Serum Lipoxin A4 Decreases in Exercise Induced Asthma

Background: Lipoxin A4 is a potent anti- inflammatory and serval lipoxin forming multicellular interactions occur during strenuous exercise

Aim of the study: To evaluate diagnostic value of lipoxin A4 as a biomaker of exercise induced asthma

Subjects and Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted on forty- five asthmatic children divided in two groups ; EIA group: 25 children with history of exercise- induced symptoms of asthma confirmed by spirometry, Non EIA group: 20 patients who did not have history of exercise induced symptoms of asthma. Forty- five apparently healthy children were included as a control group with no history of asthma or atopic conditions. Their age and sex were matched with the patients group . For all patients, pulmonary fnction tests were done before and after a free rning test using portable spiromometery . Serum levels of lipoxin A4 were estimated for patients [after exercise] and controls using ELISA

Results: A significant difference was detected between the levels of lipoxin A4 in EIA and control grops [p vale 0.000]. there was significant differece between Non EIA patients ; however, the difference was statistically [p value 0.973]

Conclusion: Lipoxin A4 is a promising anti-inflammaory factor in management of asthma. it correlates with degree of reduction in FEV1in EIA. future pharmaceutical studies should consider lipoxin as a new therapeutic treatment in EIA

efficacy of the Portage Program for developing some of the Artistic and Creative Skills for preschool Children

Objectives: The present study drives at exposing the efficacy of Portage program for developing some artistic and creative skills of thekindergarten child aged [4-6] year olds, while the branch objectives are crystallized in: defining the artistic and innovative included in Portage program for children, applying the Portage program and demonstrating the kindergarten child' artistic and innovative skills, and finally measuring the effectiveness of the Portage program for developing some artistic and creative skills of the kindergarten child

Sample: The study sample is selected randomly including 20 [Male-Female] children of Kgl and Kg2 in Al-Taif International School in Saudi Arabia

Method: The study follows the quasi-experimental method

Tools: Scale of some artistic and creative skills, to be pre/post applied on the kindergartens, applying as well the Portage program for developing some artistic and creative skills of the kindergartens

Results: The most important results are crystallized in there exist significant statistical differences on scale of artistic and creative skills post-application of the program, in favor of the experimental group. Previous results also assert the effectiveness of the Portage program activities in developing artistic and creative skills, since this program is a modern program that counts on developing child's life skills through some appropriate activities. The program includes eight child's life skills that includes the right signal for toilet for each child according to sex, identify the concept of hot and cold, identify the appropriate cloth for each season, identify traffic signals, the correct conduct in car, Identify the rough and soft touching, identify using juice pipe, and opening cans, and identify the face expressions through artistic activities through which a child is acquired some artistic and creative skills besides the life skills [Drawing-Coloring-Cut and Paste-Forming stereographic] which are arbitrated to check out their appropriateness to the kindergarten stage and the potentiality of teaching them through the Portage program for achieving study targets

Association of serum interferon gamma level with Parkinson's disease in Egyptian patients

Parkinson's disease [PD] is a chronic-progressive and disabling neurological disorder and the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's disease, characterized by the rapid and unpredictable loss of dopaminergic neurons located in a small mesencephalic nucleus, the Substantia Nigra pars compacta [SNpc], the cause of which remains unknown. Recent evidence has demonstrated that local inflammation, primarily mediated by glial cells, may contribute to this neuronal degeneration. However, factors mediating microglial activation in PD are poorly understood. Proinflammatory cytokines, such as interferon-gamma [IFN-gamma], orchestrate the actions of microglia. To investigate whether serum levels of interferon gamma are associated with the risk of PD in Egyptian patients. Blood samples from16 PD patients and 11 control patients attending the neuropsychiatric outpatient clinic in Suez-Canal University Hospital were analyzed in this study. IFN-? serum level was detected using the Ray Bio Human INFgamma ELISA assay. The Human INFgamma ELISA revealed a significant elevation of serum INFgamma in PD patients over that in control subjects [p < 0.05], as it was higher than the cutoff point in the serum of 12 patients of the PD patients [75%]. But in the control group it was elevated in the serum of only three out of eleven subjects [27%]. We conclude that high serum level of INF-gamma could play a clear role in microglial and astroglial activation in Parkinsonism and that it may be a critical factor in the local perpetuation of glial activation in the SNc, contributing to dopaminergic neuronal degeneration and motor impairment

Distribution of Hepatitis B virus, and Hepatitis C virus among blood donors in Aden Blood Center

Although blood transfusion saves millions of lives worldwide each year, infections caused by hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus remain the most important health problems. The introduction of new and improved screening tests for transfusion-transmissible diseases has led to remarkable improvement in the safety of the blood supply, with substantial shortening of the window period for HCV and HBV infectious. This prospective study was conducted at Aden Blood Center from June 2007 to December 2008. A total of 5825 blood donors were evaluated for the prevalence of HBV, HCV, of 5572 [95.7%] were replacement donors, and 253 [4.3%] were voluntary donors. HBsAg positive was found in 2.7%, anti-HCV in 2.G%, of overall donors. Neverllieiess, because there is no screening method to reduce the risk resulting from transfusion to zero, it is essential to adopt strict criteria in the selection of donor and to avoid unnecessary transfusion. The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B and hepatitis C infections among the blood donors

Serum resistin level in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and its relation to liver disease severity

Resitin is a hormone linked to the development of insulin resistance but direct relation of resistin levels in humans with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease [NAFLD] and its effect on the histological severity of NAFLD is lacking. Blood samples were collected from 30 consecutive patients with liver-biopsy-proven NAFLD and 30 subjects as controls. Serum resistin levels were measured, Body mass index [BMI] was calculated for all subjects and serum insulin, C-peptide and lipoprotein levels were also detected. Mean serum resistin level and BMI in the NAFLD group were significantly higher than in the controls [both p< 0.001]. Both men and women in the NAFLD group had higher mean serum resistin levels than did the men and women in the control group [all p>0.001]. Multivariate analysis showed that the percentage of hepatocyte steatosis, sex, BMI and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance [HOMAIR] were related to serum resistin levels. These data report increased resistin in NAFUD patients which is related to histological severity of the disease and support the link between resistin and insulin resistance and BMI in these patients

Post-traumatic stress disorder following road traffic accidents

Post traumatic stress disorder [PTSD] is a traumatic event that results in re-experience of the events, avoidance, emotional numbing and persistent symptoms of increased arousal. In addition, people have reported decreased satisfaction in every day activities, sexual life as well as lack of satisfaction in their friendship. Studies reported that road-traffic accidents [RTAs] are the most common causes of PTSD symptoms among the general population. The annual statistical medical record of Saudi Arabia relating to RTA reports that 140,280 survivors were admitted to the emergency department through the year 1425 H. Following this traumatic event the majority of those survivors may develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder [PTSD] that can delay their physical recovery and result in long-standing psychological, social and biological consequences. Victims of road traffic accidents who are at risk for developing this disorder need to be identified early to allow for early intervention and prevent greater impairment and restriction. The critical and psychiatric nurses are in an ideal position to identified treat, or refer patients with traumatic responses to psychiatric counseling. The nurse awareness of PTSD's risk factors or predictors allows her to critically evaluate symptoms that may begin to interfere with the resumption of daily activities. Given prompt intervention, most sufferers can recover fully and return to normal lives. Interventions can then be initiated before the onset of PTSD in hopes of preventing this debilitating disorder. Hence, this study aims to assess PTSD among patients who admitted to the King Fahd University Hospital 3-6 months following their exposure to traffic accidents and to identify the risk factors associated with the development of this disorder. The subjects of this study consisted of all patients who were exposed to traffic accidents and who were admitted to the emergency department, surgical, neurosurgical, and orthopedic ward of King Fahd University Hospital in the period range from 5 Jan to 20 Jun 2005. These patients were interviewed personally using the following scales: the Abbreviated Injury Scale, The impact of Evidence Scale, The Beck Depression Inventory, and the Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale. In addition the patient completed a developed list of risk factors for post traumatic stress disorders. The results of the study show that 62.2%of the road accident persons had PTSD among them 18.9% suffer from severe PTSD. The most significant risk factors were, the patient age, level of education. Type of injury, the severity of physical injury, degree of anxiety and Depression

Broncho alveolar lavage in diagnosis of peripheral lung cancer

Broncho alveolar lavage is a method of investigation and diagnosis of peripheral lung cancer. This study conducted on 20 patients with peripheral lung lesions, all cases had peripheral shadows in x-ray films, cases were selected from patients referred to the chest and cardio thoracic unit in El Zahra University hospital and Abbassia chest hospital. From September 2001 to March 2002. The twenty patients in this study were 15 male and 5 females between 40-65 years suffering from cough [80%], dyspnea [25%], haemoptesis [50%], chest pain [55%] and expectoration [45%]. The radiological presentation were opacity on right side in [10] cases and opacity in left side in other [10] cases. With diameter range from 3 cm to 12 cm and mean is 6.4 cm. With fibrooptic bronchoscopy there were no tumour, ulcer or suspected area of malignancy in bronchoscopic field.Cytological examination of [BAL] in.the present study shows no malignant cells in 7 cases [35%] and there were malignant cells in 13 cases [65%] diagnosed as:* Adenocarcinoma 6 cases [30%].* Large cell carcinoma in 3 cases [15%]:* Small cell carcinoma in one case [5%].* Undifferantiated carcinoma in one case[5%].* Bronchioalveolar carcinoma in one case* Squamous cell carcinoma in one case[5%].Tissue diagnosis coinsides with that of the bronchoalveolar lavage in 13 cases, whose tissue specimens were obtained by surgical operation in 9 cases [45%] and needle biopsy give result in 8 cases

Plasma antioxidant status in preterm infants in health and disease and its relation to vitamin C concentration at birth

Concentrations of circulating antioxidants may be important in the etiology of disease in preterm infants. We aimed at measuring vitamin C. ceruloplasmin and ability of plasma to prevent lipid peroxidation at birth and observing the variation of these measures with gestational age. We also examined the relation between plasma antioxidant activity in diseased preterm infants and their mortality. 30 diseased preterm infants requiring intensive care, 20 healthy preterm and 15 healthy full term infants were enrolled in the study. The antioxidant activity of plasma [ul plasma required to inhibit lipid peroxidation], plasma vitamin C and ceruloplasmin were measured. Diseased preterm infants showed significantly higher vitamin C, and significantly lower ceruloplasmin and antioxidant activity of plasma than healthy preterm and full term infants. In the preterm infants, there was a strong negative correlation between plasma antioxidant activity and vitamin C. Diseased preterm infants who died showed significanrly lower plasma antioxidant activity than those who survived