study of effect of experimental pre-eclampsia on plasma lipocalin-2 level in rats

Background: preeclampsia [PE] is a pregnancy related complication defined as a disease that begins in the placenta and ends at the maternal endothelium. It is a multi-stage disease that starts by utero-placental insufficiency and leads to generalized maternal endothelial dysfunction.Lipocalin2 [LCN2] is a 25kDasecretory glycoprotein implicated in many functions such as apoptosis and innate immunity. Also, it has been recognized to have potential effects in obesity, inflammation and insulin resistance in mice and humans. Many controversial studies about the changes in the plasma LCN2 levels in PE are reported. Aim: The current study was designed to perform an animal model of experimental PE in a trial to demonstrate the possible relationship between PE and the circulating LCN2 levels

Design: forty eight healthy adult female albino rats and eight adult male albino rats were used. The male rats were used for induction of pregnancy. The adult female rats [n=48] were divided into four equal groups: group I [control non-pregnant group], group II [non-pregnant treated with L-NAME], group III [normal pregnant group] and group IV [pregnant treated with L-NAME to induce a model of experimental PE]. In all groups, body weight, body mass index [BMI], blood pressure, circulating levels of urea, creatinine, triglycerides [TGs], IL-6, endothelin-l[ET-l], vitamin D [VD], LCN2 and D-dimers in addition to total urinary proteins are measured. Histopathological examination of placental sections was done in group III and group IV

Results: The results of the present study revealed a significant increase in the body weight, BMI, MAP, total urinary proteins, circulating levels of urea, creatinine, TGs, IL-6, ET-1, LCN2 and D-dimers in both group II and IV. In addition to a significant decrease in VD in the same two groups. In group III, there was a significant increase in body weight, BMI, total urinary proteins and circulating levels of TGS, D-dimers and LCN2. There was a significant decrease in VD and MAP. Moreover, there was a positive significant correlation between LCN2 and all measured parameters except VD in group IV together with a positive significant correlation between LCN2 and MAP, IL-6, ET-1 and D-dimers in group II.The results in group IV are supported by the histopathological examination results

Conclusion: L-NAME can be used for induction of experimental PE and plasma levels of LCN2 can be used as an indicator for the renal complications and coagulopathies in PE. Further studies are needed to ascertain this association

Epidemiological study of the childhood disabilities: a household survey in four Egyptian governorates

This study was conducted on 1403 children from four Egyptian governorates. These governorates were; Alexandria, Al-Behira, Cairo and Al-Giza. The aim of the study was to define different types of the childhood disabilities, to find out their prevalence's in the selected governorates in Egypt, to define their distribution and to define their risk factors. A crosssectional study design was chosen to investigate the current research problem. All the children had undergone complete physical examinations. Also, children's parents were interviewed. There were specific inclusions criteria have been considered to include the child as a case in the study. The overall prevalence of the childhood disabilities in these governorates was 8.8%. The most common prevalent childhood disabilities were; visual, speech and hearing [4.5%, 2.1% and 1.9%, respectively]. While, the most common prevalent risk factors were mother delivered at home and/or not received antenatal care [7.2% and 6.3%, respectively]. Positive consanguinity and baby not strictly received vaccination were the most important risk factors, odds ratio = 3.81 and 3.31, respectively. While, only positive consanguinity was significantly correlated with all types of the childhood disabilities. Furthermore, positive consanguinity had the highest correlation with all types of the childhood disabilities. Also, childhood disabilities tend to be common among males [57.6%] and of congenital aetiology [61.8%]. The main source of habilitation was the private centers [79.2%]