Novel prognostic biomarkers for HCC progression in Egyptian patients

Objectives: To evaluate values of Cyclin D and Cdk4 in HCC, chronic hepatitis C, HCV related liver cirrhosis and healthy controls, their clinico-radiological correlations and prognosis of HCC

Methods: Group 1: Fifty patients with HCC, Group 2.Fifty patients with chronic hepatitis C with or without cirrhosis and Group 3: Thirty healthy controls were enrolled. All patients were positive for hepatitis C virus [HCV] antibody and confirmed by HCV RNA. Calculation of Barcelona-Clinic Liver Cancer [BCLC] staging system, MELD and Child-Pugh scores. mRNA for cyclin Dl and Cdk4 were analyzed by quantitative RT-PCR

Results: The mean Cyclin Dl and Cdk4 values were higher in HCC group compared with the other two groups [p value= 0.001]. In HCC group, the mean Cdk4 and cyclin Dlvalues were significantly higher among HCC patients with multiple hepatic focal lesion [HFL] [p value= 0. 0001, and003 respectively] compared with those with single lesion. A significant correlation between size of [HFL], alpha-Fetoprotein[AFP] and mean Cdk4 value [p value= 0.028, 0.0001 respectively]

Conclusions: Significant values of cyclin Dl and Cdk4 were found in HCC, compared to normal and chronic hepatitis C and correlated to the number, size of HFL and AFP level. Thus, the assessment of cyclin Dl and Cdk4 may provide a novel strategy for prognostication and targeted therapy of HCC

BRCA1 [l85 del AG] mutation among Egyptian breast cancer female patients

This study was conducted to estimate the frequency of BRCA1 [1 85delAG] mutation among Egyptian female patients with breast cancer. Forty selected female patients with breast cancer, 80 of their female relatives and 10 healthy females as a control group were included in this study. Result: The age of onset of breast cancer was below 40 years in 25 [62.5%] patients and above 40 years in 15 [37.5%] patients.There were significant differences among the patients regarding the age at menarche before 13 years [P=0.011, P<0.05], onset of breast cancer [P=0.000, P<0.001], parity [P=0.000, P<0.001], first delivery before 30 years of age [P=0.04, P<0.05], breast feeding [P=0.002, P<0.05], and positive family history [P=0.000, P<0.001]. The frequency of BRCA1 [1 85delAG] mutation was found among 10% of the patients group .Eight percent of patients with early onset below 40 years and 13.5% of patients with onset after 40 years were heterozygotes for the mutation. Three percent of patients with unilateral breast cancer, 40% of patients with bilateral breast cancer and 50% of patients with breast ovarian cancer were carrying the mutation. Our results indicated that breast ovarian cancer and bilateral breast cancer patients were likely to have BRCA1 [l85delAG] mutation than in unilateral breast cancer

effect of peroxisome proliferator - activated gamma agonist on resistin in obese rats with type 2 diabetes

Adipocytes are highly differentiated cells and numerous genes are expressed significantly in fat cells, resistin is an adipocytokine highly expressed in murine adipose tissue. Peroxisome proliferator-activated gamma agonists [PPAR] down-regulate resistin gene expression in adipose tissue. The aim of the present work is to clarify the effect of peroxisome proliferator-activated gamma agonist [rosiglitazone] on resistin in obese rats and obese rats with type 2 diabetes. Forty eight white albino male rats of 150-250gm average weight were randomly divided into group 1: Control group [n=8], group 2: [n=8] rats received rosiglitazone, group 3s [n=32] obese rats, this group subdivided into group 3a: Obese rats recieved the drug [n=8]. Group 3b: Obese rats after induction of type 2 diabetes, Group 3c: Obese rats with diabetes and rosiglitazone [n=8]. At the time of scarification blood was collected and samples from central fat and peripheral fat was taken. The following parameters were assessed, serum glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, insulin, serum resistin and resistin in fats. The results of the present work showed that serum glucose, insulin, triglycerides and cholesterol were significantly higher in [group 3, group 3b] compared to the control while their levels decreased after administration of the drug [Group 3c]. As regard resistin level in serum, central fat and peripheral fat were significantly higher in [group 3 and group 3b] compared to the control however its level significantly decrease after rosiglitazone administration. Also significant correlation were found between serum resistin and serum glucose, serum triglycerides and body mass index in all studied groups. Conclusion resistin seems to play an important role in development of type 2 diabetes particularly on top of obesity and its response to [PPAR] agonist may be used to relive insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes

Assessment of the current practices of e-waste management in Alexandria, Egypt [Case study: waste from personal computers]

E-waste is one of the fastest growing waste streams in the world. Decision- and policy-makers in Egypt have not yet tackled the issue of e-waste management. Recently, this management has been recognized as a serious issue due to numerous environmental concerns such as a] e-waste quantity generated at an alarming rate, b] pollution of air and groundwater, c] resource consumption, d] health and environmental hazards associated with informal e-waste recycling, and e] illegal trans-boundary movement of this e-waste. This study was carried out in Alexandria aiming at assessing the current practices adopted in the management of one type of e-waste, that is waste resulting from obsolete personal computers [PC-waste]. To achieve this aim, information was collected from 40 PC-waste stakeholders. Furthermore, Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure [TCLP] was performed on 10 discarded Printed Wire Boards [PWBs] to determine whether they should be considered as hazardous waste or not. Results of the study revealed that 55% of PC-waste were reused especially in PC repairing and refurbishing centers, that the major means of disposing PC-waste was by selling it to scrap dealers [50% of the respondents], followed by throwing it with municipal solid waste [MSW] [35% of the respondents], and finally by applying a "Producer Take-Back" system especially for large e-waste generators [15% of the respondents]. PC-waste was collected by scrap dealers using trucks or donkey carts. Informal recycling was taking place to reclaim steel, plastic and aluminum. Fortunately, no intense material recovery from PC-waste was encountered in Alexandria. All the remaining fractions from PC-waste were found to be thrown with MSW to be directed to the landfill. As for the PWBs, they were found to exhibit toxicity due to high lead levels and therefore, they should be considered hazardous waste D008. Finally, the study concluded the complete absence of any legislation or infrastructure to deal with e-waste management, and recommended a framework for an action plan to be taken by policy-makers in Egypt

Clinical outcomes after angioplasty and/or stent placement in patients with illac occlusive disease

Introduction: iliac angioplasty represents an important skill for the cardiovascular interventionist to master, not only to relieve patients lower extremity symptoms, but also to preserve vascular access for what may be lifesaving cardiovascular therapies such as coronary angioplasty or intra aortic balloon counter pulsation

Aim of the work: to evaluate the preliminary results of angioplasty in management of chronic iliac occlusive disease in Nasr City Insurance Hospital in 32 months

Patients and methods: a prospective study was done in 9-patients presented to Nasr City Insurance Hospital during the period between Nov. 2000 to May 2003 complaining of intermittent claudication [77.8%], rest pain [33.3%] and/or peripheral ulcer and gangrene [66.6%]. Angioplasty was an intermediate stage before surgery in 5-patients [55.6%] changing surgery from a major one [from the aorta] to a simpler one from the femoral artery] to a diffusely diseased peripheral vessels

Results: a successful angioplasty was done for all cases [7-right and 2-left iliac arteries]. PTA was enough with good results in 6-patients. PTA balloon dilatations and stenting was done for 3-patients. We considered our angioplasty procedure is technically successful if the residual stenosis is lower than 30% of the reference diameter. Follow up: Post intervention period passed smoothly in 7patients hut unfortunately, 2 patients died during follow up. NO mortality was related to the procedure. Patient [No.1] died 23 days after angioplasty due to septicemia and secondary infection after fern-pop. Bypass. The second patients [No.4] died 6-days after angioplasty due to AMI

Conclusion: angioplasty has the following advantages: -Lower initial procedure related morbidity and mortality. -No need for general an aesthesia. -Shorter hospital stay, and less trauma