The impact of cow dung augmentation on soil restoration and bio-accumulation of metals (Lead and Cadmium) in Pheretima posthuma (Annelida: Clitellata) / O impacto do aumento de esterco de vaca na restauração do solo e bioacumulação de metais (chumbo e cádmio) em Pheretima posthuma (Annelida: Clitellata)

Abstract To investigate the role of cow dung in soil reclamation and bio assimilation along with bio accumulation of heavy metals in earthworm (P. posthuma) (N=900) earthworms were used and treatment groups of CD-soil mixture of different proportion of cow dung were designed. Nonlethal doses of lead acetate and cadmium chloride were added in treatment groups. Mature P. posthuma were released in each experimental pot maintaining the favorable conditions. The pH, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, exchangeable cations, and heavy metal level of each mixture was evaluated. The results indicated that bio-assimilation of Pb and Cd by P. posthuma were significantly (P ˂ 0.01) higher in different soil-CD treatments compared to control. Highest bio-assimilation of both metals was observed in T1 of both groups (Pb = 563.8 mg/kg and Cd = 42.95 mg/kg). The contents of both metals were significantly (P ˂ 0.05) lowered in casting. The nutrient concentration in the final castings of all soil-CD treatments were also equally transformed from less or insoluble to more soluble and available for plants, except for carbon level which increased with CD proportion. It is concluded that cow dung as organic matter has a positive effect on soil reclamation and bio-assimilation of metals by P. posthuma.

RESUMO Para investigar o papel do esterco de vaca na recuperação do solo e bioassimilação, juntamente com a bioacumulação de metais pesados ​​em minhocas (P. posthuma) (N = 900), minhocas foram usadas e grupos de tratamento de mistura CD-solo de diferentes proporções de esterco de vaca foram projetados. Doses não letais de acetato de chumbo e cloreto de cádmio foram adicionadas aos grupos de tratamento. P. posthuma maduros foram liberados em cada vaso experimental, mantendo as condições favoráveis. Foram avaliados o pH, carbono, nitrogênio, fósforo, cátions trocáveis ​​e nível de metais pesados ​​de cada mistura. Os resultados indicaram que a bioassimilação de Pb e Cd por P. posthuma foi significativamente (P ˂ 0,01) maior em diferentes tratamentos de solo-CD em relação ao controle. A maior bioassimilação de ambos os metais foi observada em T1 de ambos os grupos (Pb = 563,8 mg / kg e Cd = 42,95 mg / kg). O conteúdo de ambos os metais foi significativamente (P ˂ 0,05) reduzido na fundição. A concentração de nutrientes nas fundições finais de todos os tratamentos de solo-CD também foi igualmente transformada de menos ou insolúvel para mais solúvel e disponível para as plantas, exceto o nível de carbono que aumenta com a proporção de CD. Conclui-se que o esterco de vaca como matéria orgânica tem um efeito positivo na recuperação do solo e na bioassimilação de metais por P. posthuma.

Naloxone Versus Methylnaltrexone for Opioid-Induced Constipation in Critically Ill Patients.

BACKGROUND: Opioid-induced constipation (OIC) may occur in up to 81% of critically ill patients and can lead to many complications. Opioid antagonists are a reasonable approach and may be used for managing OIC. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of enteral naloxone (NLX) versus subcutaneous methylnaltrexone (MNTX) for the management of OIC in critically ill patients. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on adult patients who received NLX or MNTX and a continuous opioid infusion for at least 48 hours. The primary end point was time to resolution of constipation, defined as hours to first bowel movement (BM) after the first dose of an opioid antagonist. Reversal of analgesia was assessed by comparing the total number of morphine milligram equivalents (MME) 24 hours preopioid and postopioid antagonist administration. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to assess treatment response within 48 hours. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics were similar between patients receiving NTX (n = 89) and MNTX (n = 71). However, the time to the first BM with NLX was 18 hours compared with 41 hours with MNTX (P = 0.004). There was no difference in MME requirements 24 hours pre/post NLX or MNTX administration. Naloxone administration was identified as a statistically significant predictor of BM within 48 hours (odds ratio [OR] = 2.68 [1.33-5.38]). CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: The time to first BM was shorter with enteral NLX. Both NLX and MNTX appear to be effective for the management of OIC without causing reversal of analgesia. Future controlled, prospective trials comparing these agents are warranted.

A transferable prediction model of molecular adsorption on metals based on adsorbate and substrate properties.

Surface adsorption is one of the fundamental processes in numerous fields, including catalysis, the environment, energy and medicine. The development of an adsorption model which provides an effective prediction of binding energy in minutes has been a long term goal in surface and interface science. The solution has been elusive as identifying the intrinsic determinants of the adsorption energy for various compositions, structures and environments is non-trivial. We introduce a new and flexible model for predicting adsorption energies to metal substrates. The model is based on easily computed, intrinsic properties of the substrate and adsorbate, which are the same for all the considered systems. It is parameterised using machine learning based on first-principles calculations of probe molecules (e.g., H2O, CO2, O2, N2) adsorbed to a range of pure metal substrates. The model predicts the computed dissociative adsorption energy to metal surfaces with a correlation coefficient of 0.93 and a mean absolute error of 0.77 eV for the large database of molecular adsorption energies provided by Catalysis-Hub.org which have a range of 15 eV. As the model is based on pre-computed quantities it provides near-instantaneous estimates of adsorption energies and it is sufficiently accurate to eliminate around 90% of candidates in screening study of new adsorbates. The model, therefore, significantly enhances current efforts to identify new molecular coatings in many applied research fields.

Synthesis and characterization of berberine-loaded chitosan nanoparticles for the protection of urethane-induced lung cancer.

Lung cancer is one of the most common types of malignant tumors of the respiratory system and has the highest rates of incidence and mortality of malignant tumors. This study aimed to synthesize and characterize berberine-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (BBR-COSNPs) and to evaluate their protective effects against urethane-induced lung cancer. Forty male albino mice were divided into four groups, with the first serving as a negative control and the other three groups were injected intraperitoneally with urethane (1 mg/kg b.w) each other day for 1 week then group 2 was served as a positive control, however, groups 3 and 4 were treated orally with a daily dose of BBR or BBR-COSNPs (75 mg/kg b.w) for 10 consecutive weeks. Blood and lung tissue samples are collected for laboratory assay. The BBR-COSNPs were spherical, with an average particle size of 45.56 nm and zeta potential of 39.82 1.82 mV. The in vivo data demonstrated that mice given urethane alone had a significant increase in MDA, NO, NF-κB level, HIF1-α, and COX-2-positive expression in the lung tissue and serum VEGFR2, ALT, AST, urea, and creatinine accompanied with a significant decrease in GSH, SOD, caspase 9 in the lung tissue and serum BAX. Co-treatment with BBR-COSNPs suppressed lung cancer growth and promoted apoptosis by modulating serum BAX and lung caspase 9 gene expressions. In addition, BBR-COSNPs inhibited tumor angiogenesis by reduction in levels of serum VEGFR2 and lung HIF 1 gene expression. It is possible to conclude that BBR-COSNPs can be used in oral administration formulations for lunganticancer therapy.

3D particle tracking using transport of intensity equation (TIE).

This article presents a simple and high-speed approach for tracking colloidal spheres in three dimensions. The method uses the curvature of the wavefront as determined by the transport of intensity equation (TIE) technique. Due to the fact that the TIE is applicable under partially coherent light, our technique is fully compatible with standard bright field microscopes, requiring no demanding environmental stability requirements or restrictions on the noise produced by related laser speckles. The method was validated experimentally to determine the sedimentation and diffusion coefficients of two different sizes of microspheres, 20 and 3 microns. The 3D position of the microspheres was calculated with an accuracy greater than 350 nm. Moreover, we examined the calculated 3D positions to determine the parameters of the microsphere interaction with its surrounding media, such as the sedimentation and diffusion coefficients. The results show that the measured sedimentation and diffusion of the microspheres have a good agreement with predicted values of about 2% and 10%, respectively, demonstrating the robustness of our proposed method.

Dermal αSMA+ myofibroblasts orchestrate skin wound repair via ß1 integrin and independent of type I collagen production.

Skin wound repair is essential for organismal survival and failure of which leads to non-healing wounds, a leading health issue worldwide. However, mechanistic understanding of chronic wounds remains a major challenge due to lack of appropriate genetic mouse models. αSMA+ myofibroblasts, a unique class of dermal fibroblasts, are associated with cutaneous wound healing but their precise function remains unknown. We demonstrate that genetic depletion of αSMA+ myofibroblasts leads to pleiotropic wound healing defects, including lack of reepithelialization and granulation, dampened angiogenesis, and heightened hypoxia, hallmarks of chronic non-healing wounds. Other wound-associated FAP+ and FSP1+ fibroblasts do not exhibit such dominant functions. While type I collagen (COL1) expressing cells play a role in the repair process, COL1 produced by αSMA+ myofibroblasts is surprisingly dispensable for wound repair. In contrast, we show that ß1 integrin from αSMA+ myofibroblasts, but not TGFßRII, is essential for wound healing, facilitating contractility, reepithelization, and vascularization. Collectively, our study provides evidence for the functions of myofibroblasts in ß1 integrin-mediated wound repair with potential implications for treating chronic non-healing wounds.

New onset diabetes mellitus in post-COVID-19 patients.

Background: Diabetes, is known to have a bilateral relationship with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Precise mechanism of diabetes onset in COVID-19 patients remains unclear. Aim: To analyse the incidence of new onset diabetes (NODM) among COVID-19 patients, as well as the effect of body mass index (BMI), family history, and steroid use on the incidence of the disease. Methods: Adult, not known diabetic patients, tested positive with Rapid Antigen Test or RT-PCR admitted to a tertiary care hospital and research institute were included in the present prospective observational study. The patients who developed NODM and NOPD (New Onset Pre-diabetes) during the three months follow-up and the risk factors associated were assessed. Patients with HbA1c >6.4% were diagnosed with NODM. An HbA1c of 5.7% to 6.4% was used to characterize NOPD. Results: Out of 273 previously not known diabetic COVID-19 infected individuals, a total of 100 were studied for three months after consent. Mean age of the patients 48.31 ± 19.07 years with male predominance (67%). Among these, 58% were non-diabetics and 42% were pre-diabetics. 6 (10.3%) of the 58 non-diabetics developed NOPD, and 8 (13.8%) developed NODM. 6 (14.2%) of the 42 pre-diabetics became non-diabetic, and 16.6% (7) developed NODM. Family history of DM (P < 0.001), severity at admission (P < 0.006), diabetic ketoacidosis (P < 0.0275), and persistent symptoms were associated significantly with NODM. Those with NODM had significantly greater BMI, O2 duration, steroid duration, FBS, and PPBS (P < 0.001 for all). Nearly 67% of the patients who developed NOPD had shortness of breath as the common symptom at time of admission (P = 0.0165). Conclusion: The incidence of NODM was strongly influenced by positive family history of DM, higher BMI, steroid dosage, and its duration. Hence, patients with COVID-19 need to be under surveillance for blood glucose screening.

Ketorolac-fluconazole: A New Combination Reverting Resistance in Candida albicans from Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patients on Induction Chemotherapy: In vitro Study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Candida albicans is a significant source of morbidity and mortality for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Prolonged use of fluconazole as empirical antifungal prophylaxis in AML patients leads to overexpression of efflux pump genes that resulted in the emergence of azole-resistant species. Consequently, the introduction of a new strategy to improve the management of C. albicans infections is an urgent need. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) ketorolac is associated with a reduction in cancer relapses. The present study was performed to investigate the use of ketorolac-fluconazole combination to reverse fluconazole resistance in C. albicans isolated from AML patients on induction chemotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred and seventy AML patients were evaluated. Fifty C. albicans were isolated and subjected to disc diffusion assay and broth microdilution for fluconazole alone and combined with different concentrations of ketorolac. Efflux pump gene (CDR1, CDR2, and MDR1) expressions were quantified by real-time PCR. RESULTS: The tested ketorolac acted synergistically with fluconazole against resistant C. albicans with the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of fluconazole decreased from >160 µg/mL to 0.3-1.25 µg/mL in (93.8%) of resistant isolates with fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) value of 0.25. The majority of the resistant isolates overexpressed CDR1 (71.1%) and MDR1 (60%). CONCLUSION: Ketorolac-fluconazole in vitro combination would be a promising strategy for further clinical in vivo trials to overcome fluconazole resistance in AML patients on induction chemotherapy.

3D imaging using scanning diffractometry.

Imaging of cells is a challenging problem as they do not appreciably change the intensity of the illuminating light. Interferometry-based methods to do this task suffer from high sensitivity to environmental vibrations. We introduce scanning diffractometry as a simple non-contact and vibration-immune methodology for quantitative phase imaging. Fresnel diffractometry by a phase step has led to several applications such as high-precision measurements of displacement. Additional scanning may lead to 3D imaging straightforwardly. We apply the technique to acquire 3D images of holographic grating, red blood cell, neuron, and sperm cell. Either visibility of the diffraction fringes or the positions of extrema may be used for phase change detection. The theoretical analysis through the Fresnel diffraction from one-dimensional phase step is presented and the experimental results are validated with digital holographic microscopy. The presented technique can be suggested to serve as a robust device for 3D phase imaging and biomedical measurements.

Antimicrobial Resistance and Comparative Genome Analysis of Klebsiella pneumoniae Strains Isolated in Egypt.

Klebsiella pneumoniae is an important human pathogen in both developing and industrialised countries that can causes a variety of human infections, such as pneumonia, urinary tract infections and bacteremia. Like many Gram-negative bacteria, it is becoming resistant to many frontline antibiotics, such as carbapenem and cephalosporin antibiotics. In Egypt, K. pneumoniae is increasingly recognised as an emerging pathogen, with high levels of antibiotic resistance. However, few Egyptian K. pneumoniae strains have been sequenced and characterised. Hence, here, we present the genome sequence of a multidrug resistant K. pneumoniae strain, KPE16, which was isolated from a child in Assiut, Egypt. We report that it carries multiple antimicrobial resistance genes, including a blaNDM-1 carbapenemase and extended spectrum ß-lactamase genes (i.e., blaSHV-40, blaTEM-1B, blaOXA-9 and blaCTX-M-15). By comparing this strain with other Egyptian isolates, we identified common plasmids, resistance genes and virulence determinants. Our analysis suggests that some of the resistance plasmids that we have identified are circulating in K. pneumoniae strains in Egypt, and are likely a source of antibiotic resistance throughout the world.

The impact of cow dung augmentation on soil restoration and bio-accumulation of metals (Lead and Cadmium) in Pheretima posthuma (Annelida: Clitellata).

To investigate the role of cow dung in soil reclamation and bio assimilation along with bio accumulation of heavy metals in earthworm (P. posthuma) (N=900) earthworms were used and treatment groups of CD-soil mixture of different proportion of cow dung were designed. Nonlethal doses of lead acetate and cadmium chloride were added in treatment groups. Mature P. posthuma were released in each experimental pot maintaining the favorable conditions. The pH, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, exchangeable cations, and heavy metal level of each mixture was evaluated. The results indicated that bio-assimilation of Pb and Cd by P. posthuma were significantly (P ˂ 0.01) higher in different soil-CD treatments compared to control. Highest bio-assimilation of both metals was observed in T1 of both groups (Pb = 563.8 mg/kg and Cd = 42.95 mg/kg). The contents of both metals were significantly (P ˂ 0.05) lowered in casting. The nutrient concentration in the final castings of all soil-CD treatments were also equally transformed from less or insoluble to more soluble and available for plants, except for carbon level which increased with CD proportion. It is concluded that cow dung as organic matter has a positive effect on soil reclamation and bio-assimilation of metals by P. posthuma.

Hepatic perfusional changes on CT and MRI: a radiology primer.

Hepatic perfusional changes are common in response to, or as a result of, a multitude of pathological processes. These can be neoplastic, inflammatory, fibrotic, or ischemic in origin, to name a few. The liver, having a dual blood supply, is a unique organ to study using contrast-enhanced CT and MRI imaging due to its varied appearance on multiphasic imaging. Knowledge of the CT and MRI appearance of hepatic perfusional changes, in addition to the clinical presentation, can often result in an accurate differential diagnosis. Many of the conditions that cause these changes in hepatic blood flow result in similar appearances on imaging. As a result, it is important that radiologists be aware of common pitfalls when dealing with hepatic perfusional changes to prevent misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis. As such, this review will focus on some of the various causes of hepatic perfusional changes and how to accurately identify and diagnose them based on their CT and MRI appearance.

Antimicrobial resistance and gene regulation in Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli from Egyptian children with diarrhoea: Similarities and differences.

Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) is a common diarrhoeagenic human pathogen, isolated from patients in both developing and industrialized countries, that is becoming increasingly resistant to many frontline antibiotics. In this study, we screened 50 E. coli strains from children presenting with diarrhea at the outpatients clinic of Assiut University Children's Hospital, Egypt. We show that all of these isolates were resistant to multiple classes of antibiotics and identified two as being typical EAEC strains. Using whole genome sequencing, we determined that both isolates carried, amongst others, blaCTX-M and blaTEM antibiotic resistance genes, as well as many classical EAEC virulence determinants, including the transcriptional regulator, AggR. We demonstrate that the expression of these virulence determinants is dependent on AggR, including aar, which encodes for a repressor of AggR, Aar. Since biofilm formation is the hallmark of EAEC infection, we examined the effect of Aar overexpression on both biofilm formation and AggR-dependent gene expression. We show that whilst Aar has a minimal effect on AggR-dependent transcription it is able to completely disrupt biofilm formation, suggesting that Aar affects these two processes differently. Taken together, our results suggest a model for the induction of virulence gene expression in EAEC that may explain the ubiquity of EAEC in both sick and healthy individuals.

Diffractometry-based vortex beams fractional topological charge measurement.

In this Letter, we investigate the Fresnel diffraction of vortex beams from a phase plate and propose a novel (to the best of our knowledge) method to determine the fractional part of the topological charge of vortex beams. When a vortex beam with a fractional topological charge illuminates the edge region of a transparent plate, the visibility of the diffraction pattern on two sides of the beam is different. Rotation of the phase plate changes the visibility on the left and right sides of the beam, periodically. By measuring three consecutive angles of the minimum visibilities, the fractional part of the topological charge is obtained. The proposed method is verified experimentally and is shown to be independent of the phase plate and vortex beam parameters. The precision of the method is obtained better than 0.01.

Prospective evaluation of the value of dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) imaging for prostate cancer detection, with pathology correlation.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) imaging in multi-parametric prostate MRI (mpMRI) for the detection and staging of prostate cancer in comparison with T2W and DWI images alone in biparametric MRI (bpMRI) in treatment naïve patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred consecutive patients who underwent a prostate MRI at our institution from June-August 2017, as well as a systematic ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy or prostatectomy, were included. Strictly following PIRADSv2, the MRI studies were independently interpreted by a body radiologist and a body-imaging fellow on two different occasions 8-10 weeks apart. Initially, with all mpMRI sequences and then without the DCE sequence (bpMRI). The readers were blinded to the clinical information. Ethics approval was obtained. RESULTS: One hundred treatment-naïve patients were included (median age 64, age range 48-81, mean PSA 10.3). There was almost perfect intra-observer agreement for mpMRI versus bpMRI for both readers [Cohen's Kappa (k) 0.88-0.86] and substantial inter-observer agreement (k = 0.74 for mpMRI and 0.76 for bpMRI). The sensitivity and specificity did not significantly change between multi-parametric and bi-parametric MRI (Sensitivity 91.7% and 90%, Specificity of 85.5% and 85% for mpMRI and bpMRI, respectively). CONCLUSION: Based on our findings, prostate MRI without DCE (bpMRI) is of comparable diagnostic accuracy to mpMRI in treatment-naïve patients. Performing prostate MRI without DCE (bpMRI) will reduce acquisition time, decrease cost and potentially improve patient safety.

Erector spinae versus paravertebral plane blocks in modified radical mastectomy: Randomised comparative study of the technique success rate among novice anaesthesiologists.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Regional analgesia may play a role in pain management during breast surgery. Ultrasound approach to paravertebral block may be challenging. This study compared success rates of ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block (ESPB) versus parasagittal in-plane thoracic paravertebral block among senior anaesthesia residents in modified radical mastectomy. METHODS: One hundred and two female patients undergoing modified radical mastectomy were randomly categorized into PARA group receiving sagittal in-plane paravertebral block and ESPB group receiving erector spinae plane block. The block in the 1st six cases in each group was done by an experienced consultant as a demonstration for three anaesthesia residents not experienced in either block. Primary endpoint was assessing success rate of the blocks. Secondary endpoint was the haemodynamic response to skin incision and postoperative analgesia. RESULTS: All patients were females undergoing modified radical mastectomy. Success rate among residents was 100% in ESPB versus 77.8% in PARA group (P = 0.002). Duration to perform the block was less in ESPB group (4.39 ± 1.2 min) than PARA group (8.18 ± 2.42 min) (P < 0.0001). Guidance frequency by consultants was significantly higher in PARA than ESPB group. Time to 1st analgesic requirement and morphine consumption postoperatively were insignificant between the groups. There was no significant difference regarding haemodynamics. CONCLUSION: ESPB may be a simple and safe alternative to parasagittal in-plane paravertebral block to provide postoperative analgesia in modified radical mastectomy especially in novice practitioners. It provides equivalent profile of postoperative analgesia with less time to perform the block.

Parasitic Liver Infections: Imaging Findings and Strategies for Timely Diagnosis.

There are a number of parasitic infections that can affect the liver and biliary tree. These infections can be primarily related to the liver or can include secondary hepatic involvement. Imaging can narrow down the differential diagnosis in the appropriate clinical setting, and can even clinch the diagnosis with some pathognomonic findings. The various imaging modalities can also identify disease extent, help guide management, and demonstrate response to treatment. This pictorial essay will give an overview of parasitic liver infections, and will discuss the best imaging strategies and the key imaging features to help make a timely accurate diagnosis.

IP-10 Levels in Patients Infected with HBV Predicts The Response to Treatment with Entecavir.

Interferon--inducible protein-10 (IP-10), is an inflammatory cytokine produced by different subsets of the immune cells and induces chemotaxis, apoptosis, growth of cells and angiostasis after binding to its receptor CXCR3. Inflammatory disorders, involving infectious diseases, immune dysfunction, and tumour growth have been linked to changes in CXCL10 levels. We aimed to investigate serum levels of IP-10 in chronic HBV infected patients undergoing treatment with entecavir and possible correlation with response to therapy. A total of 53 chronic HBV infected patients and 25 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Patients included 20 with cirrhosis and 33 non-cirrhotic individuals. All patients received 0.5 mg/day entecavir and serum IP-10 level was determined by ELISA at baseline and at week 24 of treatment. mRNA expression of CXCR3 of PBMC was assessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Response to therapy was achieved in 27/33 (81.8%) non-cirrhotic and 14/20 (70%) cirrhotic patients. Mean serum IP-10 levels was higher in patients than healthy controls, and cirrhotic patients had higher IP-10 than non-cirrhotic patients (520 vs 293.5 pg/ml; P<0.005). Response to treatment was associated with decreased IP-10 levels. Before treatment, the mean level in non-cirrhotic patients was 235±54 pg/ml, which decreased to 95±34 pg/ml (P<0.005) at week 24 of treatment. Similarly, in the cirrhotic group, IP-10 decreased from 458±42 pg/ml to 354±25 pg/ml (P <0.05) after 24 weeks of treatment. On the other hand, no change in IP-10 levels was observed for patients who did not respond to treatment. Interestingly, IP-10 levels correlated with PBMC's expression of CXCR3 mRNA (r= 0.448, P = 0.004), ALT level (r=0.273, P =0.048), liver fibrosis score 4 (FIB-4) (r=0.664, P = 0.01) and HBV DNA level (r=0.762, P =0.0001). In conclusion; IP10 may be used to predict response to therapy in HBV-infected patients.

Regenerative effects of glycyrrhizin and/or platelet rich plasma on type-II collagen induced arthritis: Targeting autophay machinery markers, inflammation and oxidative stress.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic chronic autoimmune disease manifested by joint destruction and deformity, hence decreasing patient's life quality. The aim of the present work is to explore the mechanistic effects of glycyrrhizin (GL)and/or platelet rich plasma (PRP) treatment on collagen induced arthritis. 75 female Wistar rats were allocated into five equal groups. Group I: control group. Group II: arthritis group (A group); arthritis was induced by type-II collagen Group III: Glycyrrhizin treated group(A + GL group), Group IV: platelet rich plasma treated group(A + PRP group)and Group V: combined treatment group(A + GL + PRP group). Hind paw joint tissue levels of high-mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB-1), beclin-1 and nuclear factor (erythroid-2)-related factor 2 (Nrf2) DNA binding activity were detected by ELISA. Activities of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and catalase enzymes were determined spectrophotometrically. mRNA expression levels of microtubule associated protein light chain 3 (LC3) was detected by quantitative real time PCR. After 8 weeks treatment, there was improvement of inflammation and autophagy biomarkers by the significant reduction of HMGB-1 and beclin-1 levels, down regulation ofLC3mRNA expression. On the other hand, we monitored restoration of the anti-oxidant status through the inhibited MPO activity besides induction of both catalase and Nrf2-DNA binding activities. It could be concluded that, the mutual use of both PRP and GL had a greater effect than each alone against arthritis which is considered a novel finding that can highlight the regenerative and ameliorative effects of this combined treatmentthus launching promising avenues for RA treatment.

Corrosion Protection through Naturally Occurring Films: New Insights from Iron Carbonate.

Despite intensive study over many years, the chemistry and physics of the atomic level mechanisms that govern corrosion are not fully understood. In particular, the occurrence and severity of highly localized metal degradation cannot currently be predicted and often cannot be rationalized in failure analysis. We report a first-principles model of the nature of protective iron carbonate films coupled with a detailed chemical and physical characterization of such a film in a carefully controlled environment. The fundamental building blocks of the protective film, siderite (FeCO3) crystallites, are found to be very sensitive to the growth environment. In iron-rich conditions, cylindrical crystallites form that are highly likely to be more susceptible to chemical attack and dissolution than the rhombohedral crystallites formed in iron-poor conditions. This suggests that local degradation of metal surfaces is influenced by structures that form during early growth and provides new avenues for the prevention, detection, and mitigation of carbon steel corrosion.