Study the levels of AFP, HCG and UE3 in pregnant women and their relation with gestational age and the age of the pregnant woman

AFP considers as important factor in the prenatal diagnosis of malformations and genetic abnormalities in fetus, since its level, in pregnant women, changes in the case of fetus malformation. So our study aimed to evaluate the change of the levels of serum AFP during pregnancy, and the relation between the levels of AFP and the levels of HCG and unconjugated Estriol 3 with the prenatal diagnosis of fetus malformations, to evaluate this procedure as non invasive prenatal diagnosis method. When HCG and unconjugated Estriol 3 determination is combined with AFP determination, it increases the sensitivity and the specifity of the method more than only AFP determination, considering both of the pregnant woman age and the gestational age. The study included 84 woman distributed into the following groups: 20 unpregnant women aged between 20-35 years, 12 pregnant women aged between 16-20 years, 33 pregnant women aged between 21-30 years, 19 pregnant women older than 31 years old, also we divided the pregnant women according to the gestational age, which determined by Ultrasound into: 34 pregnant women in fourth month, 28 pregnant women in fifth month, 2 pregnant women in sixth month. The AFP and HCG were assayed by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA]. We found a strong correlation between gestational age and AFP levels [r = 0.86, p < 0.0001], between gestational age and HCG levels [r = 0.67, p < 0.0001], and between gestational age and uE3 [r = 0.85, p = 0.0001], but the correlation between the age of preganant woman and AFP levels was weak [r = 0.21, p = 0.088], also for the correlation between the age of pregnant woman and HCG levels [r = 0.30, p = 0.019], and no correlation between the age of pregnant woman and uE3 levels [r = 0.045, P = 0.8]

Levels of myelin basic protein and its antibodies in the serum of the patients with neurological disease [autism, multiple sclerosis]

Myelin basic protein [MBP] is an important part of myelin sheets, and it's breakdown plays an important role in many nervous diseases, and it was thought that the destruction of MBP occur by the formation of MBP antibodies. So the aim of our study is to detect the differences of MBP and MBP-Abs levels between the patients with multiple sclerosis [MS], autism and epilepsy and apparently healthy controls. the study group involved 92 samples [32 patients with autism, 19 patients with MS, 20 patients with epilepsy, 21 controls], and the determination of MBP and MBP-Abs was achieved by the enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay [ELISA]. the ratio of MBP was higher in the patients with MS [53%], and autism [31%] than the patients with epilepsy [10%], and healthy control [5%]. the ratio of MBP-Abs was higher in the patients with MS [36%], and autism [38%] than the patients with epilepsy [15%] and healthy control [5%]. The presence of MBP or MBP-Abs in the patient's serum indicate to the presence of autoimmune problem and may help to direct the treatment

[Characterization of molecular and biochemical properties of some metastatic breast cancer cells]

Study of the molecular and biochemical properties of gene expression, of the certain breast cancer cell lines: metastatic [e.g. HTB-30 SK-BR-3 and HTB-21 CAMA-1]; non-metastatic [e.g. CRL-2315 HCC70 and HTB-126 HS578T]; estrogen receptor positive [ER[+]; e.g. HTB-22 MCF7 and CRL-2329 HCC1500] and estrogen receptor negative [ER-; CRL2335 HCC1806, HTB-132 MB468] was carried out. After all the breast cancer cell lines, in an appropriate cell propagation medium, have been cultured until enough cells were generated [as controls], and treated with one of the fatty acids omega-3 or omega-6 [as samples of treated cells], cancer cells were isolated, then mRNA of these cells were extracted. Microarray technique was applied for studying the genetic sites of the breast cancer cells, and detection the sites where the fatty acids are affected. Confirmation of the respective results have been undertaken using Real Time Polymerase chain Reaction [Real Time PCR] [RT-PCR]. Data resulted from microarray analysis showed many genes that are involved in signaling, lymphocyte activation, apoptosis, cellular growth and proliferation. Also, the results detect an obvious difference between effect of the two studied fatty acids. Omega-3 [Eicosapentaenoic acid "EPA"] works as up regulator of the ER-breast cancer cell lines, while the omega-6 [arachidonic acid "AA"] works as up regulator of the ER+ breast cancer cell lines. This study explored the importance of the ER status in how breast cancer cells respond to omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and the identification of key biomarkers that may shed light on the differential effects of these fatty acids on breast cancer cell lines. This research collaboration has set the stage for future studies to correlate genetic modification of the ER with the cell response to fatty acids, which may have a future applications in the therapeutic managements

Determination the blood serum levels of parathyroid hormone, calcitonin and osteocalcin concentrations in Syrian patients with beta-Thalassemia major

Treatment of beta-thalassemia major patients consists of regular blood transfusions and iron chela tor [Desferrioxamine]. This has extended the life expectancy of thalassemic patients and it lets to different endocrine and metabolic complications. The objective of this study is to determine the serum concentrations of some biochemical parameters [parathyroid hormone [PTH], calcitonin and osteocalcin] related to endocrine complications in beta-thalassemia major patients. 215 patients and 80 age- matched controls [6-41 years] entered the study. Hematological data were measured, and the levels of calcium and phosphate were determined. N-MID osteocalcin, intact PTH and calcitonin were determined in serum blood. Student's test was used to evaluate the differences between patient and control groups and P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Serum concentrations of PTH and N-MID osteocalcin were significantly [P=0.0007 and P=0.0017 respectively] lower in patients than controls. PTH serum levels were clearly under normal range in 11.16% of patients. However, calcium and calcitonin concentrations in patients were not significantly [P=0.101 and P=0.26 respectively] different from those in controls. Our finding are in agreement with other studies and suggest that hypoparathyroidism is one of the endocrine complications, which occurred in beta-thalassemia major patients who undergo blood transfusion regimens. More prospective studies are important to determine the prevalence of other endocrinopathies changes among thalassemic patients due to mixture of reasons other than iron overloads, with much improved regime of therapy

Erythrocyte superoxide dismutase, serum total antioxidant status in advanced atherosclerotic Syrian men

Oxygen - derived free radicals are very important mediators of cell injury and apoptosis. They are involved in a wide variety of clinical disorders, for example such as atherosclerosis. In the present study, we measured a marker of blood antioxidant status [serum total antioxidant TAS] and red blood cells superoxide dismutase [RBC[s] - SOD], in 89 patients with advanced Coronary atherosclerosis and 65 apparently healthy, age - and smoking status-matched controls. Serum total antioxidant status and erythrocyte superoxide dismutase concentrations were significantly decreased in patient's group [P < 0.0005]. These results suggest an increase in free radicals generation and a simultaneous decrease in the production of antioxidants occur in atherosclerotic patients

effect of therapeutic procedures on tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF alpha] and interleukin-1 beta [IL-1beta] levels in patients with beta thalassemia

The purpose of this study was to determine the changes in both tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF alpha] and Interleukine-1 beta [IL-1beta] levels in patients with beta- thalassemia who undergo special therapeutic Procedures such as splenectomy, iron chelation and blood transfusion. These Procedures may affect the levels of circulating cytokines, including TNF alpha and IL-Ill, which are known to have many biological functions and may be involved in the disease complications. Our study comprised 91 persons: 53 patients with beta-thalassemia and 38 controls. Serum specimens were collected to analyze both TNF alpha and IL-1beta concentrations using enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay [ELISA]. TNF alpha, IL-1beta levels were considerably higher in the patients' group [7.9 pg/ml, 5.2 pg/ml, respectively] than those of control group [3.1 pg/ml, 2.5 pg/ml, respectively]. TNF alpha levels were considerably higher in postsplenectomized patients than those of nonsplenectomized ones [P=0.03], while there was no significant difference in IL-1beta levels between the two groups [P=0.18]. TNF alpha levels were considerably lower in desferrioxamine-treated patients than those of untreated ones [P=0.02], while there was no significant difference in IL-1beta levels between the two groups [P=0.06]. There were no significant correlations between both TNF alpha and IL-1beta levels and blood transfusion rate [P>0.05]. The therapeutic Procedures which are followed by beta-thalassemic patients affect their TNF alpha and IL-1beta serum levels. The effects of splenectomy and iron chelation on TNF alpha levels are higher than those of IL-1beta levels, while blood transfusion has the same effect on the two cytokines

Biochemical changes in obesity

Obesity is regarded now as neurohormonal disease results from the new mechanism of its pathophysiology, that is after the discovery of leptin, so that we have measured this hormone in the serum using a radioirnmunoassay kit, in addition to other biochemical parametres: Glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride. Free fatty acids, TSH, and insulin for normal weight subjects [BM between 18- 25 kg/m° and obese subjects [BMI 17.9 micro U/ml] and non insulin-resistance [fasting insulin <17.9 micro U/ml] obese male [r0.51, P<0.001] and non insulin obese female [r=0.35, P<0.001] and that suggests a possible role in insulin resistance or hyper insulinaemia. Leptin concentrations were high in obese with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus [NIDDM] and that indicates for the possible role of overweight accompanied with this disease in the increased Leptin values. Metabolic variables were correlated with central obesity [defined by WHR The mean concentration of triglyceride and free fatty acids, which are important risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, were significantly correlated with central obesity

290-base-pair deletion in the beta-globin gene causing B-thalassemia in Syria

A 290-bp deletion in the 5 region of the beta-globin gene is described for the first time in a Syrian family leading to beta-thalassaemia major in homozygous from