Diabetic nephropathy as a cause of end stage renal disease among the Egyptian hemodialysis population

Diabetes mellitus is one of the leading causes of end stage renal disease [ESRD] all over the world. The aim of this work was to find out the prevalence of diabetic patients among the Egyptian hemodialysis [HD] population. This work is a multicenter cross sectional study carried out in multiple HD centers all over Egypt, and involved 1000 uremic patients on regular HD. Patients were subjected to detailed history taking, full clinical examination, fundus examination. ECG, blood chemistry [including renal and liver function tests, serum calcium and phosphorous, FBS and PPBS], and complete blood picture. Patients were clinically classified into three groups. Group A included uremic patients with IDDM. Group B included uremic patients with NIDDM, and group C included uremic non diabetic patients who were taken as a patients control group. The results of this study showed that 98 patients [9.8%] out of the 1000 uremic patients studied had DM as a cause of their ESRD. Diabetic uremics were found to be more frequently hypertensive, hypercholesterolemic and suffered more from coronary heart disease than non diabetic uremics. This study also showed that the relative contribution of IDDM and NIDDM among HD patients was 38.8% and 61.2%, respectively. The, duration of NIDDM was significantly shorter indicating that the progress of renal complications in this type is much faster than in IDDM. The result of C-peptide measurement perfectly matched with the clinical criteria for classification of the type of DM. where the predictive value was 100%. Finally, this study recommends to improve the medical care given to the diabetic patients establishment of education programs for diabetics stressing upon how to avoid diabetic complications and the importance of early intervention for treatment of those complications should they occur

Inferior vena cava echography and plasma cGMP level as markers of hydration state of hemodialysis patients

Adequate estimation of the dry weight of hemodialysis [HD] patients represents a central issue for renal replacement therapy. This work aimed to evaluate inferior vena cava [IVC] echography as well as cGMP plasma levels as reliable, non invasive markers of the hydration state of HD patients. Twenty five uremic patients [group A] as well as fifteen healthy volunteers [group B] were included in the study. Blood pressure, body weight, plasma cGMP level and IVC echography were recorded before and after HD both expiratory and inspiratory IVC diameters decreased significantly as compared to predialysis values [p < 0.05 and p < 0.05 respectively]. A significant positive correlation was observed between the expiratory IVC diameter and the body weight in patients of group A before [r = 0.57, p < 0.05] and after [r = 0.62, p < 0.05] HD. There was a positive correlation between the decrease in body weight and decrease in mean BP [MBP] [p < 0.05]. There was no significant, increase in WC collapse index [CI] after HD [p>0.05]. Also, there was no correlation between the CI and body weight of RD patients before and after HI] [p>0.05 and p> 0.05 respectively]. Predialysis cGMP levels were highly significantly greater [p <0.001] in group A patients compared to group B patients. HD resulted in a decrease in plasma cGMP levels, and this decrease is of a high statistical significance [p < 0.001]. However, postdialysis plasma cGMP level was highly significantly greater in Group A than in group B [p < 0.001]. There was a significant positive correlation between HD induced percent decrease in plasma cGMP level and reductions recorded in body weight [p < 0.05]. There was no significant correlation between plasma cGMP and MBP changes both pre and post dialysis [p > 0.05 and p > 0.05 respectively]. A significant correlation was found between IVC diameter and cGMP before HD [r = 0.69, p < 0.001]. No such correlation was found between CI and cGMp values [p > 0.05]. Furthermore, a significant correlation was observed between IVC diameter before and after HD and the change in cGMP during HD [r = 0.66, p < 0.01]. We conclude that cGMP is a sensitive marker for overhydration and fluid overload in HD patients, however, it cannot be considered as a marker for the dry weight of such patients since it does not return to normal found in healthy subjects after fluid removal. Furthermore, IVC diameter as estimated by echography appears to be a valuable accurate non invasive tool to assess the hydration state of HD patients

Campylobacteriosis in poultry

Samples were obtained from 80 broilers, 50 layers and 735 hatching eggs at different stages of the embryonic development to determine the incidence of C. jejuni. The results revealed the recovery of C. jejuni from 2.5 and 4% of the tested broilers and layers, respectively. The organism was isolated from 1.8% of the examined hatching eggs. The sensitivity testing of the isolates to 10 antibiotics clarified the sensitivity of the isolates to gentamycin, flumequine, chloramphenicol, tetracyclines and nalidixic acid in descending order and its resistance to oxolonic acid, ampicillin, trimethoprimsulfate and erythromycin

Effect of chemical treatment of poultry diets on the control of salmonella enteritidis in broilers

To evaluate the effect of acid treatment of broilers' diet to control S. enteritidis, propionic acid [PA], buffered propionic [BAP], lactic [LA] and formic [FA] acids were used at levels of 0.6% and 0.8% in experiment I. The inclusion of PA and FA at level of 0.6% in sterilized starter diet was capable to reduce S. enteritidis contamination from 1 X 10 3 to < 10 CFU/g feed at 2 h post- inoculation. BAP and LA seemed to be less effective in controlling S. enteritidis contamination in broilers diet. Experiment II planned to study the effect of feeding PA at two levels [0.6 and 0.8%] in broilers diet to control S. enteritidis infection in broiler chickens. The PA fed at level of 0.8% had given encouraging results as it was able to eliminate mortalities and to cease shedding of S. enteritidis at 3-day post-inoculation. However, S. enteritidis was recovered from the intestine and the cecum of the slaughtered chickens at the end of 6 weeks experimental period at rates of 3.3 and 6.7%, respectively. Continuous feeding of PA at 0.8% level had no adverse effect, but lowered abdominal fat%, and significantly improved dressing%. The foregoing results suggest that use of PA at level of 0.8% may be able to control broilers carcasses contamination with S. enteritidis by eliminating the main source of salmonella contamination which is feed

Trials to prepare potent vaccine against salmonella gallinarum pullorum infection

To control Salmonella gallinarum-pullorum [S. g-p] infection in chicken, oil adjuvant vaccine of S. g-p was prepared. The vaccine gave significant protection to vaccinated birds, when vaccinated subcutaneously at 2 weeks of age and challenged on 4 and 8 weeks of age. But, the significance of protection decreased in birds challenged on 8 weeks of age, this is due to developing of age resistance. The vaccine reduced significantly the shedding of S. g-p in vaccinated birds during the observation period compared with non vaccinated control. The bacteriological examination of the sacrificed birds at the end of observation periods indicated that the vaccine reduces the presence of S. g-p organism in vaccinated birds compared with non vaccinated control. It seems from the available literature that the present study is the first record of studying the effect of inactivated S. g-p oil adjuvant vaccine on shedding of S. g-p from infected chickens. The use of S. g-p oil adjuvant vaccine is recommended to protect the exposed chicken and to reduce the possibility of developing carriers

Impact of different dietary fat sources on performance and immune response of broiler chickens

Four groups of broiler chicks [n=40] were fed on concentrate soybean- corn-basal diet to which either beef tallow or linseed oil or mixture blend of linseed oil and beef tallow was included at level of 3 and 4% [starter and finisher, respectively]. The mixture blend of tallow and linseed oil achieved better performance and significantly higher body weight than when each fat source was fed solely. Regarding immune parameters, the linseed oil feeding had significantly improved several immuno-indices [hemagglutinin antibody titers against SRBC and delayed hypersensitivity reaction to phytohemagglutinin-P] in broiler chickens over the control and the other fat sources-fed groups. No significant changes were observed due to the inclusion of different fat sources in the relative weights of spleen and thymus, however, the relative weight of the bursa was significantly increased at age of 3 and 7 weeks in the linseed oil fed group. It is concluded that whereas linseed oil feeding improved several indices of immuno-status in broiler chickens which might be useful to fight infections, it was not able to compete with the tallow-linseed oil mixture in respect to performance. Further studied are needed to evaluate such effects and to underst and the mechanism underlying the modulation of the immune system by linseed oil feeding

Chemical nature of antibiotic produced by pseudomonas fluorescens strain a inhibiting azospirillum spp growth

The antagonistic activity of three Pseudomonas fluorescens strains against Azospirillum spp. was investigated. Data revealed that Pseudomonas fluorescens strain A was the most potent against Azospirillum lipoferum when grown on 523 agar medium, with initial pH of 7.0 and incubation for one day at 30C. Extraction of Pseudomonas fluorescens strain A active ingredient was achieved by using acetone followed by diethyl ether. Using paper chromatography technique, an antibiotic was obtained as purified yellowish brown amorphous powder. It is soluble in methanol, acetone, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, diethyl ether and chloroform. The physicochemical characteristics, i.e., melting point, ultraviolet spectra [UV], infrared spectra [IR], color reactions, the 1H nuclear magnetic resonance [1H-NMR], mass spectra and elemental analysis are given. The purified antibiotic exerted a sharp melting point at 126C, the UV absorption spectra was maximum at 245 [sh] nm in ethylacetate, the molecular weight was found to be 279. Relative abundance [RA], 9.9% and elemental analysis of the antibiotic revealed that the antibiotic substance contains carbon 81.7%, hydrogen 7.5%, oxygen 5.7% and nitrogen 5.0%. The molecular formula of the antibiotic was proposed to C19H21NO based on the MS spectra and elemental analysis

Salvage of Ischaemic myocardium by tenoxicam during acute myocardial infarction in the anaesthetized cats

Recently, antiinflammatory agents have been claimed to reduce infarct size in a number of models of coronary artery occlusion. In this work, the ability of the new antiinflammatory drug tenoxicam to limit infarct size [I.S.] was assessed in cats, 5 hours after ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. The drug was given intravenously 10 mns before ligation. In the ligated non-treated group, the S-T segment was raised significantly from isoelectric to reach 5 +/- 0.4 mm at the end of the experiment. Serum MB-CK level increased significantly from a pre-occlusion level of 162 +/- 13 U/L to reach 813.3 +/- 19.8 U/L 5 hours later. The I.S. measured by planimetry in serial cardiac sections and stained by hematoxylin basic fuchsin picric acid stain, was found to measure 32.2% of the heart. One cat died ventricular fibrillation. In the treated non-ligated group, no positive data were observed except significant bradycardia. In the group treated with the smaller dose of tenoxicam [0.25 mg/kg] and ligated, the heart rate was significantly reduced, there was significant decrease in S-T segment elevation [1.5 +/- 0.2 mm]. Significant reduction of serum MB-CK level [340 +/- 13 U/L] and of infarct size [11.9%] occurred. Ventricular fibrillation and death did not occur. Doubling the dose of tenoxicam proved to have a more marked cardio-protective action. The bradycardia was more, there was significant decrease in S-T segment elevation [1 + 0.2 mm]. The reduction in serum MB-CK level [207.6 +/- 12 U/L] and I.S. [7.1%] was more marked. No deaths occurred. In conclusion, tenoxicam in a dose of 0.25 and 0.5 mg/kg could protect the heart against extension of infarct size. Several mechanisms for this effect of the drug has been discussed

Effect of artificial daylight illumination on rabbits fur colouration and skin histopathology

This work was undertaken to clarify the change of rabbit's fur coloration produced by long time illumination to a powerful artificial daylight source of 500 watt. The exposure period extended up to three months successively at a rate 17 hours/day. Comparison was made in relation to control sets, which were allowed to stay under the natural day light illumination in almost similar conditions. It was concluded that rabbit's furs of the first group, showed higher reflection spectra at all visible wave length range accompanied by an increase of the brightness and whiteness index values. Nevertheless, the observed overall color difference change [delta E] in relation to the standard white of this group, gave lower values than the control group. The obtained results assured the fact that, the rabbit's fur became more white after being illuminated by artificial day light, and this was observed clearly by vision. Histopathological examination of the rabbit skin was studied. The results revealed atrophy of epidermis with increase in the elastic fibers that became fragmented and clumped with hyperplasia of collagen bundle. These changes are more apparent after prolonged exposure

Health effects of automobile exhaust on garage workers

105 male workers were studied. All were comparable as regards age and socio-economic state. 42 of them were garage workers exposed to motor car exhaust gas. The rest, 63, were control group. They were all interviewed as regard the personal and occupational history. Special reference to symptoms of respiratory and urinary systems, general medical examination, and ventilatory function measurements using vicatest-4 were performed. A blood sample was obtained for laboratory tests [HB, SCOT and SGPT] and urine sample for cytological examination. It was found that there is a significantly higher rate of respiratory affection in exposed workers namely chronic bronchitis and impaired ventilatory function [FEV/VC percent <70 percent]. The percent reduction of FEV[1] and V.C. for exposed in relation to predicted values was significant. Hypertension and uninary troubles were significantly prevalent among exposed workers. No evidence of malignancy in urine cytology. However, the number of examined personal was thought to be small leading to s suggestion of screening cytology on a large scale for early detection. Also, filtering the exhaust should be done to reduce respiratory affection

Effect of vitamin E and selenium on the immune response of chickens against living Newcastle Disease vaccine

The immune response of chicks vaccinated with living Newcastle disease vaccines was significantly improved by vitamin E and selenium supplemented in diet 14 days before vaccination, at a ratio of 300 mg/kg and 0.25 ppm respectively, as measured by haemagglutination inhibition [HI] antibody titres and protection rate against challenge with velogenic Newcastle disease virus. Supplementation of vitamin E resulted in significant [P<0.05] increase of the final body weight and reduction of feed convertion efficiency

Role of dietary zinc on immune response of broiler chickens

Tow hundred and twenty one-day old Hubbard broiler chicks were used to study the possible role of dietary zinc on chicks performance in relation to Newcastle disease vaccine challenge and relative weights of some immune lymphoid organs. Feeding different levels of supplemental zinc 50 and 150 mg/kg as zinc oxide had significantly improved 8-weeks body weight, feed efficiency, HI titres against ND virus as well as protection percentage and relative weights of spleen and bursa of Fabricius. On the other hand, increasing the level of calcium in the corn soybean meal diet without any zinc supplement was associated with zinc deficiency symptoms as well as lowered body weight, HI titres and protection percentage against ND virus. The present study supports that corn soybean meal diet cannot cover the zinc requirements for broiler, an interesting notice, which needs further investigation that zinc supplement to such diet play an important role as an immuno-stimulant