Study of pancreatic islet cell function in cirrhotic patients due to hepatitis C virus

The liver is of key importance in the proper functioning of most of endocrine system. It is a major organ for metabolic degradation of many hormones. In chronic liver disease, there is a change in the concentrations of main pancreatic hormones. In this study, we aimed to study pancreatic islet cell hormones in non ascitic non diabetic cirrhotic HCV patients by measuring these hormones basally and after intravenous glucose load with different concentrations to evaluate pattern of endocrine pancreatic hormonal response at increasing glucose concentration. This case-control study included 25 non ascitic non diabetic patients with cirrhosis due to HCV infection; age ranged from 28 to 60 years. They were selected from outpatient clinic of National Hepatology and Tropical Medicine Research Institute [NHTMRI] during June 2004 to January 2005. Fifteen age and sex matched apparently healthy control subjects from same area were also included in study. Assessment of pancreatic islet cell function was done by assaying insulin, C-peptide, somatostatin and glucagon hormones. All hormones were determined by radioimmunoassay [RIA] for both patients and controls. Basal insulin, basal somatostatin and basal glucagons levels were significantly higher than that of controls [p<0.05]. Basal C-peptide was significantly lower than that of controls [p<0.05]. After intravenous glucose load with different concentrations 5%, 10% and 25%, insulin level showed a significant increase than controls [p<0.05], while other hormones showed no significant difference as compared to controls [p>0.05]. Pancreatic islet cell functional defects with liver cirrhosis due to HCV infection

Cell mediated immunity before and after treatment by praziquantel, in schistosoma mansoni patients

Humoral and cellular components of immune responses had been thought to have role in developing resistance to re-infection with S. mansoni. This case-control study included 30 S. mansoni cases [active or inactive]; age ranged from 23 to 47 years. They were selected from outpatient clinic of internal medicine department, Benha Faculty of Medicine. Ten healthy control subjects from same area were also included in study. IL-2 and IFN-gamma were measured by ELISA procedures for both patients and controls. A non-statistically significant difference was shown between the levels of IL-2 or IFN-gamma, between the [control group] and [active S. group after treatment] while the difference was highly significant between inactive S group and active group after treatment [p<0.01]. Females showed higher levels of IL-2 in the [active S. group after treatment] while among the [control cases] the levels were higher in males. The [active S. group after treatment] showed a highly significant difference and the [below 40 years of age group] showing higher IL-2 levels. The [active S. group after treatment] showed a significant difference, and the [over 40 years of age] showed higher IFN-gamma levels. Praziquantel had increased the levels of IL-2 and IFN-gamma in the [active Schistosomiasis group after treatment by PZQ] closer to the level of [control group] but not in the [inactive S. mansoni group]

Effect of water pollution on gonads, liver and heart of two dominant tilapias of oreochromis spp in lake Mariut

Specimens of O. niloticus and O. aureus were caught from polluted and non-polluted basins of Lake Mariut to determine the water pollution effect on gonads, liver and heart of fish. The results indicated that there were highly significant decrease in gonadosomatic, hepatosomatic and cardiosomatic indices in fish living in polluted water. Furthermore, the sensitivity of cardiosomatic index for pollution proved that it can be used as a good indicator of aquatic environmental pollution since it is not affected by the state of fish maturation