Oleic acid acutely impairs glucose homeostasis in standard chow diet but not high-fructose, high-fat diet-fed mice by acting on free fatty acid receptor 1

Abstract This study aimed to investigate the acute effects of oleic acid (OA) on glucose homeostasis in mice fed a standard chow diet (SCD) and a high-fructose, high-fat diet (HFrHFD); moreover, the role of free fatty acid receptor 1 (FFAR1) was evaluated. The mice in the two groups were further divided into three subgroups as follows: control, OA (40 mg/kg), and OA + GW1100 (0.4 mg/kg, selective FFAR1 blocker). After a 16-week feeding period, the mice received the drugs via intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection followed by an i.p. glucose tolerance test (IPGTT) 30 min later. After 3 days, the mice received the same drugs to examine the effects of the drugs on the hepatic levels of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) and diacylglycerol (DAG). OA in the SCD-fed mice significantly increased the blood glucose level (48%, P < 0.001) after 30 min of glucose load compared to that in the control group, but did not affect the levels of PIP2 and DAG. Pre-injection with GW1100 significantly decreased the area under the curve of the IPGTT (28%, P < 0.05) in the SCD group compared to that in the SCD + OA group. OA reduced the blood glucose level (35%, P < 0.001) after 120 min of glucose load in the HFrHFD-fed mice; in addition, it increased hepatic PIP2 (160%, P < 0.01) and decreased hepatic DAG (60%, P < 0.001) levels. Pre-injection with GW1100 blocked the effects of OA on hepatic PIP2 and DAG without affecting the glucose tolerance. In conclusion, OA acutely impaired the glucose tolerance in the SCD-fed mice by acting on FFAR1 but did not improve it in the HFrHFD-fed mice.

Efficacy and In Vitro Cytotoxicity of Nanostructured Lipid Carriers for Paclitaxel Delivery

Paclitaxel (PTX) is an anticancer drug having poor aqueous solubility and low bioavailability. Formulation of PTX into Nanostructure lipid carriers (NLC) could be a potential way to enhance PTX aqueous solubility and bioavailability hence increases efficacy and decreases side effects. Eight PTX-NLC formulae were prepared using homogenization-ultrasonication technique. Characterization of the nanoparticles was done by transmission electron microscopy and by measurement of particle size, poly dispersibility index and zeta potential. Encapsulation efficiency, drug loading, and In Vitro release were measured. Particle size ranged between 172.8 ± 0.8 to 378.2 ± 1.8 nm and zeta potential between -18.6 ± 0.4 to -28.1 ± 1.2 mV. High EE and DL were obtained due to incorporation of liquid lipid and the In Vitro release showed prolonged time dependent release compared to Taxol®. NLC-3 had the best results among the eight prepared formulae. In Vitro cytotoxicity of NLC-3 was evaluated on MCF-7 cell line and compared to pure PTX powder and Taxol®. These findings show that NLC is a potential carrier to improve efficacy and enhance PTX delivery.

Helicobacter pylori Infection and its response to treatment in diabetic Patients versus non diabetics

Background: H. pylori has been recognized as a public health problem worldwide affecting approximately 50% of the world population and more prevalent in developing than the developed countries. It is a common infection in diabetic patients

Aim of the work: The study designed to study the prevalence of H. pylori infection in diabetic patients in comparison with non diabetic patients and the response to treatment ofH. pylori in both groups

Methods: WO patients were enrolled in the study. They were classified into 2 groups: Group [I] 50 patients complaining of dyspepsia with DM, and group [2] 50 non-diabetic patients complaining of dyspepsia. Serum H.pylori IgG antibodies and stools H.pylori antigen were determined for all patients by Gen Way H. pylori IgG ELISA and OneSite H pylori rapid test respectively

Results: H. Pylori stools Ag was positive in 58% of diabetics and 40% of non diabetics with no significant difference [P value 0.085]. Serum H.pylori Ig G were significantly positive in diabetes [52%] compared to non diabetic patients [32%]; P value 0.05. HE Ale was significantly higher in diabetics positive H.pylori cases compared to diabetics negative for H.pylori. Change in the HBAlc blood level before and after H.pylori treatment was highly significant in diabetic cases [P value <0.001]

H.pylori was more resistant to treatment in diabetic patients compared to non diabetics

Conclusion: No significant difference between both diabetics and non diabetics regarding prevalence of H pylori infection. Type 2 diabetic patients showed a significantly lower eradication rate than non diabetic patients. Successful eradication of H pylori infection significant I improve HBAlc

The effect of weight loss on the outcome after coronary artery bypass grafting in obese patients.

The role of body mass index (BMI) in the setting of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery has been a focus of past studies. However, the effects of postoperative weight loss in patients after CABG is yet to be known. We performed a retrospective study of 899 patients who underwent CABG at our institution. Perioperative patient information was collected from an onsite electronic record system. Patients were grouped into four BMI categories: normal controls, overweight, obese and morbidly obese. Based on the postoperative BMI changes, patients were then grouped into three categories: gainers, no change and losers. Statistical analyses were performed using analysis of variance and linear regression to establish an association among the data. Hazard ratios (HR) and cumulative survival were obtained by the Cox-Mantel and Kaplan-Meier analyses, respectively. The normal controls exhibited a markedly higher mortality postoperatively, at 27.9%, especially when compared with the obese individuals (16.1%). Patients who lost weight faced a significantly increased risk of mortality than those who experienced no changes or gained weight after surgery. This trend was especially salient among the obese patients, who more than tripled their mortality risk (HR = 3.24) versus individuals who gained weight, and more than doubled their risk (HR = 2.87) versus those who had no changes. We conclude that obesity confers a survival advantage in the setting of the CABG surgery. Weight loss among all BMI categories of patients studied results in an adverse effect on postoperative survival.

Study of psychological aspects in asthma an Egyptian experience

The problem of psychologic trouble in asthma is frequently overlooked, and needs to be assessed. For this purpose 40 asthmatic patients were investigated. A psychological trouble was found to be present in 55% of them; mostly in the form of anxiety/neurosis [84.6%]. Its proper conventional management, when added to the traditional phamacotherapy, stepped up the outcome of treatment in the particular case: The success, interpreted as relief and control parameters; combined together in the treatment which means controlled or partially controlled, reached 81.8% in these patients. The incidence of "difficult to treat" or uncontrolled cases dropped from 36.4% to 18.2%, when such cases received added psychotherapy. Even the comparison of the overall relief and control of patients revealed significant better outcome, when the proper treatment was applied to either patients with or without psychological trouble; figures being 81.8% and 77.7%, respectively. As a pilot study, this presentation calls for more elaborate study on the subject, with special attention to whether the relationship is a cause and effect one and/or a mere association

[ rational and irrational ideas and the skills of decision making for students of general and vocational secondary education who are relaxed and neurotic]

The current study aims at revealing ihe difference in Rational and Irrational Ideas in the light of [Ellis Theory] and the skills of decision making with reference to the two aspects [Extraversion- Neuroticism] and the kind of education [General secondary- Vocational secondary] and the gender [Males-females] and the influence of interaction among them. It also reveals the difference in the skills of decision making whether by Rational or Irrational ideas in secondary school students, the sample consisted of [802] students of some general and vocational schools whos age ranges from [14- 16.5] with an average of [16.20] and a standard deviation [1.40]. This required designing two measures. One is for Rational and Irrational Ideas. The researcher has prepared it in the light of [Ellis Theory] and other to measure the skills of decision making. It also used the [Iznk] list for personality and photo [B] after making sure of all their efficiency. The study revealed the following. There Illogical were statistical significant differences in each of the Rational and Lrrational Ideas, each on its own and they were due to the difference of the two aspects of personality [Extraversion-Neuroticism]. this kind of education [General-Vocational]. Gender [Male-Female] and it also differs with reference to their interaction. There were also statistically significant differences in the skills of decision making due to the difference in the personal aspects [Extraversion-Neuroticism] and the kind of education [General-Vocational] while the resulted have revealed the non existence of any significant statistical differences in the skills of decision making due to the difference in gender [[Male- Female] and it is also different accorent according to the influence of interaction among them. There were also significant statistical differences in the skills of decision making due to difference in the Rational and Irrational ideas for secondary education students in favour of the Rational differences. The results were discussed and recommendations were made for the further problematic fuuire research areas

Role of silymarin and melatonin in freund's adjuvant arthritis and mixed-type hypersensitivity in rats

Silymarin is reported to be hepatoprotective against a number of experimentally studied hepatotoxins. Besides its known antioxidative properties and its ability to act as a free radical [FR] scavenger, silymarin exerts an important anti-inflammatory action. Similarly, melatonin has antioxidative properties both at physiological concentrations or when administered at pharmacological doses. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of silymarin and melatonin on immunologically mediated chronic inflammation. Two models were chosen, namely, Freund's adjuvant arthritis [FA] and mixed-type hypersensitivity [MH] in rats. The effect of both drugs was assessed on the basis of biochemical markers in blood and inflammatory exudate. The investigated drugs were given orally during the course of inflammation development. The results demonstrated that, in either model, silymarin reduced the elevated serum and exudate [local] leukotriene B[4] [LTB[4]] and interleukin-6 [IL-6] levels. The anti-inflammatory effect of silymarin was also accompanied by reduction or normalization of elevated systemic and/or local levels of lipid peroxide [LP], superoxide dismutase [SOD], and reduced glutathione [GSH]. On the other hand, treatment with melatonin resulted in insignificant effects in serum level of LTB[4] in FA as well as in sera and exudates of animals subjected to MH. Meanwhile, melatonin significantly increased the level of IL-6 in sera of both models as well as in exudates of MH model. In contrast, the antioxidant effect of melatonin was similar to that of silymarin in both models of inflammation. It could be concluded that silymarin confers a good anti-inflammatory activity against arthritis in rat, leading to improvement of the oxidative stress induced by the arthritic insult. The reparative effect of silymarin could be mediated via reduction of LTB[4] and IL-6. Due to its peculiar ability to enhance proinflammatory cytokine production, melatonin might thus play a pathogenic role in rheumatoid arthritis [RA] in despite of its antioxidant effect

prevalence of anti - HCV virus and hepatitis B seromarkers among Egyptian rural school children and it's relation to schistosomiasis

This study was composed of 170 male students aged 11-14 years from Tamoh village, Giza governorate, Cairo. They were subjected to full history, clinical assessment, urine and stool analysis, together with HCV and HB seromarkers, using ELISA 2nd generation techniques and Abdominal ultrasonography to all studied groups. HCV seropositivity was 18 [10.58%] and there were increase in anti-HCV seropositivity among students with schistosomal hepatosplenomegaly. Anti-HCV seropositivity was not related to activity of schistosomiasis. On the other hand hepatitis B seropositivity was 8 [4.70%] and there were the number of seropositivity occurs among students with schistosomal hepatosplenomegaly only

Effect of acute central administration of neuropeptide y [NPY] on gonadotropic ovarian axis in adult female rats

Eighteen female albino rats were used in this study. They were subdivided into 3 groups each of 6 animals, first group is formed of normal control, injected intra cerebroventricularly [ICV] with normal saline. Second group [low dose NPY group] where animals were injected with 30 microg/kg NPY by the ICV route, the 3rd group [high NPY group] the animals were injected by 70/microg/kg NPY by the same route. Two hours later after injection, serum level of lutienizing hormone [LH], follicle stimulating hormone [FSH], oestrogen and progesterone were estimated for all the 3 groups. The study revealed a significant increase in FSH, significant decrease of LH and non significant change in oestrogen and progesterone levels in animals injected with low dose of NPY. High NPY injected animals showed significant increase in FSH and oestrogen, significant decrease in LH, non significant change in progesterone levels. These results suggest that NPY may play a direct role in control of gonadotropic ovarian hormonal levels

Concho - meatoplasty technique in tympanoplasty

A Concho-meatoplasty technique is described which has proved successful in creation of a wide meatus when it is used in tympanoplasty with open mastoidectomy. The technique is described in details and the results are mentioned with a discussion of the technique in accordance to the otologic surgery literature