Plasminogen activators and matrix metalloproteinase activities in experimental bladder carcinogenesis

To evaluate whether or not the organophosphorus dimethoate insecticide play a vital role in the high incidence of damage of bladder organ in experimental animals. [2] To investigate the possible promoting or synergistic effects of organophosphorus compounds on the potent carcinogenic nitrosamines. [3] To protect the bladder organ from the damaging effect of either organophosphorus or nitrosaniines. Quantitative zymography was used to estimate plasminogen activators [PAs] and matrix metalloproteinases [MMPs] in male wistar albino rats urinary bladder after treatment with dimethoate in the presence and absence of diethyl nitrosoamine[DEN]. High level expressions of PAs and MMPs have been correlated with urinary bladder hyperplasia and tumors. PAs activity was significantly [p<0.05] increased in DEN initiation and dimethoate promotion in urinary bladder. MMPs expressed significant elevation [p<0.01] after the initiation with DEN and the treatment with dimethoate. Caproic acid has no significant effect throughout the experiments. Dimethoate is not carcinogenic hut it acts as promoter. PAs and MMPs may he important biochemical factors affecting urinary bladder carcinogenesis

Pharmacokinetics of digoxin in patients with atrial fibrillation: role of the classic co-variables

This work was performed to study the pharmacokinetics of digoxin in patients suffering from atrial fibrillation [AF] after optimization of all the known classic factors contributing to inter-patient variability in serum digoxin levels, to detect if any variability in serum digoxin levels still exists or this variability is only a function of the classic co-variables so that their optimization will diminish or eliminate it. Twenty male patients suffering from AF, were selected from the Critical Care Medicine Department, Cairo University Hospitals to be enrolled in the study. A patient is initially considered to be a candidate for this study when digoxin therapy was indicated. Patients were selected to have non-significant variations in their demographics and pretreatment clinical data. Blood samples were drawn from each patient at specified intervals and the serum fractions were separated and assayed for digoxin, using digoxin enzyme multiple immunoassay technique [Emit 2000]. The results revealed unpredictable variability in serum digoxin levels among patients at each sampling time and a marked inter-patient variability in mean serum digoxin levels among individuals throughout the twenty four hours, [P value: 0.0001].Considerable inter-patient variability was also evident in digoxin pharmacokinetics. Digoxin was rapidly absorbed after dosage administration, with C[max] occurring at 0.5 to 1.0 hour in all patients. Mean T[max] was 0.575 +/- 0.18 hr. Digoxin C[max] varied from 0.86 to 6.72 ng/ml with a mean value of 3.99 +/- 1.91 ng/ml. AUC also varied greatly among patients [from 6.16 ng hr/ml to 112.14 ng hr/ml] with a mean value of 49.47 +/- 30.344 ng/hr/ml. The elimination half-life [t[1/2]] varied from 0.86 days to 7.16 days with a mean value of 2.66 +/- 1.45 days. The overall mean oral clearance also showed a great variability among patients with a mean of 9.3 +/- 8.7 ml/hr/kg [CV: 92.9%]. In conclusion: variability in serum digoxin concentrations and digoxin pharmacokinetics existed in spite of careful patient selection and optimization of all the classic co-variables known to affect digoxin concentrations, suggesting the presence of other unstudied factors; the recently evolving genetic factors might contribute to this variability

Chemical changes during the preservation of some vegetables: I-Egyptian mallow, spinach and peas

This work was carried out to study the effect of some treatments on the shelf life of Egyptian mallow, spinach and peas. The results revealed that treating vegetable by dipping in magnesium carbonate solution led to maintaining more quantities of pigments [chlorophylls and carotenoids] in the freezing and drying treatments after storage for three months. The panel test fortified the previous chemical results but only the sun drying of Egyptian mallow was more acceptable by panel testers