Middle East respiratory syndrome novel corona [MERS-CoV] infection. Epidemiology and outcome update

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus MERS-CoV is a newly emerging respiratory virus with a high case fatality rate among identified cases. The virus is thought to cause a severe disease in patients with underlying Co-morbidities. The identification of asymptomatic patients and mild cases among family and healthcare worker contacts of confirmed cases indicates a wider spectrum of clinical manifestation of the disease. The majority of patients presented with fever [98%], fever with cough [83%], and shortness of breath [72%]. Radiographic manifestations range from unilateral infiltrate [43%], to increased bronchovascular markings [17%], and diffuse reticulonodular pattern [4%]. Our understanding of the epidemiology and clinical presentation of the disease is increasing overtime. It is still not known what the source of the virus is and what the best treatment modality should be

Influence of ellagic acid on prostate cancer cell proliferation: a caspase-dependent pathway

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the effect of allagic acid treatment on the cell viability of human prostate cancer cells.@*METHODS@#Ellagic acid (10-100 mol/L) treatment (48 h) of human prostate carcinoma PC3 cells was found to result in a dose-dependent inhibition of cell growth and apoptosis of PC3 cells as assessed by MTT assay, western blotting, flow cytometry and confocal microscopy.@*RESULTS@#We observed that ellagic acid treatment of PC3 cells resulted in a dose dependent inhibition of cell growth/cell viability. This ellagic acid caused cell growth inhibition was found to be accompanied by induction of apoptosis, as assessed by the cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and morphological changes. Further, induction of apoptosis accompanied a decrease in the levels of antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 and increase in proapoptotic protein Bax, thus shifting the Bax: Bcl-2 ratio in favor of apoptosis. Ellagic acid treatment of PC3 cells was also found to result in significant activation of caspases, as shown by the dose dependent decrease in the protein expression of procaspase-3, -6, -8 and -9. This ellagic acid-mediated induction of apoptosis was significantly (80%-90%) inhibited by the caspase inhibitor N-benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp (OMe)-fluoromethylketone (Z-VAD-FMK). Thus these data suggested an essential role of caspases in ellagic acid-mediated apoptosis of PC3 cells.@*CONCLUSIONS@#It is tempting to suggest that consumption of tropical pigmented fruits and vegetables could be an effective strategy to combat prostate cancer.

Pain and anxiety assessment in topical vs. peribulbar anesthesia in cataract surgery

The aim of this study was to compare topical with peribulbar anesthetic technique as regards pain and anxiety in patients undergoing phacoemulsification cataract surgery. Hundred patients undergoing phacoemulsification procedure were enrolled in the study. Patients were divided into two groups, topical and peribulbar anesthesia was used for group I and II respectively. Pain assessment was done using visual analogue pain scale following administration of the local and topical anaesthesia, immediately after surgery, 2 hours postoperatively and overall pain experience. The Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale [HARS] was used to assess the overall level of anxiety in the two studied groups. Pain score was significantly higher for Peribulbar group immediately after the block and over all pain experience [P value <0.01]. The two groups did not show any significant difference in the level of pain during the surgery and in the early post operative period. The topical group reported less perioperative anxiety compared to the Peribulbar group, but this difference did not reach significant level [P value= 0.6]. Patients undergoing phacoemulsification procedure under topical anesthesia experience less pain than patients received peribulbar blockade. Both techniques produce mild level of anxiety with less extent in topical group