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Insulin resistance (IR) is a major public health problem that can lead to many dangerous medical disorders and earlymortality. This study aimed to explore the effectiveness of resveratrol (RSV) to counteract the neuro-complicationsaccompanying high fat, high fructose (HFHF) diet experimentally induced-IR in rats. IR was induced by the ingestion ofHFHF diet for 70 days, 80 juvenile rats were used, and the treatments were given orally for the diet latest 10 days. Rats’general behavior was assessed by open field test (OFT) and forced swimming test (FST). On biochemical level; neurocomplications were assessed by measuring brain levels of monoamines and their metabolites as well as the levels of8-hydroxyguanosine (8-OHDG), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced and oxidizedglutathione (GSH and GSSG) and nitric oxide (NOx). Oral RSV (20 and 40 mg/kg p.o) increased the activity ofthe rats in the OFT and decreased the immobility period in the FST in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, RSVreduced monoamines turnover, elevated GSH, and reduced GSSG, NOx, MDA, 8-OHDG, and TNF-α (p < 0.05).RSV exhibited neuro-protective activities against HFHF-induced IR, thus it can be recommended as a favorable dailydietary supplement for treating the neuronal side effects related to IR.
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Aim of the work: this study evaluated the efficacy of bone marrow [BM] transplantation to protect male rats from dangerous effect of multi-walled carbon nanotubes [MWCNTs] or/and y-irradiation on the hematopoietic and lung tissues
Materials and methods: experimental animals were divided into 8 groups each consist of 6 male albino rats. Control group, BM-injected group, MWCNTs-injected group, 5Gy y-irradiated group, 5Gy y-irradiated+ MWCNTs-injected group, MWCNTs-injected+ BM-injected group, 5Gy y-irradiated+ BM-injected group and 5Gy of y-irradiated+ MWCNTs-injected + BM-injected group. All the treated animal groups were sacrificed after 28 days of the treatments. Blood components, MDA and GSH levels in the lung tissue were analyzed. The histopathological study in the lung tissue was also recorded
Results: exposure to MWCNTs or/and y-radiation induced a significant decrease in certain blood components [WBCs, RBCs, Hb content, HCT value and PLT count]
Furthermore, a significant elevation in MDA level and a significant decrease in GSH content were detected in the lung tissue
The histopathological changes after exposure of rats to MWCNTs recorded perivasculitis, atelectasis and interstitial pneumonia. Also, y-radiation represented more collapsed and thickened walls in the alveoli, thickened bronchiolar walls with partial epithelial lining and foci of pulmonary hemorrhage in the lung tissue. The effect of BM transplantation after MWCNTs or/and y-radiation ameliorated the values of blood components, MDA and GSH levels in the lung tissue. The improvement occurred by BM transplantation in rats treated with MWCNTs or/and exposed to y-radiation were also recorded. The lung tissue showed numerous alveoli with thin interalveolar septa, alveolar sacs and terminal bronchioles with highly folded mucosa
Conclusion: treatment with BM transplantation improved the most deleterious parameters obtained in the blood and lung tissue of MWCNTs exposed or/and y-irradiated rats
Subject(s)
Animals, Laboratory , Male , Adult , Gamma Rays/adverse effects , Nanotubes, Carbon/adverse effects , Rats , Lung/pathologyABSTRACT
Aim of the work: This work aimed to study the biochemical and histopathological changes in the kidney of male albino rats post exposure to 6Gy of gamma radiation and the protective role of transplanted bone marrow cells against damage induced in rat's kidney by a chemical carcinogen
Materials and Methods: In this study, forty eight healthy and active male albino rats about 120 grams in body weight were used. The animals were housed in plastic cages under normal temperature, pressure, humidity and good ventilation conditions during the whole period of experimentation. The animals were fed on a standard pellet diet and water
Results: Exposure of rats to gamma-radiation caused a significant increase in kidney function tests, decreased significantly the antioxidants with numerous histopathological changes in the rat kidney tissue. These changes were ameliorated by bone marrow transplantation either after whole body gamma-irradiation and/or Fe-NTA treatment
Conclusion: Bone marrow transplantation either after whole body gamma-irradiation and/or Fe-NTA treatment restored the kidney functions and ameliorated the oxidative stress and antioxidants markers. The histopathological observations showed amelioration in the structure of the kidney cortex. So, BM transplantation exerts some curative effects on the function and histological structure of kidney cortex of rats exposed to gamma-irradiation and/or Fe-NTA treatment
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Aim of work: this work aimed to study the biochemical and histopathological changes in the liver of male albino rats post exposure to 6Gy of gamma radiation and the possible protective effect of bone marrow [BM] transplantation on the liver tissues by a chemical carcinogen ferric nitrilotriacetate [Fe-NTA] or gamma- radiation in rats
Materials and methods: In this study, thirty six healthy and active male albino rats about 120 grams in body weight were used. The animals were housed in plastic cages under normal temperature, pressure, humidity and good ventilation conditions during the whole period of the experiment. The animals were fed on a standard pellet diet and water. Animals were categorized into six groups and served as the following groups: control, gamma irradiated[R], Fe-NTA, BM+R, BM + Fe-NTA and BM.+Fe-NTA+R
Results: the present results suggested that exposure to gamma-radiation or Fe-NTA induced a significantly disturbance in the liver functions and structure. They increased significantly the oxidative stress and decreased significantly the antioxidants tissues and they also increased necrotic and apoptotic cells in rat's liver tissue. Bone marrow transplantation either after whole body gamma-irradiation or Fe-NTA treatment restored the liver functions and structure. BT also ameliorated the oxidative stress and antioxidative markers. The histopathological observations recorded some amelioration in the apoptotic and necrotic evaluation in liver tissue
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Tuberculosis is a major health problem in Sudan, a country that carries 11-15% of the tuberculosis burden in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. This study aimed to describe the epidemiology of tuberculosis in River Nile State and to compare treatment outcomes with WHO recommended indicators. A descriptive study was conducted on data collected from records of 1221 patients registered at tuberculosis management units over the 3 years 2011-2013. The mean age of cases was 37.7 [SD 21.5] years and 65.9% were males; 76.3% were pulmonary tuberculosis and 36.9% were sputum smear-positive cases. Average values for all outcome indicators were suboptimal, notably rates of case notification [30.8 per 100 000], case detection [10.3%], treatment success [79.6%], treatment failure [3.0%], default [8.1%] and death [8.0%]. Of the 264 patients tested for HIV, 3.8% were positive. Outcome indicators tor the national tuberculosis control programme are lagging behind the required targets
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Adult , Middle Aged , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Child , Child, Preschool , Tuberculosis/therapy , Treatment Outcome , World Health Organization , Tuberculosis, PulmonaryABSTRACT
Objective To explore the in vivo anticancer, anti-angiogenesis and immunomodulatory efficacies of the bioactive polysaccharide isolated from cold aqueous extract of Jania rubens (JCEM) and Pterocladia capillacea (PCEM) as well as hot aqueous extract of Enteromorpha intestinalis (EHEM) against hepatocellular carcinoma rat model (HCC) and to study their chemical composition. Methods The sugars and amino acids composition of the bioactive polysaccharides of JCEM, PCEM and EHEM were determined using gas liquid chromatography and amino acid analyzer, respectively. These polysaccharide extracts (20 mg/kg b.wt. for 5 weeks) were assessed on hepatocarcinogenesis in rats and α-fetoprotein (AFP), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), glypican-3 (GPC-3), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and Ig G levels were evaluated. Results The GLC analysis of JCEM, PCEM and EHEM polysaccharide revealed the presence of 10, 9 and 10 sugars, in addition the amino acid analyzer enable identification of 16, 15 and 15 amino acids, respectively. These polysaccharide extracts of JCEM, PCEM and EHEM produced significant decrease in serum AFP, CEA, GPC-3, HGF and VEGF compared with untreated HCC group. JCEM, PCEM and EHEM had an immunostimulatory responses by increasing the IgG levels as compared by naïve value (1.23, 1.53 and 1.17 folds), respectively. The bioactive polysaccharides in HCC induced rats improved the humoral immune response. The photomicrographs of liver tissue sections of the groups of HCC treated with polysaccharide extracts of Jania rubens and Enteromorpha intestinalis showed intact histological structure. Moreover, fractions HE1, HE4, HE7 obtained from polysaccharide of EHEM showed moderate cytotoxic activity against HepG2 in vitro with IC
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OBJECTIVE@#To explore the in vivo anticancer, anti-angiogenesis and immunomodulatory efficacies of the bioactive polysaccharide isolated from cold aqueous extract of Jania rubens (JCEM) and Pterocladia capillacea (PCEM) as well as hot aqueous extract of Enteromorpha intestinalis (EHEM) against hepatocellular carcinoma rat model (HCC) and to study their chemical composition.@*METHODS@#The sugars and amino acids composition of the bioactive polysaccharides of JCEM, PCEM and EHEM were determined using gas liquid chromatography and amino acid analyzer, respectively. These polysaccharide extracts (20 mg/kg b.wt. for 5 weeks) were assessed on hepatocarcinogenesis in rats and α-fetoprotein (AFP), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), glypican-3 (GPC-3), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and Ig G levels were evaluated.@*RESULTS@#The GLC analysis of JCEM, PCEM and EHEM polysaccharide revealed the presence of 10, 9 and 10 sugars, in addition the amino acid analyzer enable identification of 16, 15 and 15 amino acids, respectively. These polysaccharide extracts of JCEM, PCEM and EHEM produced significant decrease in serum AFP, CEA, GPC-3, HGF and VEGF compared with untreated HCC group. JCEM, PCEM and EHEM had an immunostimulatory responses by increasing the IgG levels as compared by naïve value (1.23, 1.53 and 1.17 folds), respectively. The bioactive polysaccharides in HCC induced rats improved the humoral immune response. The photomicrographs of liver tissue sections of the groups of HCC treated with polysaccharide extracts of Jania rubens and Enteromorpha intestinalis showed intact histological structure. Moreover, fractions HE1, HE4, HE7 obtained from polysaccharide of EHEM showed moderate cytotoxic activity against HepG2 in vitro with IC 73.1, 42.6, 76.2 μg/mL. However, fractions of PCEM and JCEM show no or weak cytotoxicity against HepG2 in vitro where the cytotoxic activity of their crude polysaccharide extract proved synergetic effect.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The pronounced antitumor activity of sulfated polysaccharide-protein complexes of JCEM and EHEM is due to direct cytotoxic activity, anti-hepatocarcinogenesis, and anti-angiogenesis. In addition, JCEM, PCEM and EHEM had an immunostimulatory response and improved the humoral immune response in HCC induced rats.
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Undiagnosed diabetes constitutes a challenge for health providers, especially in rural areas. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes mellitus and glucose intolerance among adults in rural communities in River Nile State, north Sudan. In a cross-sectional community-based study, blood glucose, anthropometric, demographic and clinical history data were obtained from 1111 individuals from 35 villages. The prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes was 2.6% [29 individuals]; glucose intolerance was detected in 1.3% [14 individuals]. Classic symptoms [polydipsia, polyuria and weight loss] were present in around half of the participants but were not more prevalent in those with diabetes. Lower educational level, increasing age, hypertension and unexplained weight loss were significant risk factors for diabetes. Other variables [obesity, sex, occupation, alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking] were not significant risk factors. There is a low prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes and glucose intolerance in the rural population of River Nile State
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Rural Population , Prevalence , Risk Factors , Glucose Intolerance , Cross-Sectional StudiesABSTRACT
Systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE] is a complex multisystem autoimmune disease. It is characterized by multisystem affection with remission and relapse course. T lymphocytes characterized as TCR alpha beta CD4[-] CDS8[-] CD56- cells are known as `double-negative' [DN] T cells and have been described in both human and rodent models. The present study included thirty patients with SLE and sixteen healthy blood donor females. All cases and controls subjected to clinical assessment and DNT cells percentage measurement in periephral blood mononuclear cells [PBMNCs]. Our findings suggest that DN T cells subset; appear to play an essential role in SLE as it was correlated with disease, activity
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Humans , Female , Adolescent , Adult , T-Lymphocytes , Leukocytes, Mononuclear , Case-Control StudiesABSTRACT
Objectives: This study aimed to determine the pattern of hospital admissions and patient outcomes in medical wards at Atbara Teaching Hospital in River Nile State, Sudan
Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted from August 2013 to July 2014 and included all patients admitted to medical wards at the Atbara Teaching Hospital during the study period. Morbidity and mortality data was obtained from medical records. Diseases were categorised using the World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases [ICD] coding system
Results: A total of 2,614 patient records were analysed. The age group with the highest admissions was the 56-65-year-old age group [19.4%] and the majority of patients were admitted for one week or less [86.4%]. Non-communicable diseases constituted 71.8% of all cases. According to ICD classifications, patients were admitted most frequently due to infectious or parasitic diseases [19.7%], followed by diseases of the circulatory [16.4%], digestive [16.4%] and genito-urinary [13.8%] systems. The most common diseases were cardiovascular disease [16.4%], malaria [11.3%], gastritis/peptic ulcer disease [9.8%], urinary tract infections [7.2%] and diabetes mellitus [6.9%]. The mortality rate was 4.7%
Conclusion: The burden of non-communicable diseases was found to exceed that of communicable diseases among patients admitted to medical wards at the Atbara Teaching Hospital
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Adolescent , Adult , Middle Aged , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Patients' Rooms , Developing Countries , Patient Outcome Assessment , Hospitals, Teaching , Retrospective Studies , Cross-Sectional Studies , International Classification of Diseases , Hospital MortalityABSTRACT
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease [NAFLD] is a common global chronic liver condition. The prevalence of NAFLD among individuals with type 2 diabetes is estimated to be as high as 75%. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of NAFLD among individuals with type 2 diabetes in Sudan. This was a cross-sectional hospital-based study, which was carried out at the Jabir Abu-Elizz diabetic centre in Khartoum; 167 outpatients with type 2 diabetes were enrolled. NAFLD was diagnosed based on ultrasound, following exclusion of significant alcohol intake and secondary causes of liver diseases. NAFLD was defined as hepatic steatosis in the absence of alcohol intake, medication, previous liver disease and negative results for the serological test for hepatitis B and C. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine independent risk factors for the development of NAFLD in individuals with type 2 diabetes. The number of female subjects was 89 [53.3%], and most subjects [145, 86.8%] were between the ages of 40 and 70 years. The overall prevalence of fatty liver among individuals with type 2 diabetes was found to be 50.3%. Age, duration of diabetes, hypertension and HbAlc levels appeared to have no impact on the prevalence of NAFLD. The possible predictors of NAFLD were overweight, obesity, central obesity, high triglyceride level and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-c] level. A higher prevalence of NAFLD was observed in individuals with three components of the metabolic syndrome. NAFLD was observed in half of the diabetic population, and its occurrence correlates positively with metabolic syndrome risk factors
Subject(s)
Aged , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 , Metabolic Syndrome , Cross-Sectional Studies , PrevalenceABSTRACT
Non alcoholic fatty liver disease [NAFLD] is a common clinical condition associated with obesity and considered as possible precursor of more serious disease like Non alcoholic steatohepatitis [NASH], cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. There is very little research work carried concerning NAFLD in African countries in relation to prevalence and risk factors. Therefore, the aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of NAFLD and risk factors among asymptomatic co-patients accompanying patients admitted to gastroenterology wards at the National Centre for GI and Liver Diseases, Ibn Sina Hospital [Khartoum, Sudan]. Subjects with liver disease, excess alcohol intake [the intake of more than 21 units of alcohol per week for men and 14 units for women per week] and pregnancy were excluded from this study. The age, sex, body mass index [BMI], history and duration of diabetes and hypertension were recorded. Ultrasound was offered followed by clinical examination and blood sample was taken for assessment of liver function from each subject [total number of participants was 100]. NAFLD was diagnosed in 20 patients, giving prevalence of 20%. There was no statistical significance between the two sexes. The mean age of subjects with NAFLD was 53 years old and without NAFLD was 40 years [p < 0.05]. Importantly, the prevalence of NAFLD increased with age and BMI. Due to small number of diabetic individuals and hypertension, these two conditions were not statistically significant when related to NAFLD. The estimated prevalence of NAFLD in our study is 20% and this figure is comparable to the prevalence of NAFLD in Asian countries. Males and females were nearly equally affected and the prevalence of NAFLD increased with age and BMI, malting obesity a main risk factor
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Prevalence , Chronic Disease , Risk Factors , Surveys and Questionnaires/statistics & numerical data , Anthropometry/methods , Body Mass Index , Diabetes Mellitus , Cross-Sectional StudiesABSTRACT
The holy month of Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam. During this month, fasting Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking, and sex from dawn until sunset. Although the Quran exempts sick people from the duty of fasting, it is not uncommon for many heart disease patients to fast during Ramadan. Despite the fact that more than a billion Muslims worldwide fast during Ramadan, there is no clear consensus on its effects on cardiac disease. Some studies have shown that the effects of fasting on stable patients with cardiac disease are minimal and the majority of patients with stable cardiac illness can endure Ramadan fasting with no clinical deterioration. Fasting during Ramadan does not seem to increase hospitalizations for congestive heart failure. However, patients with decompensated heart failure or those requiring large doses of diuretics are strongly advised not to fast, particularly when Ramadan falls in summer. Patients with controlled hypertension can safely fast. However, patients with resistant hypertension should be advised not to fast until their blood pressure is reasonably controlled. Patients with recent myocardial infarction, unstable angina, recent cardiac intervention or cardiac surgery should avoid fasting. Physician advice should be individualized and patients are encouraged to seek medical advice before fasting in order to adjust their medications, if required. The performance of the Hajj pilgrimage is another pillar of Islam and is obligatory once in the lifetime for all adult Muslims who are in good health and can afford to undertake the journey. Hajj is a physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually demanding experience. Medical checkups one or two months before leaving for Hajj is warranted, especially for those with chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease. Patients with heart failure, uncontrolled hypertension, serious arrhythmias, unstable angina, recent myocardial infarction, or cardiac surgery should be considered unfit for undertaking the Hajj pilgrimage
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Exposure evidence to welding fume aerosols demonstrates that particulate air pollutants can cause both pulmonary and airway inflammation. However, few data show that particulates pollutants can induce systemic inflammatory responses in animals. The aim of this study was to test whether exposure to welding fume by inhalation of its fine and ultra fine particles and different compositions of the electrical welding processes would produce physiological disorders for the blood parameters of exposed rat's animal. We conducted the study using hematology coulter counter to analyze whole blood samples of rats after exposure to welding fumes. We investigated the effect of wielding fume exposure on some hematological parameters such as the red blood corpuscles [RBCs], white blood cells [WBCs] and platelet parameters. Fourteen male albino rats were randomly assigned to control or wielding fume inhalation. Significant decrease were observed after four weeks of wielding fume inhalation in the hemoglobin [Hb] concentration, RBCs count, hemoglobin [Hb], packed cell volume [PCV], mean corpuscular volume [MCV], mean corpuscular hemoglobin [MCH], red distribution width [RDW], mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration [MCHC], Platelete counts [PLTs] and platelete large cell ratio [P-LCR].On the other hand, platelet distribution width [PDW]. We conclude that inhalation of wielding fume for a long time influence the progression of anemia and inflammation suggesting that welding fume profoundly affects whole-blood profiles
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Pseudoinonas aeruginosa [P. aeruginosa] represents a phenomenon of antibiotic resistance, and demonstrates practically all known mechanisms of bacterial resistance. Active efflux is an important mechanism of resistance in P. aeruginosa. It contributes to the development of multiple resistances to all strategic antipseudonional antibiotics. More than five hundred urine samples were collected from patients in Assiut University Hospital. Fifty P. aeruginosa isolates were identified by conventional methods. The antibiotic susceptihity testing of isolates showed that 68% of isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin and 62% were resistant to levofloxacin. A comparison between the effect of three efflux pump inhibitors [Reserpine, Pantoprazole and Carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone [CCCP]] on the activity of ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin was done by measuring ability of these agents to potentiate effect of ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin against resistant P. aeruginosa isolates. Outer membrane profile of P. aeruginosa isolates was also done using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis [SDS-PAGE]. Reserpine was able to potentiate effect of ciprofloxacin in 50% of isolates, and in 5.5% for levofloxacin. Pantoprazole results were 33.3% for ciprofloxacin, 16 7% for levofloxacin. Finally CCCP potentiate. Regarding the SDS-PAGE of P. aeruginosa isolates, all isolates produced proteins with apparent molecular masses in the range of 50-54kDa.Reserpine-ciprofloxacin proved to be the best combination against multidrug resistant P. aeruginosa. Over production of 50-54 KDa outer membrane proteins is responsible for emergence of P. aeruginosa strains highly resistant to fluoroquinolones in clinical settings
Subject(s)
Pseudomonas Infections/urine , Microbial Sensitivity Tests , Levofloxacin/pharmacology , Ciprofloxacin/pharmacologyABSTRACT
Tuberculosis is an enormous tool of morbidity and mortality. The vast majority of tuberculosis patients live in developing countries, where the diagnosis of tuberculosis relies on the identification of acid-fast bacilli on unprocessed sputum smears using conventional light microscopy. Microscopy has high specificity in tuberculosis-endemic countries, but modest sensitivity which varies among laboratories [range 20% to 80%]
Thus, the development of rapid and accurate new diagnostic tools is imperative. Immune-based tests are potentially suitable for use in low-income countries as some test formats can be performed at the point of care .In the present study, the diagnostic value of 16-kDa and 38- kDa mycobacterial antigens was investigated in patients who were diagnosed as open pulmonary tuberculosis. The humoral immune response was analysed in a group of 60 TB patients, and in control group consisting of 15 healthy volunteers and 15 subjects with pulmonary diseases other than TB. The sensitivity, speciflty, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the test were determined at 45%, 93.3%, 93.1% and 45.9%, respectively. In conclusion, the ELISA test has a very good speciflty and an acceptable sensitivity and positive predictive value. It is thought that it could be used in combination with other methods to increase diagnostic accuracy, especially for culture-negative tuberculosis cases, which are difficult to diagnose
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Urinary tract infections [UTIs] are the most common cause of nosocomial infection and up to 80% of UTIs are associated with the use of urinary catheter. Inappropriate use of this device may lead to an increase incidence of infectious complications. It has been estimated that 65 % of nosocomial infections are biofilm associated urinary tract infections, loading the health care system enormous costs. These biofilm infections are 10 to 1000 times more resistant to the effects of antimicrobial agents. In this study urine samples were collected from 150 patients with CAUTI [group 1] giving one hundred and fifty bacterial isolates and 70 non catheterized UTI patients [group 2] giving fifty bacterial isolates. Out of the two hundred isolates the most common isolated pathogens were: Escherichia coli[E.coli] [50%] in group I, [48%] in group 2, followed by Klebsiella [26.7%] in group J, [28%] in group 2, pseudomonas aeruginosa [8%] in group 1, [12%] in group 2 then Staphylococcus aureus [8.6%] in group 1, [4.%] in group 2, Proteus [4.6%] in group 1, [4%] in group 2, and lastly, Candida albicans [2%] in group 1,[4. %] in group 2. The E.coli isolates were evaluated for biofilm formation using congo red agar [CRA] and microtitre plate methods. Out of 99 E.coli isolates; 27 were non biofilm forming in group 1, 19 isolates in group 2 while 48 isolates were biofilm forming in group 7, only 5 isolates in group 2 . Using microtitre plate method; out of 48 biofilm forming isolates in group 1; 8 isolates [16.6%] were weak biofilm forming, 10 [20.8%] were moderate biofilm and 30 isolates [62.5%] were strong biofilm forming while, 3 isolates were weak biofilm forming in group2. The two methods used to detect biofilm formation [CRA test and spectrophotometer], both are valid tests. CRA is simpler but spectrophotometer differentiates between weak and strong biofilm producers
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The World Health Organization [WHO] declared Tuberculosis a global health emergency in 1993 as it remains a major cause of mortality in developing countries. The World Health Organization's Directly Observed Treatment Short course [DOTs] strategy achieve 87% success rate in the areas where it is implemented, usually with five drugs, lasts for 6months. Till 1998 Sudan was classified as one of the slowly moving countries in implementation of the DOTS strategy and making no progress against tuberculosis. A prospective comparative, randomized clinical trial, hospital based study carried out at Kosti Teaching Hospital using directly observed treatment short course [DOTS], to assess the adverse drug reactions of intermittent chemotherapy compared to the currently adopted short course therapy. Patients with smear positive new cases of tuberculosis were enrolled and randomized in to two groups, intermittent treatment group [A] and daily regimen group [B] .The raw data were introduced into SPSS program, the data comparison was carried out by Pearson Chi square and pair independent sample student T-test. The level of significance [P<0.05]. A total of 275 were studied, significant initial [pre-interventional] elevated means of aspartate aminotransferase [AST] was detected in the two groups and significantly in the intermittent regimen after two and four months, but the decrease was significant only after two months in the daily group. Liver injury following antituberculous treatment was minimal and the adverse drug reactions were tolerable concerning the majority of the patients completing the course of the treatment
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The determination of the lumbosacral angle is one parameter that is of importance in evaluating the possible etiology of low back pain syndromes, therefore the purpose of this study is to define the normal range of intervertebral disc angulation at L5 and S1 and, to evaluate the tube angle used in practice to demonstrate the disk space in the anteroposterior projection. Two hundred and twenty lateral scout CT scans were examined in patients who were 110 male and 110 female, with an average age ranged between 30 to 90 years old. The intervertebral angles for L5 and S1 were measured using CT soft ware. A set of coefficient was used in an arrangement to formulate the necessary x-ray angle for males and female of a known age and intervertebral L/S angle. The results of this study found that the range of normal inter vertebral lumbosacral angulations is approximately 60 [degree sign] and 53 [degree sign] in male and female in respectively, and at antero-posterior projection, 30[degree sign] cranial tube angulations for males and 37[degree sign] cranial angulations for females should be used for inter vertebral lumbosacral visualization
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Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease [NAFLD] is now regarded as hepatic component of the metabolic syn-drome. In addition, NAFLD has emerged as a growing public health problem worldwide and an important challenge for health authorities. NAFLD is associated with insulin resistance and hyperlipidaemia and this appears as the potential pathogenic role of NAFLD in the development and progression of chronic kidney disease [CKD]. Interestingly, NAFLD and CKD may share common pathogenic mechanisms like obesity, abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, hyperlipidaemia, hypertension and inflammation. Importantly, the association between NAFLD and CKD is also being shown to be independent of obesity, hypertension, and other potentially confounding features of the metabolic syndrome, and it occurs both in patients without diabetes and in those with diabetes. How the liver communicates with kidney in individuals with NAFLD is not well known and indeed an urgent research is needed to further elucidate the complex and intertwined mechanisms that link NAFLD and CKD. One potential pathway for future exploration may be inflammatory mediators in NAFLD that may lead to deterioration in renal function. In addition, large clinical studies are needed to study the impact of NAFLD on the progression of CKD and in particular during dialysis and transplant and importantly how treatment of NAFLD and weight loss will have reversible potential benefit in improving renal function