Assessment of chronic kidney disease in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD); A single center experience

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) represents a considerable percentage of chronic liver diseases worldwide. The liver is not the only organ affected by NAFLD but also affects other organs such as the cardiovascular system and the kidney. In recent decades, there has been a growing body of evidence linking NAFLD to kidney function. So, the current study aims to assess the percentage of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in NAFLD patients and its link to different stages of hepatic fibrosis. Patients and Methods: A case-control study evaluated 62 non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patients and a control group of 38 volunteers with apparently healthy livers (normal echo pattern by ultrasound). All participants underwent serum creatinine measurement, albumin creatinine ratio in urine, calculation of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), abdominal ultrasound, and fibroScan examination. Results: The authors showed that the percentage of patients with chronic kidney diseases (patients with GFR less than 60 ml or micro-albuminuria) were significantly higher among NAFLD groups than in healthy controls. There was a significant positive correlation between the albumin creatinine ratio and subcutaneous fat thickness, BMI, and steatosis degrees. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and the age of the patients had a significant negative correlation. In comparison, the eGFR and AST levels had a significant positive correlation. Conclusions: Our results showed that NAFLD substantially raises the risk of getting CKD

Knowledge about the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia and its associated risk factors in females in Saudi Arabia

Background: despite the modern society and available healthy food, iron deficiency anemia is common in Saudi Arabia woman. Iron deficiency anemia is very common in women due to many risk factors like heavy menses and eating food that is not rich in iron. Knowing the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia and its associated risk factors in Saudi Arabia can provide a useful knowledge in avoiding these risk factors and improving the overall health

Objectives: Iron deficiency anemia is increasingly common worldwide. This study aims to assess the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia and its associated risk factors in women in Saudi Arabia

Methods: Across-sectional study on the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia was randomly carried out among women [1638 participants] in different social media platforms of Saudi Arabia during the period from February to April 2018

Results: In 43.5% of the participants have been suffering from iron deficiency anemia, only 10.1% had a blood transfusion as a consequence of the anemia, 42.6% have sought medical help, 32.8% had heavy menses, 48.5% had a positive family history of iron deficiency anemia, only 15.4% had hypothyroidism disease, 57.2% don't eat iron rich food and only 7.9% were pregnant

Conclusion: Our result showed that huge number of the participants was suffering from iron deficiency anemia in Saudi Arabia

Congenital vallecular cyst: a rare and potentially lethal condition

Congenital vallecular cyst is a rare laryngeal lesion, accounting for 10-20% of all laryngeal cysts, with a potential to cause severe upper airway obstruction, which can be fatal. It can cause stridor, apnea, cyanosis, respiratory distress, and feeding difficulties. Diagnosis requires a high level of clinical suspicion and helps in timely intervention. Direct laryngoscopy is gold standard for definitive diagnosis. Treatment options include aspiration, marsupialization, and surgical excision. Here, we report a case of 7-week-old infant with complain of recurrent episodes of cyanosis when agitated, since the age of 3 weeks, admitted with impression of apparent life-threatening events [ALTEs]

Extensive investigations were non-conclusive, which were done in local hospital. Direct laryngoscopy was performed in our hospital and showed presence of a vallecular cyst. Thus complete excision of cyst was done in the same setting with dramatic relief of symptoms

Isolation and molecular identification of klebsiella microbe isolated from chicks

Klebsiella pneumoniae is one of the most common infectious disease affecting chicks, causing great economic losses. Also, possess food safety and antimicrobial resistance threats, as it may act as a contamination source of poultry meat and eggs. We aim to isolation and identification of klebsiella organisms causing death and loss in chicks. To perform this aim, it is necessary to full following points: Isolation of klebsiella causing respiratory manifestations and death in chicks purification and identification [morphologically, culturally, biochemically] of recovered klebsiella, antibiotic sensitivity test, PCR detection of Klebsiella genus specific gene [GyrA], PCR detection of klebsiella carbapenem resistance gene [kpc] and PCR detection of two of important virulence genes ; Mucoviscocity attached gene [MagA] and Iron uptake system gene [Kfu]. A total of 150 chicks from different locations were examined clinically for respiratory symptoms lung, liver, trachea, intestine and samples [dropping and oro-pharyngeal swab] were collected for bacteriological examination. The results of biochemical tests for detection of biochemical characteristics of isolated Klebsiella: where all the examined isolates cleared that Klebsiella, gave positive reaction for catalase test, voges proskeure, urease and citrate test, meanwhile the isolates were negative for oxidase, Indole and Methyl red tests. Cultivation of isolate on macConkey gives lactose fermenting colonies, more or less dome shaped,3-4 mm diameter after overnight incubation at 37C .The sixteen klebsiella isolates subjected for PCR detection and the results for detection of Klebsiella genus specific gene [GyrA] were positive for all isolates. Also ten of sixteen subjected to PCR for detection of Klebsiella pneumonia carbapnamase gene [KPC] and the results were negative, ten of sixteen subjected to PCR for detection,of Mucoviscocity attached gene [Mag A] and the results were positive for seven out of ten isolates,eight out of sixteen isolates subjected to PCR for detection of Iron uptake system gene [Kfu] and the results were positive for eight out of ten isolates. The 16 Klebsiella isolates were tested for the resistance to antibiotics and the results indicates that Meropenem, Impienem, Amikacin, Cefotaxime sodium, Ceftazidime, Ciproflaxin and Tobramycin had high effect on klebsiella isolates. Meanwhile, Gentamycin and Cefepime have moderate effect on Klebsiella . Moreover, antibiotics have less effect on the isolated Klebsiella were Azithromycin and Erythromycin

Comparison between phenotypic methods and seminested pcr for candida species identification

Identification of Candida cultured from various clinical specimens to the species level is increasingly necessary for clinical laboratories. Although sn PCR identifies the species within hours but its cost-effectiveness is to be considered. So there is always a need for media which help in the isolation and identification at the species level. The study aimed to evaluate the performance of different chromogenic media and to compare the effectiveness of the traditional phenotypic methods versus seminested polymer-ase chain reaction [sn PCR] for identification of Candida species. One hundred and twenty seven Candida strains isolated from various clinical specimens were identified by conventional methods, four different chromogenic media and sn PCR . HiCrome Candida Differential and CHROMagar Candida media showed comparably high sensitivities and specificities in the identification of C. albicans , C. tropicalis, C. glabrata and C. krusei. CHROMagar Candida had an extra advantage of identifying all C. parapsilosis isolates. CHROMagar-Pal's medium identified C. albicans, C. tropicalis and C. krusei with high sensitivities and specificities, but couldn't identify C. glabrata or C. parapsilosis. It was the only medium that identified C. dubliniensis with a sensitivity and specificity of 100%. Biggy agar showed the least sensitivities and specificities. The overall concordance of the snPCR compared to the conventional tests including CHROMAgar Candida in the identification of Candida species was 97.5 %. The use of CHROMAgar Candida medium is an easy and accurate method for presumptive identification of the most commonly encountered Candida spp. Key words: chromogenic media, sn PCR, Candida?

Reproductive toxic effects in the testes of BALB/c mice exposed to total diesel exhaust

This study used 50 male BALB/c mice divided into three groups [20 in each of test groups A and B and 10 in the control group C]. Group A and group B were exposed to total diesel exhaust [TDE]. The TDE exposures were performed in a cubic wooden box chamber [side length 50 cm] filled with TDE from a diesel fueled car. Group A was moved to the diesel filled chamber and exposed once a day for 30 minutes and group B was moved to the filled chamber and exposed once a day for 60 minutes. The control group was similarly manipulated for 60 minutes without filling the chamber with TDE. The experiment was carried out six days a week for 120 days. Four animals from group A and six animals from group B did not survive to the end of the experiment while the control animals did not have mortalities. Five of the remaining mice from each test group and 2 controls were sacrificed on the 40th day and on the 80th day. Remaining six mice in group A and four mice in group B and six mice from group C were sacrificed at the end of the experiment [120th day]. Testes and vasa efferentia were removed, testes were prepared into sections for histological, immunohistochemical staining and testicular biopsies [5 mg each] were used for Western blotting experiments to detect acrosomal proteins. Vas spermatozoa were prepared as smears for immuno-histochemical study. Down regulation of spermatogenesis reflecting structural damage of the seminiferous tubules was observed in animals sacrificed on the 40th day, this was progressive with time of exposure as seen in samples obtained on the 80th and 120th days The dependence on exposure time was also clear from comparison of sections from groups A and B, Severe oligozoospermia was detected in group A by the end of 80th days and in group B by the end of the 40th day. By the end of the experiment [120 days], the seminiferous tubules from the testes of the two test groups A and B were containing Sertoli cells only. Immunohistochemical staining of testicular sections and vas sperm suspensions using monoclonal antibodies for internal acrosomal proteins revealed a concomitant ultrastructural damage of spermatozoa in the form of defective or absent acrosome and increased proportion of abnormal sperm head morphology. The progressive decrease of sperm and spermatid -specific proteins in testicular biopsies was observed in the immuno blots. It is concluded that exposure to diesel exhaust has a massive reproductive toxicity in male mice manifested by suppression of spermatogenesis and abnormal ultra structures of vas spermatozoa. Also, the reproductive toxic effect of diesel exhaust exposure is both dose [exposure time]-dependent and duration [repeated exposures]-dependent

Gender differences in the Egyptians by osteometric measurements of the second cervical vertebrae [C2] with scanning electron microscopic examination of the vertebral body trabeclae

This study has been performed in order to define standards to determine the sex of the Egyptian remains. Osteometric information was obtained from dens, facets and vertebral canal of the second cervical vertebrae. Ninety-two normal second cervical vertebrae were taken from 64 male and 28 female Egyptian cadavers with their age ranged from 24 up to 68 years. Nine measurements [dens height, anterior and posterior body heights, maximum and minimum anteroposterior and transverse dens diameters, anterior facet width and height of dens] were estimated for the dens. Also, five measurements of the facets [right and left superior articular facet widths and lengths and inter-facet width] and two for the vertebral canal [antero-posterior and transverse diameters] for each second cervical vertebra were estimated and statistically analyzed. Small cubes [0.5cm3] from the body of second cervical vertebrae were cut and prepared for the examination of the vertebral trabecvilar bones by scanning electron microscope. The present study revealed significant differences between males and females as regards the osteometric measurements of the dens, facets and vertebral canal of the second cervical vertebrae. Multivariant discriminant analysis showed that a discriminant function consisting often variables could be used to identify the sex, The variables were right superior articular facet length, anterior facet width of dens, minimum transverse dens diameter, minimum antero-posterior dens diameter, dens height, anterior facet height of dens, maximum antero-posterior and transverse diameters of the vertebral canal, maximum antero-posterior dens diameter and inter-facet width. 100% of the sensitivity and specificity of the cut off point of the studied variables were observed in maximum antero-posterior diameter of the vertebral canal, right and left superior articular facet lengths, anterior facet width and height of the dens. On the other hand, the lowest percentage of sensitivity and specificity [59.4% and 57.1% respectively] of the cut off point was noticed in anterior body height. Moreover, in this study scanning electron microscope revealed gender difference in the width of the vertebral body trabeculae and in the numbers of the bone marrow spaces. So, these results can help in identification of Egyptian's sex from dens, facets and vertebral canal of the second cervical vertebrae as well as the vertebral trabeculae when no other human remains are available. Also, the present study suggests that this anthropometric database can be used in mathematical modeling of the vertebral column and identification of Egyptian's sex