The role of Aeromonas genotyping in virulence for Dicentrarchus labrax.

Aeromonas septicemia still represents a serious challenge facing the global aquaculture sector. In the present study, Aeromonas caviae and A. veronii were isolated from four diseased European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) farms experiencing a high mortality rate. Diseased fish showed haemorrhages on the external body surface with exophthalmia, cataracts, scale desquamation, skin ulcers and fin erosions. The most common post-mortem findings were congested internal organs, particularly the liver and posterior kidney. Twenty-eight A. Veronii and 11 A. caviae isolates were identified biochemically by the Vitek 2 system and then confirmed by PCR and phylogenetic analysis. Hemolysin (hlyA) and aerolysin (aer) were the most abundant virulence genes in the recovered isolates, followed by cytotoxic enterotoxin (act) and heat-stable enterotoxin (ast). A. caviae was more virulent than A. veronii for D. labrax fingerlings as LD50 ranging between (>1 × 108 -6.2 × 107 ) for A. veronii and (2.9 × 107 -8.3 × 107 ) for A. caviae. The sensitivity test indicated the effectiveness of norfloxacin, doxycycline and oxytetracycline against the tested isolates. Serum cortisol significantly increased in the infected groups, while catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities significantly decreased at 2 days post-infection (DPI) and then increased at 6 DPI. The presence of virulence genes was associated with bacterial pathogenicity expressed in fish mortality rate. Virulence genes also drastically affect cortisol levels more than catalase and glutathione peroxidase levels.

Spirulina platensis Alleviated the Oxidative Damage in the Gills, Liver, and Kidney Organs of Nile Tilapia Intoxicated with Sodium Sulphate.

The current study aimed at assessing the recuperative roles of dietary Spirulina platensis on the antioxidation capacity of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) exposed to sodium sulphate for eight weeks. In brief, fish were allocated into four groups with three triplicates per group, where a group fed on a commercial basal diet served as control, a group was intoxicated with sodium sulphate (SS) 5.8 mg/L, another group was fed a diet supplemented with 1% S. platensis (SP), and the last group was fed 1% SP and concomitantly intoxicated with 5.8 mg/L sodium sulphate (SP/SS). Tissue antioxidative indices of each fish were measured as follows: glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity in muscles, catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in gills, and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) in the liver and kidney. Moreover, the expression of hepatic SOD, GSH-Px, and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) genes was also determined. It was found that tissue CAT, SOD, and GSH-Px activities as well as the T-AOC levels were significantly decreased in the SS group (p < 0.05). Moreover, there was a significant downregulation of hepatic SOD, GSH-Px, and GST genes in SS-exposed fish (p < 0.05). Interestingly, simultaneous dietary supplementation with SP provided a marked attenuation of the tissue antioxidative parameters when compared with the SS and control groups. To conclude, the present study exemplifies that dietary SP supplementation could be a beneficial abrogation of SS-induced tissue oxidative stress in the exposed fish.

Critical appraisal of the International Prophylaxis Study Group magnetic resonance image scale for evaluating haemophilic arthropathy.

A goal of the International Prophylaxis Study Group (IPSG) is to provide an accurate instrument to measure MRI-based disease severity of haemophilic arthropathy at various time points, so that longitudinal changes in disease severity can be identified to support decisions on treatment management. We review and discuss in this paper the evaluative purpose of the IPSG MRI scale in relation to its development and validation processes so far. We also critically appraise the validity, reliability and responsiveness of using the IPSG MRI scale in different clinical and research settings, and whenever applicable, compare these clinimetric properties of the IPSG MRI scale with those of its precursors, the compatible additive and progressive MRI scales.

Moringa Oleifera Leaf Extract Repairs the Oxidative Misbalance following Sub-Chronic Exposure to Sodium Fluoride in Nile Tilapia Oreochromis niloticus.

The potential antioxidant property of Moringa oleifera (MO) has been the recent focus of an increased number of studies. However few studies investigated its antioxidative ability against sodium fluoride-induced redox balance breakdown in Oreochromis niloticus. Thus, this study evaluates the effects of MO against the oxidative stress induced by sub-chronic exposure to sodium fluoride (NaF). A total of 264 fish (40 ± 3 g BW) were used to calculate the 96 hr-LC50 of NaF and perform the sub-chronic exposure study. 96 hr-LC50 of NaF was calculated as (61 mg/L). The 1/10 dose of the calculated 96 hr-LC50 (6.1 mg/L) was used to complete the sub chronic exposure for eight weeks. Fish were divided into four groups (n = 51; three replicates each); control, non-treated group; NaF group (exposed to NaF 6.1 mg/L); MO group (treated with 1% MO of diet); and NaF+MO (exposed to NaF 6.1 mg/L and treated with 1% MO of diet). The results revealed that the sub-chronic exposure to NaF (6.1 mg/L) was substantially increased malondialdehyde (MDA) and decrease the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione reduced (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in the gills, liver, kidney, and muscle tissue in a time-dependent manner. In addition, a significant reduction in mRNA expression of GST in the liver was reported following NaF exposure. On the contrary, dietary supplementation of MO to NaF-exposed fish resulted in a significant reduction in MDA levels, and a significant elevation of SOD, CAT, GSH, GPx, and TAC activities in a time-dependent manner, in addition to significant elevation of GST mRNA expression in liver tissue. It could be concluded that a 1% MO (w/w) ration is a promising antioxidant plant that may successfully use to interfere with the oxidation processes induced by NaF in various tissues of Oreochromis niloticus.

The clinical significance of indeterminate pulmonary nodules in melanoma patients at baseline and during follow-up chest CT.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to determine an appropriate timeline to monitor indeterminate pulmonary nodules (IPN) in melanoma patients to confirm metastatic origin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 588 clinically non-metastatic melanoma patients underwent curative intent surgery during 3 years. Patients with baseline chest CT and at least one follow-up (FU) CT were retrospectively analyzed to assess for IPN. Patients with definitely benign nodules, metastases and non-melanoma malignancies were excluded. Change in volume from first to FU CT, initial diameter (D1) and volume (V1), distance from pleura, peripheral and perifissural location, density and clinical stage were evaluated. Nodules were volumetrically measured on CTs and were considered metastases if they increased in size between two CTs or if increase was accompanied by multiple new nodules or extrapulmonary metastases. RESULTS: 148 patients were included. Two out of 243 baseline IPN detected in 70 patients, increased significantly in volume in 3 and 5 months and were proven metastases. During FU, 86% of 40 interval IPN detected in 28 patients, were proven metastases. Interval nodule (p < 0.0001, HR:243,CI:[57.32,1033.74]), 3-month volume change (OR:1.023,CI:[1.014,1.033]), V1 (OR:1.006,CI:[1.003,1.009]), D1 (OR:1.424,CI:[1.23,1.648]), distance from pleura (OR:1.03,CI:[1.003,1.059]), and combined stage IIC + III (OR:11.29,CI:[1.514,84.174]), were associated with increased risk for metastasis. 43%, 72% and 94% of patients with IPN were confirmed with metastases in the first FU CT at 3, 6 and 12 months respectively. CONCLUSION: Baseline IPN are most likely benign, while interval IPN are high risk for metastasis. Absence of volume increase of IPN within 6 months excluded metastasis in most patients.

Imaging of systemic vasculitis in childhood.

The term "systemic vasculitis" encompasses a diverse set of diseases linked by the presence of blood-vessel inflammation that are often associated with critical complications. These diseases are uncommon in childhood and are frequently subjected to a delayed diagnosis. Although the diagnosis and treatment may be similar for adult and childhood systemic vasculitides, the prevalence and classification vary according to the age group under investigation. For example, Kawasaki disease affects children while it is rarely encountered in adults. In 2006, the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) and the Pediatric Rheumatology European Society (PReS) proposed a classification system for childhood vasculitis adopting the system devised in the Chapel Hill Consensus Conference in 1993, which categorizes vasculitides according to the predominant size of the involved blood vessels into small, medium and large vessel diseases. Currently, medical imaging has a pivotal role in the diagnosis of vasculitis given recent developments in the imaging of blood vessels. For example, early diagnosis of coronary artery aneurysms, a serious complication of Kawasaki disease, is now possible by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the heart and multidetector computed tomography (MDCT); positron emission tomography/CT (PET/CT) helps to assess active vascular inflammation in Takayasu arteritis. Our review offers a unique approach using the integration of the proposed classification criteria for common systemic childhood vasculitides with their most frequent imaging findings, along with differential diagnoses and an algorithm for diagnosis based on common findings. It should help radiologists and clinicians reach an early diagnosis, therefore facilitating the ultimate goal of proper management of affected children.

Physiological and oxidative stress biomarkers in the freshwater monosex Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus L., exposed to pendimethalin-based herbicide.

Fish are relatively sensitive to changes in their surrounding environment, including increasing pollution. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to evaluate the impact of contamination with the pendimethalin-based herbicide; Stomp(®) 50% EC (50% pendimethalin as emulsive concentrate) on adults of the monosex Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus L. A total of 260 fish with body weights of 90 ± 5.0 g were used in the determination of the 96-h LC50 value and of the impacts of acute exposure to pendimethalin on physiological parameters, and oxidative stress and antioxidant biomarkers. The 96-h median lethal concentration (96-h LC50 ) value of pendimethalin for monosex Nile tilapia was determined as 4.92 mg/L. Abnormal behavioral responses of the fish and the toxic symptoms of pendimethalin exposure are described. Acute exposure to pendimethalin induced leukocytosis, hyperglobulinemia, and hyperglycemia, but resulted in nonsignificant changes in other hemato-biochemical parameters. Moreover, pendimethalin increased lipid peroxidation (LPO) and decreased levels of reduced glutathione and antioxidant enzymes; superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione reductase in both liver and gill tissues, in a time-dependent manner, with maximum alterations observed in the gills rather than the liver. We conclude that although pendimethalin is moderately toxic, it does not cause hepatorenal toxicity. However, this herbicide pollutant induces major disturbances to the antioxidant system; induction of oxidative stress and LPO is the proposed toxicodynamic pathway for such stress.

Percutaneous microdiscectomy versus epidural injection for management of chronic spinal pain.

In this study we present the efficacy of aspiration of disc material employing the Stryker Disc Dekompressor during percutaneous microdiscectomy for the treatment of chronic spinal and radicular pain due to contained lumber disc herniation and compare the short-term outcome in such patients with those who received lumber epidural injection. A total of 50 patients with chronic lumber discogenic pain and radiculopathy were enrolled in this study and were randomized into two groups. Group 1 (n=26) underwent first time, single-level lumber discectomy at either L3-4, L4-5, or L5-S1 using the Stryker Disc Dekompressor for aspiration of disc material and Group 2 (n=24) received epidural steroid/local anesthetic injection. Data on patient demographics, operative time, length of hospitalization, incidence of postoperative complications, analgesic usage and postoperative complications were obtained. For short-term evaluation of the outcome in the two patient groups, the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) from 0-10 for back pain and radicular pain were obtained preoperatively, 24 hr and 1-6 wk postoperatively. Also, the straight leg raising test (SLRT) was performed and recorded. A significant decrease in the radicular pain scores and an increase in SLRT degrees with a decrease in the back pain scores was seen in the disc Dekompressor group with minimal incidence of postoperative complications. In the epidural injection group, the back pain scores were significantly decreased postoperatively while the radicular pain and the SLRT degrees were insignificantly changed 24 hr postoperatively and at wk 6. We conclud that when standardized patient selection criteria are used, the disc DeKompressor is a safe and more effective treatment for radicular pain of discogenic origin than epidural injection with steroid/local anesthetic. Back pain of discogenic origin was more effectively treated with the epidural steroid/local anesthetic injection. Treatment of patients with radicular pain associated with contained disc herniation using the Dekompressor can be a safe and more effective procedure.