A unique implementation of Hantzsch reaction for determination of natamycin in Yoghurt: Hyphenated with Box-Behnken-design for optimization.

This study aims to develop a novel and selective method for the detection of natamycin (E235) in yoghurt. The suggested method adopts an application of Hantzsch reaction to turn on the fluorescence behavior of natamycin (blue fluorescence), allowing its sensitive and selective determination in yoghurt samples without any overlapping at 485 nm. The originality of the research lies in the fact that this application takes place for the first time, also the detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) limits were very low (0.02 and 0.06µg mL-1, respectively) with a linear concentration range of 0.1-1.0 µgmL-1. Moreover, the developed method was employed for the detection of E235 in yoghurt sample with a good recoveries (98.80 ± 1.20-99.20 ± 1.15 (%), over a concentration range of 0.5-1.0 µgmL-1, (LOD = 0.04 and LOQ = 0.12 µgmL-1). Furthermore, the specificity and convenient application of our intended method is an attempt to determine E235 in milk anddairy products with easily followable steps.

Influence of using synbiotics by various routes on Mandarah male chicks: intestinal bacterial counts, gut morphology and histological status.

This experiment investigated the influence of different synbiotic processing methods on the intestinal bacterial count, morphology and histological status of developed male Mandarah chicks. Two hundred and ten male Mandarah line chicks aged 1 d were randomized to receive one of 7 chicks. The method and dose for 1-time synbiotics administration to the day-old chicks were as follows: G1: chicks on basal diet received no treatment (control); G2: 0.25 mL synbiotics sprayed; G3: 0.50 mL synbiotics sprayed; G4: 0.25 mL of synbiotics are added to drinking water; G5: 0.50 mL of synbiotics are added to drinking water; G6: 0.25 mL of synbiotics dripped into the mouth; and G7: 0.50 mL of synbiotics dripped into mouth drops. Lactic acid bacteria(LAB) were significantly increased (P<0.0001) compared to the control group and other treated groups and had the maximum values after the use of synbiotics via drinking water (0.25 or 0.50 mL). Furthermore, when comparing the treated birds (G4, G5) with the control birds, the Escherichia coli concentration in the drinking water containing synbiotics was significantly lower. In addition, treated chickens at (G7) showed a higher duodenum, ileum villus height (VH), and VH. - Ileum crypt depth (CD) ratio compared to other groups. In addition, birds treated with 0.50 mL of synbiotics in drinking water (G5) performed better in duodenum, ileum, CD and VH. - CD ratio than the other groups. Meanwhile, intestinal tract length and visceral pH did not differ significantly between groups. It can be concluded that the use of 0.25 mL of synbiotics in drinking water can improve the overall health of birds.

Prescription eyeglasses as a forensic physical evidence: Prediction of age based on refractive error measures using machine learning algorithm.

Refractive errors (RE) are commonly reported visual impairment problems worldwide. Previous clinical studies demonstrated age-related changes in human eyes. We hypothesized that the binocular RE metrics including sphere and cylinder power, axis orientation, and interpupillary distance (IPD) can be used for forensic age estimation of an unknown individual. RE data of both eyes were collected from the clinical optometric exams and prescription glasses of 2027 Egyptian individuals aged between 2 to 93 years. The differences between age groups as well as sides, and sexual dimorphism were explored. Two modeling methods were compared: multiple and stepwise linear regression (LR) versus machine learning Regression Forest (RFM). Data were apportioned into training and test datasets with a ratio of 80/20. The results showed significant differences among the age groups in each eye for all variables. Stepwise LR improved the results over models based on the one-sided lens due to selection of IPD in addition to the left and right axis, and left sphere as independent variables. For the RFM, the left axis and IPD were the most important features. RFM outperformed LR in terms of accuracy and root mean squared error (RMSE). The estimated age within ±10 years showed 81.4% accuracy rate and RMSE = 8.9 years versus 38.5% accuracy rate and RMSE = 17.99 years using RFM and stepwise LR, respectively, in the test set. The current study upholds the significance of the age-related changes of refractive error in formulating alternative forensic age estimation models when standard methods are unavailable.

Green and inventive fluorescence approach for levodropropizine determination in human plasma.

A green, rapid and sensitive fluorimetric method to quantify levodropropizine (LVP) in human plasma was exploited for the first time. The proposed method adopts LVP's intrinsic fluorescence in distilled water at a detecting emission of 345 nm following excitation at 240 nm. LVP displayed linearity across concentrations ranging from 50 to 1000 ng mL-1, with a detection limit of 0.77 ng mL-1 and a quantification limit of 2.33 ng mL-1. Thorough validation confirmed its reliability, successfully determining LVP in tablets with an average recovery of 98.64 ± 1.07 %. Furthermore, the method's applicability extended to estimate the studied drug in spiked human plasma with excellent obtained percentage recoveries (98.68 ± 1.28-100.14 ± 1.23).

Aridity creates global thresholds in soil nitrogen retention and availability.

Identifying tipping points in the relationship between aridity and gross nitrogen (N) cycling rates could show critical vulnerabilities of terrestrial ecosystems to climate change. Yet, the global pattern of gross N cycling response to aridity across terrestrial ecosystems remains unknown. Here, we collected 14,144 observations from 451 15 N-labeled studies and used segmented regression to identify the global threshold responses of soil gross N cycling rates and soil process-related variables to aridity index (AI), which decreases as aridity increases. We found on a global scale that increasing aridity reduced soil gross nitrate consumption but increased soil nitrification capacity, mainly due to reduced soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and N (MBN) and increased soil pH. Threshold response of gross N production and retention to aridity was observed across terrestrial ecosystems. In croplands, gross nitrification and extractable nitrate were inhibited with increasing aridity below the threshold AI ~0.8-0.9 due to inhibited ammonia-oxidizing archaea and bacteria, while the opposite was favored above this threshold. In grasslands, gross N mineralization and immobilization decreased with increasing aridity below the threshold AI ~0.5 due to decreased MBN, but the opposite was true above this threshold. In forests, increased aridity stimulated nitrate immobilization below the threshold AI ~1.0 due to increased soil C/N ratio, but inhibited ammonium immobilization above the threshold AI ~1.3 due to decreased soil total N and increased MBC/MBN ratio. Soil dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium decreased with increasing aridity globally and in forests when the threshold AI ~1.4 was passed. Overall, we suggest that any projected increase in aridity in response to climate change is likely to reduce plant N availability in arid regions while enhancing it in humid regions, affecting the provision of ecosystem services and functions.

Elevated liver transaminases among patients with psychiatric disorders.

Hepatocyte injury is assessed by serum aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase estimation. In psychiatric populations, antipsychotic drugs (AD) are culprit in hepatic dysfunction. To assess transaminitis among psychiatric patients treated by AD. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Zagazig University Hospitals in Egypt, from December 2022 to February 2023. A total of 135 adult patients aged ≥ 18 years, were diagnosed with psychiatric disorders after exclusion of patients receiving any hepatotoxic drugs, viral hepatitis, having chronic liver or kidney diseases, diabetes mellitus, mental retardation, and pregnant females. Among the 135 patients, 104 (77.0%) were males. Their age was 32 ±â€…9, The most popular used class of AD was atypical AD 84 (62.2%). The overall incidence of transaminitis among patients receiving AD was 23/135 (17.04%) of patients; 13 (56.5%) were on atypical AD compared to 10 (43.5%) patients receiving combined AD, without any statistically significant difference. The use of AD in patients with psychiatric disorders is potentially safe with minimal transaminitis (

Compulsory Vaccination Coverage in 12 Sub-Saharan African Countries Two Years Following the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a global threat, challenging health services' provision and utilization. This study aimed to assess compulsory vaccination coverage in 12 Sub-Saharan African countries two years following the COVID-19 pandemic using the Health Belief Model. A cross-sectional survey was conducted from November 1 to December 15, 2022. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to identify the determinants of vaccination coverage. Among the 5032 respondents, 73.1% reported that their children received compulsory vaccination. The lowest coverage was observed in Ghana (36.5%), while the highest was in Burkina Faso and Congo (92.0%). Factors associated with non-vaccination included older mothers (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.04, 95%CI: 1.03-1.05), lower mothers' education, older children (AOR = 0.76, 95%CI: 0.60-0.96), children with chronic illnesses (AOR = 0.55, 95%CI: 0.45-0.66), and difficult accessibility to healthcare facilities (AOR = 11.27, 95%CI: 9.48-13.44). Low perceived risk, in which non-vaccinated children were believed to be at no higher risk for infectious diseases and the disease severity would not worsen among non-vaccinated children, increased the likelihood of non-vaccination (AOR = 2.29, 95%CI: 1.75-2.99 and AOR = 2.12, 95%CI: 1.64-2.73, respectively). Perceiving vaccines as unnecessary, and needless for breastfed babies increased the probability of non-vaccination (AOR = 1.38, 95%CI: 1.10-1.73 and AOR = 1.69, 95%CI: 1.31-2.19, respectively). Higher odds of non-vaccination were found when the provision of vaccine information did not motivate parents to vaccinate their children (AOR = 4.29, 95%CI: 3.15-5.85). Conversely, believing that vaccines were safe for children decreased the odds of non-vaccination (AOR = 0.72, 95%CI: 0.58-0.88). Parental perceptions and concerns should be considered in interventions aiming to increase compulsory vaccine acceptance and coverage.

Vagal Stimulation Ameliorates Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Rats.

BACKGROUND: The harmful consequences of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are posing an increasing threat to public health as the incidence of diabetes and obesity increases globally. A non-invasive treatment with a range of autonomic and metabolic benefits is transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS). AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate the possible preventive impacts of VNS against adult rats' NAFLD caused by a high-fat diet (HFD) and to clarify the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: A total of thirty-two adult male rats were split into two groups: the HFD-induced NAFLD group (n = 24) and the control normal group (n = 8). The obesogenic diet was maintained for 12 weeks to induce hepatic steatosis. The HFD-induced NAFLD group (n = 24) was separated into three groups: the group without treatment (n = 8), the group with sham stimulation (n = 8), and the group with VNS treatment (n = 8). VNS was delivered for 30 min per day for 6 weeks after the establishment of NAFLD using a digital TENS device. The subsequent assessments included hepatic triglyceride, cholesterol content, serum lipid profile, and liver function testing. In this context, inflammatory biomarkers (TNF-α, IL-6) and hepatic oxidative stress (MDA, SOD, and GPx) were also assessed. To clarify the possible mechanisms behind the protective benefits of VNS, additional histological inspection and immunohistochemistry analysis of TNF-α and Caspase-3 were performed. RESULTS: In the NAFLD-affected obese rats, VNS markedly decreased the rats' body mass index (BMI) and abdominal circumference (AC). Liver function markers (albumin, ALT, and AST) and the serum lipid profile-which included a notable decrease in the amounts of hepatic triglycerides and cholesterol-were both markedly improved. Additionally, oxidative stress and inflammatory indicators showed a considerable decline with VNS. Notably, the liver tissues examined by histopathologists revealed that there is evidence of the protective impact of VNS on the oxidative and inflammatory states linked to HFD-induced NAFLD while maintaining the architectural and functional condition of the liver. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that VNS may represent a promising therapeutic candidate for managing NAFLD induced by obesity. It can be considered to be an effective adjuvant physiological intervention for the obese population with NAFLD to spare the liver against obesity-induced deleterious injury.

Promoting students' health awareness and higher order thinking skills using E-projects strategy in learning physical and health education.

BACKGROUND: Health awareness and higher-order thinking skills have become important requirements for higher education students because these skills make students effective problem-solvers. So, this study aimed to promote students' health awareness and higher-order thinking skills through the E-projects strategy in learning physical and health education. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The experimental study was conducted at Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University, KSA, from September 5 to December 23, 2021. The study was conducted on 250 students (age: 18.23 ± 0.66 years). They were divided into 10 groups each group prepared a different E-project according to the intended learning outcomes of the physical and health education course. To collect data, two scales were designed, the first to measure health awareness and the second to measure higher-order thinking skills. Moreover, the ADDIE model was used during the implementation of the E-projects strategy in learning. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 22 software. The level of significance was set at P ≤ 0.05. RESULTS: The results showed that there were statistically significant differences between pre and post-measurement in all studied variables in favor of post-tests for the experimental group, as the mean differences in health awareness were (29.33) and ranged from (8.63: 10.01) in higher-order thinking skills (HOTS), the percentages of improvement for health awareness was 14.66%. While the rates of improvement in the higher-order thinking skills ranged between 26.28% to 48.78%. CONCLUSION: The major conclusion drawn from this study was that the application of the E-projects strategy in learning physical and health education using the ADDIE model significantly influences the improvement of students' health awareness and higher-order thinking skills in higher education.

Layer-by-Layer Inkjet-Printed Manganese Oxide Nanosheets on Graphene for High-Performance Flexible Supercapacitors.

The widespread adoption of wearable, movable, and implantable smart devices has sparked the evolution of flexible, miniaturized power supplies. High-resolution inkjet printing of flexible microsupercapacitor (µSC) electrodes is a fast, inexpensive, and waste-free alternative manufacturing technology. In this work, a 2D birnessite-type manganese dioxide (δ-MnO2) water-based ink is used to print 10-25 layers of δ-MnO2 symmetrically on a preprinted interdigitated cell consisting of 10 layers of electrochemically exfoliated graphene (EEG). The cell with 10 printed layers of δ-MnO2 achieved the highest specific capacitance, energy density, and power density of 0.44 mF cm-2, 0.045 µW h cm-2, and 0.0012 mW cm-2, respectively. Since inkjet-printing technology supports µSC manufacturing with parallel/series connectivity, four cells were used to study and improve the potential window and capacitance that can be used to construct µSC arrays as power banks. This work provides the first approach for designing an inkjet-printed interdigitated hybrid cell based on δ-MnO2@EEG that could be a versatile candidate for the large-scale production of flexible and printable electronic devices for energy storage.

Circulating MicroRNA-30a, Beclin1 and Their Association with Different Variables in Females with Metabolically Healthy /Unhealthy Obesity.

Background: Obesity is associated with metabolic and cardiovascular co-morbidities. It is important to determine the factors associated with metabolic derangement in obesity. Autophagy plays a major role in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome. MicroRNA-30a targets beclin1, the main regulator of autophagy. Purpose: We assess circulating microRNA-30a and serum beclin1 in women with metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO), women with metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) and non-obese healthy control and determine their relationship with different clinical and metabolic variables in women with obesity. Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 34 women with MHO, 34 with MUO, and 20 healthy non-obese women. Blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference were recorded. Glycemic and lipid indices, urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio, ALT, AST, microRNA-30a expression in serum were measured using real-time polymerase chain reaction and beclin1 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were measured. Results: The expression of microRNA-30a was significantly higher, and beclin1 level was significantly lower in women with MUO compared to those in women with MHO (P<0.001; for both). People with MUO were significantly older (P<0.001) and had higher TSH (P=0.006), HbA1c (P<0.001), triglyceride (P<0.001), and ALT (P<0.001) compared to women with MHO. However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in any anthropometric measurements, HDL-C or LDL-C. In univariate analyses, age, ALT, TSH, microRNA-30a, and beclin1 were significantly correlated with the MUO phenotype (P<0.001; for all). Significance was confirmed in the multivariate analysis for microRNA-30a (95% CI 1.317-28.252; P=0.021). Conclusion: MicroRNA-30a, beclin1, age, and ALT and TSH levels were significantly associated with the MUO phenotype, among which microRNA-30a was the best indicator of metabolic syndrome in women with obesity.

Assessing disparities in medical students' knowledge and attitude about monkeypox: a cross-sectional study of 27 countries across three continents.

Background and aims: The recent monkeypox (Mpox) outbreak confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO) underscores the importance of evaluating the knowledge and attitude of medical students toward emerging diseases, given their potential roles as healthcare professionals and sources of public information during outbreaks. This study aimed to assess medical students' knowledge and attitude about Mpox and to identify factors affecting their level of knowledge and attitude in low-income and high-income countries. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 11,919 medical students from 27 countries. A newly-developed validated questionnaire was used to collect data on knowledge (14 items), attitude (12 items), and baseline criteria. The relationship between a range of factors with knowledge and attitude was studied using univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: 46% of the study participants were males; 10.7% were in their sixth year; 54.6% knew about smallpox; 84% received the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine; and 12.5% had training on Mpox. 55.3% had good knowledge of Mpox and 51.7% had a positive attitude towards it. Medical students in their third, fifth, or sixth year high- income countries who obtained information on Mpox from friends, research articles, social media and scientific websites were positive predictors for good knowledge. Conversely, being male or coming from high-income countries showed a negative relation with good knowledge about Mpox. Additionally, a positive attitude was directly influenced by residing in urban areas, being in the fifth year of medical education, having knowledge about smallpox and a history of receiving the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine. Receiving information about Mpox from social media or scientific websites and possessing good knowledge about Mpox were also predictors of a positive attitude. On the other hand, being male, employed, or receiving a training program about Mpox were inversely predicting positive attitude about Mpox. Conclusion: There were differences in knowledge and attitude towards Mpox between medical students in low and high-income countries, emphasizing the need for incorporating epidemiology of re-emerging diseases like Mpox into the medical curriculum to improve disease prevention and control.

Comparison of holmium laser, bipolar and conventional monopolar transurethral resection of bladder tumour in primary non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.

Objectives: To compare the efficiency and safety profile of conventional monopolar, bipolar plasmakinetic and holmium laser techniques for transurethral resection of bladder tumour. Method: The prospective comparative study was conducted from July 2019 to May 2021 after approval from the ethicsreview committee of Kafrelsheikh University, Egypt, and comprised patients of either gender with primary non muscle invasive bladder cancer who qualified for transurethral resection of bladder tumour. The patients were stratified into low-risk group A, intermediate risk group B and high-risk group C in accordance with the guidelines of the European Association of Urology. Comprehensive cystoscopy and panendoscopy were done in all cases. Once panendoscopy was done, tumour resection was performed with monopolar resectoscope in group A, plasmakinetic resectoscope in group B and holmium laser in group C). Data was collected at preoperative, peroperative, postoperative and follow-up stages. Data was analysed using SPSS 21. RESULTS: Of the 84 patients, 67(79.76%) were males and 17(20.23%) were females. There were 27(32.14%) patients in group A; 21(77.8%) males and 6(22.2%) females withy mean age 60.63±11.76 years. Group B had 32(38%) patients; 26(81.2%) males and 6(18.8%) females with mean age 65.34±7.55 years. Group C had 25(29.76%) patients; 20(80%) males and 5(20%) females with mean age 59.48±12.6 years. The mean follow-up period was 12.97±2.70 months in group A, 12.81±2.75 monthsin group B and 13.48±3.3 monthsin group C. Visualised complete resection was done in 23(85.8%) group A patients, 29(90.6%) group B patients and 24(96%) group C patients(p=0.018). Visualised complete resection, tumour multiplicity, tumour size, catheter duration, and hospital stay were significant predictors (p<0.05). Survival analysis showed 26(96.3%), 30(93.75%) and 25(100%) cases in groups A, B and C, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Bipolar plasmakinetic and holmium laser techniques were found to be more effective and safer than the conventional monopolar technique for transurethral resection of bladder tumour in patients with primary non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.

Frequency and Risk Factors of Hypophosphatemia in Patients Admitted to Emergency Intensive Care Unit in Zagazig University Hospitals.

Background: Inorganic phosphate is a major electrolyte that participates in many functional and integral processes in the human body. Low Pi levels may lead to multiple organ dysfunction. It is estimated to occur in 40-80% of intensive care unit (ICU) patients. However, it may be ignored during the initial evaluation in ICU. Materials and methods: This prospective cross-sectional study included 500 adult ICU cases in two groups; a group with normal Pi levels and a group with hypophosphatemia. All admitted patients were subjected to full history taking, and clinical, laboratory, and radiological evaluation. Collected data were coded, processed, and analyzed using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) software. Results: Among 500 adult ICU patients; 56.8% had normal phosphate levels while the remaining 43.2% had low phosphate levels. Patients in the hypophosphatemia group were associated with a significantly higher Acute Physiological and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE II) score, a longer hospital and ICU stay, a higher incidence of mechanical ventilation use with a longer duration on it, and a significantly higher mortality rate. Conclusion: Risk factors for hypophosphatemia include a higher APACHE II score, longer stay in the hospital and ICU, a higher ratio of mechanical ventilation, and a higher mortality rate. How to cite this article: El-Sayed Bsar AEM, El-Wakiel SAR, El-Harrisi MAH, Elshafei ASH. Frequency and Risk Factors of Hypophosphatemia in Patients Admitted to Emergency Intensive Care Unit in Zagazig University Hospitals. Indian J Crit Care Med 2023;27(4):277-282.

Online learning basketball using social media to enhance learners' performance of some fundamental skills.

BACKGROUND: Online learning is the newest and most popular form of distance education today; within the past decade it has had a major impact on education. The aim of the present study was to know the effect of online learning basketball using social media on learners' performance of some fundamental skills in basketball and determine difference between online learning and in-person learning, knowing which one is better than the other. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present experimental study was conducted in Sports Academy for Basketball in Zagazig-Egypt during March-April 2022. Thirty two female junior basketball players volunteered to participate in the study from Sports Academy for Basketball (age: 16.23 ± 0.66 years; body height: 164.5 ± 3.32 cm; body mass: 65.25 ± 3.22 kg). They were divided into two equally sized experimental groups, online learning (ONL) group (n = 16) and in-person learning (INL) group (n = 16), to perform (15) educational sessions for (5) weeks, (3) sessions per week, and the session time was 90 minutes. Junior basketball players were assessed before and after five-week training period. Data were collected by Basketball Passing test, Dribbling Skill test, Lay Up Shoot test, Speed Spot Shooting, and Free-Throw Shooting test. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 22 software using the descriptive statistical test. The level of significance was set at P ≤0.05. RESULTS: The results showed that the two groups made significant improvements in all variables but INL group had significantly greater improvements than ONL group. The percentage of improvement ranged from 13% to 223% for INL group versus 8% to 158% for ONL group. CONCLUSION: We conclude that in-person basketball learning was better than online learning basketball. Therefore, teachers and trainers must rely primarily on in-person learning and not rely on distance learning, especially with regard to learning motor skills, except in emergency cases.

Sun-Exposed versus Sun-Protected Cutaneous Basal Cell Carcinoma: Clinico-Pathological Profile and p16 Immunostaining.

INTRODUCTION: Although widespread, BCC is still relatively poorly understood in regards to pathogenesis and prognosis, particularly the lesions formed on anatomical sites away from sun exposure. With the aim of deepening our understanding of the pathogenesis and clinico-pathological correlations of BCCs, we conducted this study. METHODS: Tissue blocks and data of 52 Egyptian patients diagnosed with BCC were retrieved for clinical information and inclusion criteria, then re-examined histologically; p16 immunostaining was carried out and evaluated for analysis and comparison between the two groups, i.e., sun-exposed and sun-protected. RESULTS: Sex, age, clinical suspicion, tumor size, recurrence status, and histologic variants did not show a significant difference between the sun-protected and sun-exposed groups; however, the mean ages recorded were 67.2 vs. 62.7 for the sun-protected and sun-exposed groups, respectively. A total of 52% of BCCs were positive for p16. The sun-protected lesions showed p16 positivity in 61% of cases, whereas 49% of the sun-exposed lesions were positive with no significant difference. There was a significant difference in p16 expression between the recurrent and non-recurrent lesions. CONCLUSIONS: A significant difference was seen in the case of cancer recurrence, where all the recurrent BCCs in this study demonstrated negative p16 immunostaining of the primary lesions; however, the positively stained cases in total were 52% of BCCs. The mean patient age of the sun-protected group was much higher than in previous peer studies. We assume that the biological, prognostic, and clinical aspects of p16 protein expression in BCCs are still far from being clearly understood. Further studies are highly recommended, with more focus on its role in the pathogenesis and the prognostic factors.

Potential Cardioprotective Role of Menaquinone-4 Against Cardiac Ischemia-reperfusion Injury.

ABSTRACT: Myocardial infarction is among the leading causes of mortality. Menaquinone-4 (MK-4), a vitamin K2 analog, might play a role in rescuing cardiac ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. This work aimed to discover the potential cardioprotective role of MK-4 against myocardial I/R injury in rats. Thirty-two rats were categorized into 3 groups: (I/R) control group: subjected to I/R protocol (received vehicle), MK-4 preconditioning group: MK-4 infusion for 20 minutes before the I/R protocol, and MK-4 postconditioning group: MK-4 infusion for 20 minutes at the start of the reperfusion phase. The hearts were placed in the Langendorff apparatus, and the left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP), heart rate (HR), + (LV dP/dt) max, - (LV dP/dt) max, and Tau were calculated. The necrotic mass was determined by staining it with nitro blue tetrazolium. Creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and C- reactive protein (CRP), as well as cardiac superoxide dismutase (SOD), nitric oxide (NOx), malondialdehyde (MDA), and glutathione (GSH) levels were all evaluated. MK-4 postconditioning significantly reduced myocardial infarct size; increased LVDP, + (LV dp/dt) max, - (LV dp/dt) max, and HR; reduced Tau, CK-MB, LDH, CRP, IL-6, TNF-α, MDA, and NOx levels; and increased SOD activity, whereas no significant difference in the GSH level was detected. In conclusion, these data imply that MK-4 may protect the heart from the consequences of I/R.

Comparing the Results of Latissimus Dorsi Versus Teres Major Transfer in Children With Obstetric Brachial Plexus Injury and Residual Shoulder Sequelae.

BACKGROUND: Obstetric brachial plexus injury (OBPI) remains a fairly common problem in newborns despite the improved obstetric care. Children who do not show complete recovery often present with residual shoulder deformity of limited external rotation and abduction. Secondary interventions in the form of tendon transfer and soft tissue release are aimed at correcting the implicated muscular imbalance to restore shoulder function. AIM: The aim of this work was to compare the results of latissimus dorsi versus teres major tendon transfer in patients with OBPI with limited shoulder external rotation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study included 40 patients admitted to El Hadara University Hospital with OBPI and limited shoulder abduction and external rotation aged between 1.5 and 4 years. Half of the patients had a latissimus dorsi transfer, and the other half, a teres major one. Children with limited preoperative passive external rotation in both groups required a subscapularis slide. Patients were evaluated preoperatively, at 6 months, and 12 months postoperatively using the Gilbert scale. RESULTS: Teres major tendon transfer showed better results in restoring limited shoulder abduction and external rotation than latissimus dorsi transfer. Limited shoulder internal rotation was the main complication occurring postoperatively. Loss of the last degree of internal rotation occurred in most patients who had subscapularis slide. Most patients regained functional midline abilities with physiotherapy and required no further interventions. CONCLUSIONS: Isolated teres major transfer has shown better results in improving the range of external rotation and abduction compared with isolated latissimus dorsi tendon transfer. Age of the patients did not affect the overall final improvement in shoulder range of motion. Limited internal rotation is the main complication postoperatively, which was prevalent in patients who required a subscapularis slide but was not statistically significant.

Detection and description of a novel Psychrobacter glacincola infection in some Red Sea marine fishes in Hurghada, Egypt.

An important food-producing sector in Egypt is aquaculture and fisheries; however, several pathogenic microorganisms lead to high mortalities and significant economic losses. The occurrence of Psychrobacter glacincola infection among 180 wild marine fishes collected from the Red sea at Hurghada, Egypt were investigated in the present study. The disease prevalence rate was 6.7%. The recovered isolates were subjected to biochemical and molecular identification. The study also investigated pathogenicity and the antibiogram profile of the recovered isolates. The clinical examination of the infected fish revealed various signs that included lethargy and sluggish movement, hemorrhages and ulcers on the body and the operculum, scale loss, and fin congestion and rot, especially at the tail fin. Furthermore, during postmortem examination, congestion of the liver, spleen, and kidney was observed. Interestingly, 12 isolates were recovered and were homogenous bacteriologically and biochemically. The phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene confirmed that MRB62 identified strain was closely related the genus Psychrobacter and identified as P. glacincola and was pathogenic to Rhabdosargus haffara fish, causing 23.3% mortality combined with reporting a series of clinical signs similar to that found in naturally infected fishes. The present study also showed that P. glacincola isolates were sensitive to all antibiotics used for sensitivity testing. Our findings add to the body of knowledge regarding the occurrence of pathogenic P. glacincola infection in Egyptian marine fishes and its potential effects on fish. Future large-scale surveys exploring this bacterium among other freshwater and marine fishes in Egypt would be helpful for the implementation of effective strategies for the prevention and control of this infection are warranted.