Differences in characteristics between patients from Egypt and Germany presenting with lacunar stroke.

Despite the enormous health burden of lacunar stroke, data from low- and middle-income countries on lacunar stroke characteristics and its comparison with that of high-income countries are scarce. Thus, we aimed to investigate and compare the variable characteristics and vascular status in patients from Egypt and Germany suffering lacunar stroke. Two cohorts of lacunar stroke patients from Ain Shams University Hospital, Egypt and Goethe University Hospital Frankfurt, Germany were retrospectively collected between January 2019 and December 2020 and analyzed for demographics, risk factors, mode of presentation, neuroimaging features, treatment protocols and outcomes. MRI showed a different distribution pattern of lacunar strokes between cohorts, detecting posterior circulation lacunar infarctions preponderantly in patients from Egypt and anterior circulation lacunar infarctions preponderantly in patients from Germany. Complementary MR/CT angiography revealed a significantly higher proportion of intracranial and combined intracranial and extracranial arterial stenosis in patients from Egypt than in patients from Germany, suggesting differences in pathological processes. Younger age, higher NIHSS on admission, and posterior circulation lacunar infarction were predictors of Egyptian origin, whereas hypertension was a predictor of German origin. Our results support the idea of clinical and neuroimaging phenotype variations in lacunar stroke, including different sources of lacunar stroke in patients of different populations and geographical regions. This implies that guidelines for management of lacunar stroke might be tailored to these differences accordingly.

Blink-To-Live eye-based communication system for users with speech impairments.

Eye-based communication languages such as Blink-To-Speak play a key role in expressing the needs and emotions of patients with motor neuron disorders. Most invented eye-based tracking systems are complex and not affordable in low-income countries. Blink-To-Live is an eye-tracking system based on a modified Blink-To-Speak language and computer vision for patients with speech impairments. A mobile phone camera tracks the patient's eyes by sending real-time video frames to computer vision modules for facial landmarks detection, eye identification and tracking. There are four defined key alphabets in the Blink-To-Live eye-based communication language: Left, Right, Up, and Blink. These eye gestures encode more than 60 daily life commands expressed by a sequence of three eye movement states. Once the eye gestures encoded sentences are generated, the translation module will display the phrases in the patient's native speech on the phone screen, and the synthesized voice can be heard. A prototype of the Blink-To-Live system is evaluated using normal cases with different demographic characteristics. Unlike the other sensor-based eye-tracking systems, Blink-To-Live is simple, flexible, and cost-efficient, with no dependency on specific software or hardware requirements. The software and its source are available from the GitHub repository ( https://github.com/ZW01f/Blink-To-Live ).

The impact of vitamin D deficiency on some biochemical parameters and clinical outcome in Palestinian pregnant women during the first trimester.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Vitamin D deficiency is widespread worldwide and associated with negative effects on maternal and neonatal health. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between vitamin D and thyroid and parathyroid hormone levels in the first trimester of pregnancy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This case control study included 200 participants aged (18-40) years divided into two groups; 100 pregnant females at the first trimester as case group, attending the main general clinical centers in Gaza strip, Palestine and 100 apparently healthy non-pregnant females as control group. Vitamin D, free thyroxine, free triiodothyronine, thyroid stimulating hormone, parathyroid, and the autoantibodies specific for thyroglobulin and thyroid peroxidase in serum were measured in all mothers and statistically analyzed using SPSS version 21 software. RESULTS: Serum vitamin D, TSH, anti-TPO, and anti-TG levels were significantly decrease while, parathyroid levels were non-significantly decreased in the first trimester of pregnancy compered to control group. The levels of fT4 were significantly increased and level of fT3 were non significantly increased among pregnant mothers compered to control group. Analyses using Pearson correlation coefficients showed positive correlations between vitamin D with fT4, fT3, Anti-TPO with P -value < 0.05 and negative correlations with mother age, TSH, PTH with P-value < 0.05 in early pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin D deficiency among pregnant women in the first-trimester can be associated with thyroid, parathyroid parameters and thyroid autoantibodies with potential adverse consequences for overall health, emphasizing a routine monitoring and vitamin D supplementation prevention strategies to optimize maternal and fetal outcomes.

Relationship between sputum periostin level and inflammatory asthma phenotypes in Egyptian patients.

INTRODUCTION: Asthma is a common chronic inflammatory air way disease which poses a high disease burden worldwide. Asthma is a heterogenous disease with various phenotypes and endotypes. Refractory asthma requires new and personalized approaches to manage it effectively. Periostin is a promising biomarker that may help in predicting severity, prognosis and could be a therapeutic target. We aimed in this study to investigate periostin levels in the sputum of asthmatic Egyptian patients of inflammatory phenotypes and its relation to asthma severity. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This study included 96 adult asthmatic patients; 48 patients with mild-to-moderate bronchial asthma, 48 patients with severe bronchial asthma according to ATS criteria and 10 healthy controls. All participants were subjected to full history taking and clinical examination; pulmonary function tests; skin prick test; induced-sputum analysis for inflammatory cells and periostin. RESULTS: Sputum periostin concentrations were significantly higher in patients with asthma than in controls. Sputum periostin is strongly correlated with age and sputum TLC and inversely correlated with FEV1. It is correlated with sputum neutrophil count and sputum eosinophil percentage. Best cut off value for sputum periostin is >528.25 ng/ml to differentiate between mild-to-moderate and severe asthma. CONCLUSION: Sputum periostin levels provide a satisfying diagnostic accuracy in severe asthmatic with persistent airflow limitation than mild-to-moderate asthmatic adults. There is a modest positive correlation between sputum periostin and sputum eosinophilia.

Multifunctional nanoparticles in stem cell therapy for cellular treating of kidney and liver diseases.

The review gives an overview of the mechanisms of internalization and distribution of nanoparticles in stem cells this is achieved via providing analysis of the methods used in exploring the migration routes of stem cells, and their reciprocity. In addition, exploring microenvironment target in the body, and tracking the fate of exogenously transplanted stem cells by using innovative and non-invasive techniques will also be discussed. Such techniques like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), multimodality tracking, optical imaging, and nuclear medicine imaging, which were designed to follow up stem cell migration. This review will explain the various distinctive strategies to enhance homing of labeled stem cells with nanoparticles into damaged hepatic and renal tissues, this purpose was obtained by inducing a specific gene into stem cells, various chemokines, and applying an external magnetic field. Also, this work illustrates how to improve nanoparticles uptake by using transfection agents or covalently binding an exogenous protein (i.e., Human immunodeficiency virus-Tat protein) or conjugating a receptor-specific monoclonal antibody or make modifications to iron coat. It contains stem cell labeling methods such as extracellular labeling and internalization approaches. Ultimately, our review indicates trails of researchers in nanoparticles utilization in stem cell therapy in both kidney and liver diseases.

Induction of sub-G0 arrest and apoptosis by seed extract of Moringa peregrina (Forssk.) Fiori in cervical and prostate cancer cell lines.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated cytotoxicity and induction of apoptosis in human cervical cancer cells (HELA) and prostate cancer cells (PC-3) using the most active fraction of Moringa peregrina seed extract. METHODS: Dried and powdered seeds were extracted using 95% ethanol. The total ethanolic extract was further dissolved in distilled water and separated into petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate and aqueous extracts. Based on the results of in vitro anticancer studies of all extracts, the most highly active extract was selected for evaluation of apoptosis induction and cell cycle analysis on HELA and PC-3 cells at its half maximal inhibitory concentration using flow cytometry; DNA fragmentation by agarose gel electrophoresis and the expression of protein were measured by Western blot. RESULTS: The chloroform fraction from the ethanolic extract of M. peregrina (CFEE) was the most active antitumor fraction. The selectivity index, determined using the normal Vero cell line, indicated that CFEE had a high degree of selectivity against HELA and PC-3 cells. CFEE induced apoptosis, confirmed by cell cycle arrest at sub-G0 phase and DNA fragmentation. CFEE induced an increase in mRNA expression of caspase-3, a decrease in Bcl-2 mRNA expression, and decreased ATP levels. CFEE increased protein expression of caspase-3 and decreased protein expression of poly-ADP-ribose polymerase-1 (PARP-1). Flow cytometric analysis showed an appreciable increase in the number of cells in the early apoptotic stage in CFEE-treated HELA and PC-3 cells. CFEE treatment significantly increased lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde level) in HELA and PC-3 cells. CONCLUSION: Seed extract of M. peregrina displayed a significant antitumor effect through apoptosis induction in HELA and PC-3 cells.

Induction of sub-G arrest and apoptosis by seed extract of Moringa peregrina (Forssk.) Fiori in cervical and prostate cancer cell lines / 中西医结合学报

OBJECTIVE@#This study investigated cytotoxicity and induction of apoptosis in human cervical cancer cells (HELA) and prostate cancer cells (PC-3) using the most active fraction of Moringa peregrina seed extract.@*METHODS@#Dried and powdered seeds were extracted using 95% ethanol. The total ethanolic extract was further dissolved in distilled water and separated into petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate and aqueous extracts. Based on the results of in vitro anticancer studies of all extracts, the most highly active extract was selected for evaluation of apoptosis induction and cell cycle analysis on HELA and PC-3 cells at its half maximal inhibitory concentration using flow cytometry; DNA fragmentation by agarose gel electrophoresis and the expression of protein were measured by Western blot.@*RESULTS@#The chloroform fraction from the ethanolic extract of M. peregrina (CFEE) was the most active antitumor fraction. The selectivity index, determined using the normal Vero cell line, indicated that CFEE had a high degree of selectivity against HELA and PC-3 cells. CFEE induced apoptosis, confirmed by cell cycle arrest at sub-G phase and DNA fragmentation. CFEE induced an increase in mRNA expression of caspase-3, a decrease in Bcl-2 mRNA expression, and decreased ATP levels. CFEE increased protein expression of caspase-3 and decreased protein expression of poly-ADP-ribose polymerase-1 (PARP-1). Flow cytometric analysis showed an appreciable increase in the number of cells in the early apoptotic stage in CFEE-treated HELA and PC-3 cells. CFEE treatment significantly increased lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde level) in HELA and PC-3 cells.@*CONCLUSION@#Seed extract of M. peregrina displayed a significant antitumor effect through apoptosis induction in HELA and PC-3 cells.

The effect of different methods of leucoreduction on plasma coagulation factors.

Removal of leucocytes from blood products, namely leucoreduction, improves the safety of blood transfusion by reducing adverse events associated with the incidental transfusion of leucocytes. Coagulation factors might be compromised during leucoreduction because of exposure of plasma to a variety of filter materials. The aim of the current study was to assess the effect of different methods of prestorage leucofiltration (apheresis and whole blood filters) on prothrombin time, international normalized ratio, partial thromboplastin time and factors V and VIII. There was a significant prolongation of prothrombin time as well as elevation of international normalized ratio in plasma after leucoreduction (14.5 ±â€Š0.7 s vs. 13.9 ±â€Š0.7 s, P = 0.008 and 1.14 ±â€Š0.07 vs. 1.09 ±â€Š0.07, P = 0.005, respectively). Also, there was a statistically significant prolongation of activated partial thromboplastin time in nonleucoreduced plasma (55.6 ±â€Š9.9 s vs. 43.2 ±â€Š12.8 s, P = 0.001). There was no significant filtration effect on factors V and VIII levels. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in factors V and VIII levels between plasma filtered by inline whole blood filters and apheresis machine. Leucodepleted plasma originating from both inline whole blood filter and apheresis machine maintained satisfactory levels of factors V and VIII.

Serum indolamine 2,3 dioxygenase as a marker in the evaluation of allergic rhinitis.

BACKGROUND: Allergic rhinitis occurs on exposure to a known allergen and is correlated with a positive skin test and physical examination results. Tryptophan is a substrate of many important proteins, e.g., indolamine 2,3 dioxygenase (IDO). IDO, an immunomodulator, is a metabolic enzyme induced by immune activation. It has a significant role in allergic reactions. T-helper 2 cell is proposed to affect the expression of IDO. AIM: To evaluate IDO levels in patients with allergic rhinitis compared with controls and its relationship to the severity of allergic rhinitis. METHODS: This case-control study included 20 patients who were atopic and with allergic rhinitis who attended the allergy clinic of Ain Shams University Hospitals. Twenty age- and sex-matched patients who were not atopic were included as controls. An allergic rhinitis diagnosis was made according to the Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma document. Complete history taking, physical examination, skin-prick test, complete blood cell count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, total serum immunoglobulin E (IgE), IDO concentration, and nasal smear for eosinophils were done for the patients. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in IDO levels in allergic rhinitis in comparison with subjects without allergy (p < 0.001). IDO was positively correlated with total IgE levels (p < 0.037). There was an insignificant relationship among IDO levels and age, sex, duration of the disease, severity score, nasal and blood eosinophilia, and number of positive allergens. CONCLUSION: IDO plays an important role in patients with atopic symptomatic allergic rhinitis, especially with increased levels of IgE. There is no relationship between IDO levels and severity of disease.

Anatomic physeal-sparing technique for medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction in skeletally immature patients with ligamentous laxity.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical outcome of this modified physeal-sparing technique for MPFL reconstruction in skeletally immature patients with ligament laxity. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study was conducted on 16 patients (11 females and 5 males) with an average age of 11.5 years (8-15). They all had recurrent patellar dislocation with generalized ligament laxity (mean Beighton's score of 7) and no patellar tilt on X-ray. We modified the Frank Noyes' non-anatomic technique for MPFL reconstruction to become anatomic without hardware fixation for the graft. RESULTS: The mean follow-up period was 29.25 months (SD 4.3) ranged from 24 to 34 months. Preoperative Kujala score had ranged from 49 to 61 points (mean of 56, SD 4.72), improved to be ranged from 90 to 99 points (mean 94, SD 2.73), which is considered highly significant (p value < 0.005). Till the latest follow-up, there were no definite re-dislocation episodes in any of our patients. CONCLUSION: The described technique allows reconstruction of the MPFL in skeletally immature patients with ligament laxity avoiding any potential risks of growth disturbances or chondral damage as compared to other techniques. The modification of two-point femoral fixation allows both a more anatomic and more secure form of reconstruction and is cost-effective without the need for hardware.

In vitro amplification of ovine prions from scrapie-infected sheep from Great Britain reveals distinct patterns of propagation.

BACKGROUND: Protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) is a method that facilitates the detection of prions from many sources of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE). Sheep scrapie represents a unique diversity of prion disease agents in a range of susceptible PRNP genotypes. In this study PMCA was assessed on a range of Great Britain (GB) sheep scrapie isolates to determine the applicability to veterinary diagnosis of ovine TSE. RESULTS: PrPSc amplification by protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) was assessed as a diagnostic tool for field cases of scrapie. The technique was initially applied to thirty-seven isolates of scrapie from diverse geographical locations around GB, and involved sheep of various breeds and PRNP genotypes. All samples were amplified in either VRQ and/or ARQ PrPC substrate. For PrPSc from sheep with at least one VRQ allele, all samples amplified efficiently in VRQ PrPC but only PrPSc from ARH/VRQ sheep amplified in both substrates. PrPSc from ARQ/ARQ sheep displayed two amplification patterns, one that amplified in both substrates and one that only amplified in ARQ PrPC. These amplification patterns were consistent for a further 14/15 flock/farm mates of these sheep. Furthermore experimental scrapie strains SSBP1, Dawson, CH1641 and MRI were analysed. SSBP1 and Dawson (from VRQ/VRQ sheep) amplified in VRQ but not ARQ substrate. MRI scrapie (from ARQ/ARQ sheep) nor CH1641 did not amplify in ARQ or VRQ substrate; these strains required an enhanced PMCA method incorporating polyadenylic acid (poly(A)) to achieve amplification. CONCLUSIONS: PrPsc from 52 classical scrapie GB field isolates amplified in VRQ or ARQ or both substrates and supports the use of PMCA as a rapid assay for the detection of a wide range of ovine classical scrapie infections involving multiple PRNP genotypes and scrapie strains.

Serotonin- and two putative serotonin receptors-like immunohistochemical reactivities in the ground crickets Dianemobius nigrofasciatus and Allonemobius allardi.

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT)- and two putative serotonin receptors, 5-HT1A- and 5-HT1B-like, immunohistochemical reactivities were investigated in the cephalic ganglia of two ground crickets, Dianemobius nigrofasciatus and Allonemobius allardi. 5-HT-ir was strongly expressed in the central body, accessory medulla region of the optic lobe, frontal ganglion, posterior cortex of the protocerebrum, dorsolateral region of the protocerebrum, and the suboesphageal ganglion (SOG) in both crickets. However, 5-HT1A-ir and 5-HT1B-ir showed quite mutually distinct patterns that were also distinct from 5-HT-ir. 5-HT1A-ir was located in the pars intercerebralis, dorsolateral region of the protocerebrum, optic tract, optic lobe, and the midline of the SOG in both crickets. 5-HT1B-ir was located in the pars intercerebralis and dorsolateral region of the protocerebrum, and detected weakly in the optic lobe, tritocerebrum, and the midline of the SOG in both crickets. Interspecific differences were observed with 5-HT1A-ir. 5-HT1A-ir was expressed weakly in two neurons in the mandibular neuromere of the SOG in D. nigrofasciatus, while it was expressed strongly in the tritocerebrum, mandibular neuromere, and maxillary neuromere of the SOG in A. allardi and co-localized with CLOCK-ir (CLK-ir). 5HT-1B-ir was co-localized with CLK-ir in the tritocerebrum, mandibular neuromere, and maxillary neuromere of the SOG when double-labeling was conducted in both crickets. These results indicated that 5-HT and both types of 5-HT receptors may regulate circadian photo-entrainment or photoperiodism in A. allardi, while only 5-HT1B may be involved in circadian photo-entrainment or photoperiodism in D. nigrofasciatus.

Precursor structure, distribution and possible functions of pigment-dispersing hormone (PDH) in the terrestrial isopod Armadillidium vulgare (Latreille).

Pigment-dispersing hormone (PDH) is an 18 amino acid neuropeptide that induces pigment migration in Decapoda and serves as a circadian neurotransmitter in the locomotor activity rhythm in Drosophila. In this study, a cDNA encoding PDH was cloned from adult brains of the pill bug, Armadillidium vulgare (Av). The cDNA comprising 529 bp encodes a peptide (AvPDH) that consists of a putative 26 amino acid signal peptide, and a 34 amino acid PDH-precursor-related peptide containing an 18 amino acid mature peptide. The peptide shows a high sequence identity (55-77%) to crustacean ß-PDHs and insect PDFs. The tissue-specific expression pattern was examined by reverse transcription PCR. The transcript is expressed in the brain strongly and ventral nerve cord weakly, but the signal was not detected in the intestinal tract. A similar expression profile appeared in Western blot analyses. Western blot analyses with timed samples showed more intense expression of PDH-like antigen at night. PDH-like immunohistochemical reactivity (PDH-ir) was detected in the optic lobe, anteromedian protocerebrum, accessory lobe, tritocerebrum, and suboesophageal ganglion but the reactivity was faint or nil in the pseudofrontal organ (sinus gland). These results were substantiated by in situ hybridization. Co-localization using anti-Gryllus bimaculatus (Gb)-PDF, anti-Bombyx mori (Bm)-CLK, and anti-Bm-CYC showed a co-localization of these antigens in the optic lobe and SOG. The results provide the first structural and immunocytochemical identification of PDH neurons in terrestrial isopods, and the co-localization of PDH with CLK and CYC supports its possible involvement in circadian clock. A day/night rhythm of PDH content is also a new feature.

Doppler echocardiographic signs to differentiate between chronic lung disease and right ventricular dysfunction in a child with calcified pericardium.

A 7 year-old girl was admitted with history of low-grade fever, weight loss and occasional cough for the last 6 months. Tuberculosis was suspected, for which antituberculous treatment was initiated. Chest X-ray demonstrated calcification of the pericardium with chest miliary shadowing. CT chest was done showing very fine sharply defined miliary nodularity throughout both lungs without mediastinal lymphadenopathy. The patient was referred to paediatric cardiology service to rule out constrictive pericarditis. Clinical cardiac examination as well as the electrocardiogram was normal. Echocardiography and Doppler were done showing normal cardiac anatomy and function apart from the detected pericardial calcification. Doppler tracing in the hepatic vein as well as in the superior vena cava could clearly exclude any negative effect on diastolic cardiac function, which could occur in the setup of pericardial calcification. Doppler, instead helped to identify the chronic pulmonary disease by showing increased inflow velocity throughout inspiration.

Immunological role of nasal staphylococcus aureus carriage in patients with persistent allergic rhinitis.

Nasal carriage of staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus) exerts immunomodulatory effect in patients with atopic dermatitis and it may contribute to airway inflammation and allergic response in patients with allergic rhinitis. We Aim to investigate the frequency of nasal S.aureus carriage in patients with persistent allergic rhinitis and its possible influence on their symptoms and immune markers. We chosed 20 non smoker patients with house dust mite (HDM) allergy causing allergic rhinitis and 20 non smoker healthy subjects matched for age and sex. For all subjects rhinoscopy was done, skin prick test, nasal culture for S.aureus, nasal interleukin 4,nasal total IgE, serum total IgE and serum specific IgE(SSIgE) for HDM. Nasal S.aureus was detected in 16/20 patients (80%) and 5/20 (25%) in healthy subjects with highly significant statistical difference p<0.01. Correlation of nasal staph.aureus count and different systemic and local immune markers revealed highly significant positive correlation between nasal S.aureus count and serum total IgE (r = 0.78, p<0.01) and significant positive correlation with SSIgE (HDM) (r = 0.53, p<0.05), nasal total IgE (r = 0.39, p<0.05) and nasal IL-4 (r = 0.55, p<0.05). Nasal staph.aureus actively modulated the immune reaction in persistent allergic rhinitis patients by promoting local IgE production, so we recommend early detection and treatment of S.aureus carriage in patients.

Immunological Role of Nasal Staphylococcus aureus Carriage in Patients with Persistent at Allergic Rhinitis

Nasal carriage of staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus) exerts immunomodulatory effect in patients with atopic dermatitis and it may contribute to airway inflammation and allergic response in patients with allergic rhinitis. We Aim to investigate the frequency of nasal S.aureus carriage in patients with persistent allergic rhinitis and its possible influence on their symptoms and immune markers. We chosed 20 non smoker patients with house dust mite (HDM) allergy causing allergic rhinitis and 20 non smoker healthy subjects matched for age and sex. For all subjects rhinoscopy was done; skin prick test; nasal culture for S.aureus; nasal interleukin 4;nasal total IgE; serum total IgE and serum specific IgE(SSIgE) for HDM. Nasal S.aureus was detected in 16/20 patients (80) and 5/20 (25) in healthy subjects with highly significant statistical difference p0.01. Correlation of nasal staph.aureus count and different systemic and local immune markers revealed highly significant positive correlation between nasal S.aureus count and serum total IgE (r

Immunological Role of Nasal Staphylococcus aureus Carriage in Patients with Persistent at Allergic Rhinitis

Nasal carriage of staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus) exerts immunomodulatory effect in patients with atopic dermatitis and it may contribute to airway inflammation and allergic response in patients with allergic rhinitis. We Aim to investigate the frequency of nasal S.aureus carriage in patients with persistent allergic rhinitis and its possible influence on their symptoms and immune markers. We chosed 20 non smoker patients with house dust mite (HDM) allergy causing allergic rhinitis and 20 non smoker healthy subjects matched for age and sex. For all subjects rhinoscopy was done; skin prick test; nasal culture for S.aureus; nasal interleukin 4;nasal total IgE; serum total IgE and serum specific IgE(SSIgE) for HDM. Nasal S.aureus was detected in 16/20 patients (80) and 5/20 (25) in healthy subjects with highly significant statistical difference p0.01. Correlation of nasal staph.aureus count and different systemic and local immune markers revealed highly significant positive correlation between nasal S.aureus count and serum total IgE (r