Prevalence of hepatitis C virus [HCV] antibodies in patients with schistosomaisis

This study comprised 850 subjects from three villages in the Gezira area in the central region of the Sudan. Faeces and urine specimens collected from the above subjects were examined for Schistosoma mansoni and S.heamatobium. One hundred and six individuals were confirmed positive, 49 [46.2%] with S.mansoni, 50 [47.2%] were infected with S.heamtobium and 7 [6.6%] with mixed infection. Of the 106 serum samples obtained from schistosoma-infected subjects and 100 serum samples from control subjects were tested by ELISA, 33 [31.1%] and 4 [4%] were found reactive for HCV antibodies respectively. These results showed strong association between schistosomaisis and HCV, which may suggest that schistosoma infection is a cofactor in HCV infection in patients with Bilharsiasis. A further study of large population size is highly recommended in order to draw a conclusion in the association between HCV and schistosoma infections

Preservation of minced meats by using medium and high-dose levels of gamma irradiation

The effect of medium [2.5-10 kGy] dose irradiation and high [20-70 kGy] dose irradiation on the microbiological, chemical and organoleptical properties of minced meat samples was studied. It was found that irradiation dose of only 5 kGy greatly reduced all microbial counts and completely eliminated all non-spore forming pathogenic bacteria contaminated minced meat samples. Consequently, this irradiation dose extended the refrigerated [3°C +/- I] storage life of these products for more than 8 weeks. This irradiation dose almost did not affect the chemical composition, particularly the main amino acids and main fatty acids of minced meat samples. Panelists could not differentiate between irradiated minced meat samples at this dose and unirradiated samples. High doses irradiation, i.e. 40 and 70 kGy were sufficient and efficient for sterilizing minced meat samples and in obtaining long-stable minced meat products [two years] at ambient temperature. These irradiation doses slightly reduced [not more than 7%] aspartic acid, glutamic acid, methionine and lysine of minced meat. It also decreased the relative percentage of total unsaturated fatty acids by not more than 17%. These high irradiation doses caused loss of C18:3 and C20:1

Novel 4- [pyrazol-1-yl] -, 1,2,4-triazolo [4,3-c] -, triazolo [1,5-c] and tetrazolo [1,5-c] quinazolines: synthesis for potential biological activities

Several 4-pyrazolylquinazolines, 1,2,4-triazolo [4,3-c] quinazolines, and 1,2,4-triazolo [1,5-c] quinazolines of potential biological activities were prepared by cyclization of 4-hydrazino-2-methylquinazoline and 4-hydrazino-2-phenylquinazoline with mono- and 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds. The 5-phenyl-1,2,4-triazolo [4,3-c] quinazolines were also obtained by an alternative route involving cyclization of 4-chloro-2-phenylquinazoline with aroylhydrazines. The tetrazolo [1,5-c] quinazolines were synthesized by cyclization of the amidrazones with nitrous acid or by cyclization of 4-chloro-2-phenylquinazoline with sodium azide

Islet cell auto-antibodies in chronic active hepatitis, a new approach for carbohydrate metabolic disorder in autoimmune liver disease

This study was done on 30 patients with chronic liver disease, the diagnosis was based on serum enzymes; liver function tests, serum immunoglobulin level and histopathological examination of liver biopsy taken from each, for the final diagnosis, HBsAg was searched for in the sera of all patients. Blood sugar level was estimated at different stages [Fasting], 1 hour, and 2 hours, after oral glucose load. Search for islet cell auto-antibodies was done for each patient using indirect immuno-fluorescent teachnique. The study came up with an important, which is the presence of islet cell auto-antibodies in 73.3% of sera of chronic active hepatitis patients of both IgG and IgD class, the latter was for the first time to be reported. The presence of 73.3% positive auto-antibodies sera, could explain few data which were found in this study and in previous study, on the basis of an injurious immune reaction for the islet cells, resulting in hyper-insulinaemia, hyperglucagonaemia, and hypersomatostatinaemia. These result in a disturbance in carbohydrate metabolism, which is sometimes found in chronic autoimmune liver disease

effect of prostaglandin F2 [PGF2] on some liver functions in normal and cirrhotic livers

Prostaglandin F2 alpha [PGF [2 alpha]] is known to have a venoconstrictor effect. It also inhibits the enzyme cholesterol- estersynthetase. In this study, the intravenous infusion of 0.5 mg. prostaglandin F2 alpha, over thirty minutes in ten normal subjects and twenty cases of hepatosplenic bilharziasis: ten of them had ascites proved to have no significant effect on some of the commonly used liver function tests