma PEG2 and IL-1ß. To rationalize the selectivity and potency of COX-2 inhibition, a molecular docking study of compound 6b into the COX-2 active site was carried out. The COX-2 inhibition and selectivity of compound 6b can be attributed to its ability to enter the side pocket of the COX-2 enzyme and interact with the essential amino acid His90. Together, these findings suggested that compound 6b is a promising lead for the possible design of COX-2 inhibitors that could be employed as safe and effective anti-inflammatory drugs.

Impact of sub chronic administration of deltamethrin on autoimmune activity in rat.

Deltamethrin (DLM) is a newer kind of insecticide that is used on pets, livestock, and crops, as well as to combat malaria vectors and household pests. It belongs to the synthetic pyrethroid group and is being promoted as an alternative to organophosphate chemicals due to its persistent and destructive effects. The current study aimed to evaluate the impact of sub-chronic oral exposure to DLM on autoimmune activity in rats. Three groups of male albino rats (15 rats/group) including the control group, the ethanol-treated group (1 ml/rat), and the DLM-treated group (5 mg/kg b.w). Samples of blood were taken from all groups at 4-, 8- and 12-week intervals for the determination of hematological, cytokines, and immunological parameters. T lymphocyte subsets and Treg lymphocytes were determined in serum using flow cytometric acquisition. The results revealed that DLM significantly increased TNF-α, IL-33, IL-6, IL-17, IgG, IgM, WBCs, differential count, and platelets while decreasing Hb concentration and RBCs. Additionally, DLM decreased the number of T-cell subsets (CD3, CD4, CD5, and CD8) and Treg lymphocytes. All of these impacts became more severe over time. It is possible to conclude that the sub-chronic oral exposure to DLM disturbed autoimmune activity through the disturbances in immunological indices, CDs subset Treg lymphocytes.

Plasma type IV collagen levels as a potential biomarker for early detection of nephropathy in diabetes mellitus patients.

Diabetic nephropathy represents a microvascular complication related to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) that ultimately causes end-stage renal disease. Our study aimed to evaluate the association of plasma type IV collagen with albuminuria status and to assess the clinical significance of plasma type IV collagen as a potential biomarker in the early stage of diabetic nephropathy. The study comprised 75 participants diagnosed with T2DM allocated equally (n=25) into three groups: (A) normal albuminuria levels, (B) microalbuminuria, and (C) macroalbuminuria, depending on their urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio. A comparative analysis was conducted between these groups and a control group (D, n=15). The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method was employed for measuring plasma type IV collagen levels. The results revealed that plasma type IV collagen levels were significantly higher in T2DM groups than in the control group. Moreover, diabetic patients without albuminuria had significantly higher plasma type IV collagen levels than the control group (p < 0.001). Furthermore, albuminuria levels among diabetic patient groups were significantly increased as albuminuria categories increased (p < 0.001). A significant positive correlation existed between plasma type IV collagen and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels in the macroalbuminuric diabetic group. Our study employed the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to determine plasma type IV collagen diagnostic utility in macroalbuminuria prediction. The ROC curve analysis revealed that type IV collagen can significantly determine macroalbuminuric patients at a cutoff value of 2.25 with sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of 68%, 100%, 100%, and 75.8%, respectively (p < 0.001). In conclusion, plasma type IV collagen levels might serve as a valuable predictor of albuminuria onset in patients with T2DM.

Relation between interleukin-13 and annexin-V levels and carotid intima-media thickness in nephrotic syndrome.

Background and aim: The aim of the current study is to assess the relation between carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) measurements, renal Doppler resistive index (RI) and serum levels of interleukin-13 (IL-13) and annexin-V (An-V) in children with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS). Materials and methods: The present case-control study was conducted on 60 children with INS and 60 age- and sex-matched healthy children. All participants were subjected to evaluation of serum levels of IL-13 and An-V and ultrasound Doppler measurement of CIMT and renal RI. Results: Patients expressed significantly higher An-V (5.9 ± 2.6 vs. 2.1 ± 0.8 ng/mL, p<0.001) and IL-13 (19.2 ± 7.6 vs. 3.4 ± 1.4 ng/L) levels when compared with healthy counterparts. Moreover, it was shown that patients had significantly higher CIMT (0.49 ± 0.06 vs. 0.35 ± 0.03, p<0.001) as compared to controls. No significant differences were noted between the studied groups regarding right or left RIs. Correlation analysis identified significant direct correlation between serum An-V levels and albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR) (r = 0.55), cholesterol (r = 0.48), triglycerides (r = 0.36), IL-13 (r = 0.92) and CIMT (r = 0.53). Similar correlations could be found between serum IL-13 levels and CIMT measurements and the corresponding parameters. Conclusions: The present study suggests an association between higher early atherosclerosis expressed as elevated CIMT measurements in children with INS and elevated serum levels of An-V and IL-13.

Association of aerobic fitness and grip strength with cognitive and academic performance in Arab children.

This study investigated the association between aerobic and muscular fitness with the cognitive control and academic performance of preadolescent Arab children. Ninety-three children aged 10-13years (mean=11.5, SD=0.5) representing eight Arab nations (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Yemen, and Morocco) participated in this cross-sectional study. The participants completed tests for aerobic (progressive aerobic cardiovascular endurance run) and muscular (maximum grip strength) fitness, and cognitive control (flanker task). We assessed their academic performance based on their overall grade point average (GPA). Our analyses revealed that greater aerobic fitness was associated with higher GPA scores and greater muscular fitness was associated with a shorter response time in a task condition requiring extensive cognitive control (incongruent condition). No association was found between aerobic fitness and flanker task performance nor between muscular fitness and GPA. These results bridge the knowledge gap on the associations of physical fitness to the cognitive control and academic performance of Arab children, suggesting that the positive associations found in Western and Asian literature can be generalized to the Arab context.

Machine learning optimization for hybrid electric vehicle charging in renewable microgrids.

Renewable microgrids enhance security, reliability, and power quality in power systems by integrating solar and wind sources, reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This paper proposes a machine learning approach, leveraging Gaussian Process (GP) and Krill Herd Algorithm (KHA), for energy management in renewable microgrids with a reconfigurable structure based on remote switching of tie and sectionalizing. The method utilizes Gaussian Process (GP) for modeling hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) charging demand. To counteract HEV charging effects, two scenarios are explored: coordinated and intelligent charging. A novel optimization method inspired by the Krill Herd Algorithm (KHA) is introduced for the complex problem, along with a self-adaptive modification to tailor solutions to specific situations. Simulation on an IEEE microgrid demonstrates efficiency in both scenarios. The predictive model yields a remarkably low Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) of 1.02381 for total HEV charging demand. Results also reveal a reduction in microgrid operation cost in the intelligent charging scenario compared to coordinated charging.

Association between Young People's Neighbourhoods' Characteristics and Health Risk Factors in Saudi Arabia.

INTRODUCTION: A neighbourhood's environmental characteristics can positively or negatively influence health and well-being. To date, no studies have examined this concept in the context of Saudi Arabian youth. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the association between a neighbourhood's environmental characteristics and health risk factors among Saudi Arabian youth. METHODS: A total of 335 secondary-school students (175 males, 160 females), aged 15-19 years old, participated. Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference measurements were taken, and physical activity (steps) was measured via pedometer. The perceived neighbourhood environment was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Environment Module (IPAQ-E). RESULTS: Significant differences were found between the youths from urban, rural farm, and rural desert locations in terms of BMI, waist circumference, daily steps, accessibility, infrastructure, social environment, household vehicles, safety, and access to facilities (p < 0.001). Rural desert youths were less active, and males (26.43 + 8.13) and females (24.68 + 5.03) had higher BMIs compared to the youths from other areas. Chi-square analysis revealed a significant difference (χ21 = 12.664, p < 0.001) between the genders as to social-environment perceptions. Males perceived their neighbourhood as a social environment more than was reported by females (68.39% and 50.28%, respectively). Pearson's correlation revealed negative significant relationships between steps and both safety of neighbourhood (r = -0.235, p < 0.001) and crime rate (r = -0.281, p < 0.001). DISCUSSION: Geographical location, cultural attitudes, lack of facilities, and accessibility impact youth physical-activity engagement and weight status; this includes environmental variables such as residential density, neighbourhood safety, household motor vehicles, and social environment. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study examining associations with neighbourhood environments in the youths of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Significant associations and geographical differences were found. More research and policy interventions to address neighbourhoods' environmental characteristics and health risk factors relative to Saudi Arabian youth are warranted.

New insights into the anti-inflammatory and anti-melanoma mechanisms of action of azelaic acid and other Fusarium solani metabolites via in vitro and in silico studies.

Metabolites exploration of the ethyl acetate extract of Fusarium solani culture broth that was isolated from Euphorbia tirucalli root afforded five compounds; 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (1), 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (2), tyrosol (3), azelaic acid (4), malic acid (5), and fusaric acid (6). Fungal extract as well as its metabolites were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory and anti-hyperpigmentation potential via in vitro cyclooxygenases and tyrosinase inhibition assays, respectively. Azelaic acid (4) exhibited powerful and selective COX-2 inhibition followed by fusaric acid (6) with IC50 values (2.21 ± 0.06 and 4.81 ± 0.14 µM, respectively). As well, azelaic acid (4) had the most impressive tyrosinase inhibitory effect with IC50 value of 8.75 ± 0.18 µM compared to kojic acid (IC50 = 9.27 ± 0.19 µM). Exclusive computational studies of azelaic acid and fusaric acid with COX-2 were in good accord with the in vitro results. Interestingly, this is the first time to investigate and report the potential of compounds 3-6 to inhibit cyclooxygenase enzymes. One of the most invasive forms of skin cancer is melanoma, a molecular docking study using a set of enzymes related to melanoma suggested pirin to be therapeutic target for azelaic acid and fusaric acid as a plausible mechanism for their anti-melanoma activity.

Veterinary telemedicine: A new era for animal welfare.

Telehealth is a rapidly developing field of veterinary medicine, particularly during and after the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The world and animal owners' expectations are changing to the point where veterinary practice will need to adapt due to information technology advancements. This narrative review describes the status, benefits, technology basics, applications, limitations, and legal aspects of veterinary telemedicine over the globe. Veterinary telemedicine is a service alongside other veterinary services that meets client needs, delivers quality medicine, and improves animal welfare. The most frequently utilized veterinary telemedicine applications include teleradiology, telesonography, teledentistry, telecardiology, telerehabilitation, anesthesia teleconsultation, telehospice and telepalliative care, telecytology, tele-endoscpy, teledermatology, tele-ophthalmology, tele-behavior therapy, and veterinary education and training. Veterinary telemedicine has a bright near future and will impact veterinary medicine and animal welfare due to its numerous advantages. These advantages include its low cost, availability, involvement in veterinary health care, online payment, and effectiveness in many clinical situations such as follow-up after an in-person examination, inspection of surgical sites, or mobility. Nevertheless, veterinary telemedicine should receive more attention from veterinary professional regulatory bodies in all countries. Moreover, it is necessary to conduct more studies to evaluate how telehealth is beginning to improve veterinary care, particularly for underserved regions.

A statistical framework for a new Kavya-Manoharan Bilal distribution using ranked set sampling and simple random sampling.

In survival and stochastic lifespan modeling, numerous families of distributions are sometimes considered unnatural, unjustifiable theoretically, and occasionally superfluous. Here, a novel parsimonious survival model is developed using the Bilal distribution (BD) and the Kavya-Manoharan (KM) parsimonious transformation family. In addition to other analytical properties, the forms of probability density function (PDF) and behavior of the distributions' hazard rates are analyzed. The insights are theoretical as well as practical. Theoretically, we offer explicit equations for the single and product moments of order statistics from Kavya-Manoharan Bilal Distribution. Practically, maximum likelihood (ML) technique, which is based on simple random sampling (SRS) and ranked set sampling (RSS) sample schemes, is employed to estimate the parameters. Numerical simulations are used as the primary methodology to compare the various sampling techniques.

The association of oxidative stress of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia and vitamin E supplementation.

Aim of the study: Jaundice in newborns is a sign of skin and sclera pigmentation. Hyperbilirubinemia and these phenomena do, however, have a relationship. According to many clinical studies, elevated blood bilirubin and low vitamin E (VE) levels in newborns are associated. The aim of the study was to investigate the association of oxidative stress of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in patients who underwent phototherapy with additional vitamin E supplementation (25 mg/kg/day over the course of three days) and patients without additional vitamin E. Material and methods: A set of 100 neonatal indirect hyperbilirubinemia patients was enrolled at neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) of the pediatric departments at Al Azhar University Hospitals during the period from February 2021 to October 2022 after obtaining signed written informed consent of all neonates' parents with an explanation of the aim of study. Results: Significant differences were found between the studied groups regarding serum bilirubin on the third day of admission (p = 0.039). Patients who were treated with vitamin E had lower serum bilirubin on the third day of admission (8.25 ±3.41) than the control group (11.66 ±3.22). Also, among the VE group, serum bilirubin was significantly decreased on the third day of admission (8.25 ±3.41) compared to zero days of admission (14.10 ±4.39) (p = 0.041). Conclusions: Vitamin E supplementation has an important role in treatment of indirect hyperbilirubinemia in neonates. Early administration of vitamin E in preterm neonates resulted in a significant decrease of serum bilirubin and increased total antioxidant capacity. Vitamin E supplementation in full term decreased the duration of phototherapy.

Sacubitril/valsartan protective effect on induced intestinal ischemia/reperfusion injury via immune modulation of IL6/STAT1 pathway.

OBJECTIVES: Intestinal ischemia reperfusion (IIR) is a critical emergency situation that needs immediate intervention. Small intestine is one of the most sensitive tissues to IR injury and it remains a highly morbid condition, with reported mortality rates ranging from 30% to 90%. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the suspected protective role of sacubitril/valsartan (SAC/VAL) on IIR injury. METHODS: Thirty-two adult male Wistar rats were used in our model and divided into four groups: sham group, SAC/VAL treated group without IIR, IIR group, and SAC/VAL treated group with IIR. SAC/VAL in a dose of 30 mg/kg was administered orally just before induction of IIR. KEY FINDINGS: SAC/VAL significantly ameliorated IIR-induced changes as it decreased malondialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), angiotensin II (ANG II), interleukin 6 (IL 6), active caspase 3, and signal transducer- and activator-of transcription (STAT1). However, SAC/VAL administration significantly increased antioxidant parameters such as total antioxidant capacity (TAC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and reduced glutathione (GSH). Moreover, alteration of the histological structure was observed in IIR group that was improved by SAC/VAL. CONCLUSIONS: SAC/VAL prevents IIR-induced damage via modulation of renin angiotensin aldosterone system, antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory properties, and regulation of IL6/STAT1 pathway.

Birnbaum Saunders distribution for imprecise data: statistical properties, estimation methods, and real life applications.

A neutrosophic statistic is a random variable and it has a neutrosophic probability distribution. So, in this paper, we introduce the new neutrosophic Birnbaum-Saunders distribution. Some statistical properties are derived, using Mathematica 13.1.1 and R-Studio Software. Two different estimation methods for parameters estimation are introduced for new distribution: maximum likelihood estimation method and Bayesian estimation method. A Monte-Carlo simulation study is used to investigate the behavior of parameters estimates of new distribution, compare the performance of different estimates, and compare between our distribution and the classical version of Birnbaum-Saunders. Finally, study the validity of our new distribution in real life.