Sleep Problems in children with Down syndrome

Background:sleep problems are significant source of distress for families with a case of Down Syndrome [DS]. Parental perception of sleep problems is an important contributor to a family quality of life

Aim of the Work: the aim of the present work was to study the sleep problems in children with Down syndrome

Subjects and Methods: this study was carried out on 50 children with DS attending the neurology clinic in Alexandria University Children Hospital together with 50 apparently by healthy children with matched age and sex. Parents were interviewed in order to collect data using predesigned questionnaire. Sleep problems were assessed using the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire [CSHQ]

Results: total sleep score was significantly higher among children with DS than among those of the control group. The mean differences between case and control groups were significant regarding all subscales except that for sleep onset delay

Conclusion: sleep problems are more common among children with DS as compared with those in control group

Detection of hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor receptor[c-Met] in axillary clearance after mastectomy for breast cancer using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction

The diverse biological effects of hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor [HGF/SF] are mediated by c-Met which is preferentially expressed on epithelial cells. Met signaling has a role in normal cellular activities, and may be associated with development and progression of malignant processes. In this study presence of Met in the axillary drainage from patients who underwent conservative operations for breast cancer, and its prognostic significance was examined. Sixty-two consecutive patients with invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast which were suitable for breast-conserving treatment participated in the study. The output of the drain that had been placed in the axilla during the operation was collected, and the presence of Met and beta-actin were assessed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction [RTPCR] assays. The data were compared with the pathological features of the tumor and the axillary lymph nodes, and with the estrogen and progesterone receptors status. RT-PCR of the axillary lymphatic drainage was positive for Met in 46 [74.2%] of the patients and positive assays were correlated with increase in tumor size and grade of capillary and lymphatic invasion, as well as with lymph node metastasis [P < 0.02, for all comparisons]. All 24 patients with axillary lymph node metastases in comparison with those without lymph node [57.9%] metastases had positive assays for Met. While all ten patients with tumor involvement in the margins of the resection had positive assays for Met in their lymphatic fluid, only 36 out of 52 patients [69.2%] were positive for met assay. Finally, Met showed negative correlations with positive estrogen and progesterone receptor assays [P<0.02]. From the results of this study it may concluded that Met can be detected in the axillary fluids of patients with breast cancer and its expression in the axillary drainage may be a potential prognostic factor. This finding might be useful in therapeutic considerations since a positive assay for Met in histologically node-negative patients might indicates the need to search for node microinvasion or involvement of the excision margins with tumor

Effect of oral bromocriptine parlodel on the endometrium of the adult female albino rat I A light microscopic study

The response of the endometrium to oral bromocriptine administration in low and high doses for 30 days and the effect of the drug withdrawal, 15 days after the last dose, was studied in adult albino rat. Both doses increased the thickness of the endometrial epithelial lining due to focal transformation into the pseudostratified columnar or even the stratified columnar types. However, the latter type was seen only in high dose-given animals. Bromocriptine administration in its low and high doses markedly increased the size of the stromal cell which contained abnormally abundant cytoplasm and oval around vesicular nuclei. These cells were separated by markedly increased collagen fiber. This was accompanied by the presence of large numbers of eosinophilis deep in the stroma. The drug increased markedly the cytoplasmic RNA content and lowered the DNA density in all endometrial cellular elements. Very highly satistical significant increase in the overall endome trial thickness occurred in response to bromocriptine administration. 15 days after the last bromocriptine dose, the endometrium regained its more less normal structure

Effects of oral bromocriptine Parlodel on the endometrium of the adult female albino rat II- an electron microscopic study

The effect of bromocriptine on the endometrial ultrastructure was studied in specimens obtained form adult rats after receiving a single daily oral dose of "Parlodel" equivalent to the human either low or high dose, for 30 consecutive days. Both doses markedly increased the thickness of the uterine epithelial lining due to focal transformation of the normal simple cuboidal or low columnar epithelium into pseudostratified or even stratified columnar epithelium. Ultrastructurally, the epithelial lining in both the control and the low dose-given animals contained only one type of epithelial cells, but only in the high dose-given animals were these cells differentiated into two types the dark and the pale cells reflecting different degree of cellular protein synthesis activity. Both the low and high doses increased the cellular content of the organelles concerned with protein synthesis. The most striking cellular ultrastructural change, in response to the low and the high doses, was the presence of intracytoplasmic non-membrane bound huge vacuoles for which the term "autolytic vacuoles" was suggested, because they started as aggregates of primary lysosomes surrounded by autolysed cytoplasm most probably due to damaged leaky lysosomal membranes. With both doses, most of the stromal cells became abnormally large with an obvious increase in the amount of cytoplasm and its content of the organelles concerned with protein synthesis, The forementioned results suggest that, at least in rats, the bromocriptine increase the endometrial cellular activity probably through an estrogenic effect

Effect of long acting bromocriptine on the endometrium of adult female albino rat II an electron microscopic study

Long acting bromocriptine injections were intramuscularly administered to adult female albino rats. Each rat received a single dose equivalent to either the low or high human therapeutic dose. Uterine specimens were collected 2 and 15 days after the injection to study the effect of the drug on the endometrium. Both doses markedly increased the thickness of the uterine epithelial lining due to focal transformation of the normal simple cuboidal or low columnar epithelium into tall columnar, pseudostratified or even stratified columnar epithelium. According to their fine structure, both the epithelial lining and the glandular epithelium in the control animals contained only one type of cells. However, 2 days after the low dose injection the cells were differentiated into 3 types, the pale, the dark and the intermediate reflecting different degrees of cellular protein synthesis activity. Two days after the high dose injection both the lining and glandular epithelia were transformed into the pseudostratified columnar and tall columnar type, respectively

Effect of oral bromocriptine on the endometrial structure of adult female albino rat

The response of the endometrium to oral bromocriptine administration in low and high doses for 30 days and the effect of the drug withdrawal, 15 days after the last dose, was studied in adult albino rat. Both doses increased the thickness of the endometrial epithelial lining due to focal transformation into the pseudostratified columnar or even the stratified columnar types. However, the latter type was seen only in high dose-given animals. The cytoplasm of most of the epithelial cells was vacuolated. These vacuoles were variable in shape and size and contained lightly stained eosinophilic material and deeply stained basophilic granules. Both doses increased the thickness of the glandular epithelium of some glands where the epithelium was transformed into the pseudostratified columnar type. However, some other glands were abnormally cystically dilated and lined by simple squamous epithelium. Bromocriptine administration in its low and high doses markedly increased the size of the stromal cells which contained abnormally abundant cytoplasm and oval or rounded vesicular nuclei

Histological study of the capsular region of the Egyptian frog muscle spindle

The structure, innervation and ultrastructure of the capsular region of the frog muscle spindle was studied in the hindlimb extensor digiturum berivis IV muscle of the Egyptian Bufo regularis frog. 50 extensor digiturum berivis IV muscles obtained from 25 Egyptian Bufo regularis frogs were used in this study

Effect of oral bromocriptine on the endometrial ultrastructure of adult female albino rat

The effect of bromocriptine on the endometrial ultrastructure was studied in specimens obtained from adult rats after receiving a single daily oral dose of "parlodel" equivalent to the human either low or high dose, for 30 consecutive days. Both doses markedly increased the thickness of the uterine epithelial lining due to focal transformation of the normal simple cuboidal or low columnar epithelium into pseudostratified or even stratified columnar epithelium. Ultrastructurally, the epithelial lining in both the control and the low dose-given animals contained only one type of epithelial cells, but only in the high dose-given animals these cells were differentiated into two types, the dark and the pale cells reflecting different degree of cellular protein synthesis activity. Both the low and high doses increased the cellular content of the organelles concerned with protein synthesis. The most striking cellular ultrastructural change, in response to the low and the high doses was the presence of intracytoplasmic nonmembrane bound huge vacuoles for which the term "autolytic vacuoles" was suggested because they started as aggregates of primary lysosomes surrounded by autolysed cytoplasm most probably due to damaged leaky lysosomal membranes. With both doses, most of the stromal cells became abnormally large with an obvious increase in the amount of cytoplasm and its content of the organelles concerned with protein synthesis, collagen fibers were also increased. The forementioned results suggested that, at least in rats, the bromocriptine increases the endometrial cellular activity probably through an estrogenic effect

L-serine transaminases in cunninghamella elegans and fusarium oxysporum extracts

Cell free extracts of Cunninghamella elegans contained three L - serine transaminase activities namely : L - serine - glutamate, L - serine glycine and L - serine - alanine transaminases, while those of Fusarium oxysporum contained L - serine glutamate and L - serine - glycine transaminase activities. L - serine transamination reactions of C. elegans and F. oxysporum were found to be irreversible. The temperature and pH optima of L - serine transaminases of the two organisms were determined. The Km values of L - serine transaminases of C. elegans and F. oxysporum for various substrates were also estimated. Pyridoxal phosphate, as a coenzyme, had no effect on L - serine transaminases activkies in both fungi. From these findings it has been assumed that the three transamination reactions of L - serine in C. elegans were effected by one transaminase. Similarly, L - serine - glutamate or L - serine - glycine transaminase reactions in F. oxysporum seem to be catalyzed by one enzyme

Studies on alkaloids formation by some soil fungi

The formation of alkaloids was confined to three species of fungi used in this investigation namely: Apergillus niger, Penicillium chrysogenum, and Penicillium notatum. The produced alkaloids were extracted by solvent extraction and silica gel chromatography, which showed antimicrobial potentialities against some gram positive bacteria and some yeasts

Taxonomical and antimicrobial studies on the reddish-grey group of streptomycetes isolated from soils of Egypt

Thirty two of reddish-grey streptomyces isolates were isolated from Egyptian soils. On the basis of the morphological characters they were divided into two sections. Section I with straight spore chains and section II with true spiral chains. The latter was divided into two group: spiny spore surface and smooth spore surface. The morphological, cultural and antagonistic properties of these isolates were studied and they were taxonomically identified as belonging to four streptomyces species Streptomyces griseorubens, Streptomyces saraceticus, Streptomyces carnosus and Streptomyces cinereus

Characterization of a new antibiotic produced by streptomyces saraceticus

Antibiotic production by Streptomyces saraceticus was examined against gram positive bacteria, some yeasts and filamentous fungi. Fish meal extract was used as the fermentative medium for antibiotic production. The antibiotic was extracted from dried broth by methanol and purified by preparative paper chromatography. The antibiotic was found to be polar and its chromatographic spectrum was determined in Blinow solvent systems. The compound exhibited absorption maxima at 207 nm, fluorescence excitation maximum at 350 nm and emission maximum at 415 nm The I.R. spectrum revealed peaks at 3.5, 4.6, 5.0 and 5. G ppm [sigma] Colour reactions indicated the presence of aldehyde group in the antibiotic molecule but no phenolic groups, amino acids, guanidines or nitro group. Elemental analysis revealed the presence of C, 6. 4%; H, 5.9%; CI, 31.7%; S, 1.8 and P, 7.8%, but no nitrogen. Molecular weight of the antibiotic was 1280. The studied antibiotic was temporarily given the name S.s. 20

Nitrate reductase formation by a new streptomyces species

Streptomyces cyanovirides a new species isolated from Egyptian soils was applied in the present study. Conditions affecting the formation of nitrate reductase by shaking cultures were studied. Nitrate reductase was produced during the logarithmic phase of growth and maximum yield was obtained after 66 hours of incubation at 30°C. The uptake of nitrate revealed that S. cyanovirides has a complete system of enzymes for assimilating nitrate till the formation of proteins. The enzyme activity greatly affected by FAD and NADH. Maximum enzyme yield was obtained when potassium nitrate served as a nitrogen source in a concentration of 2 g/L., and when starch concentration of the medium was 2 percent. Vitamins did not affect the enzyme formation, but in absence of yeast extract the enzyme was not formed. Potassium phosphate monobasic was the best phosphorus source. Molybdenum followed by iron were very essential elements for nitrate reductase formation and the best concentration of Mo. was 397 micro g./L. which supported the maxi-min yield of enzyme formation by the experimental organism

Purification and some characterization of nitrate reductase by a new streptomyces species

A nitrate reductase by a new Streptomyces species [S. cyan-oviridis] was purified by precipitation with bentonite and DEAE-Cellulose column chromatography. Maximal activity was obtained at 30 degree C and pH7.5 Km value was 0 505 mM. The effect of some met at salts on enzyme activity was studied. Enzyme activity was inhibited by KcN, Na N2 p-chloromercury benzoate, O-phenent hroline, 8- hydroxyquinoline urea and some amino acids such as L-histidine and L-asparagine. Eroposure of the enzyme to pH 7.5 for two hours did not influence its ability, but its exposure to pH4.0 and pH 8.0 resulted in mederate inactivation. Exposure of the enzyme to 30 degree C did not affect the enzyme activity. Its exposure to 35, 40 and 45 degree C resulted in a gradual decrease in its activity