Persea americana attenuates inflammatory response associated with hyperlipidemia in ovariectomized and irradiated rats by regulating MMP-3/TIMP-1 levels

Objective: To explore the effect of Persea americana supplementation on inflammation, oxidative stress, and lipid profiles in ovariectomized rats fed with a high-fat diet and exposed to radiation. Methods: The control group was sham operated, while groups 2-5 were ovariectomized and fed a high-fat diet. Groups 4 and 5 were exposed to γ-radiation (1 Gy/week for 5 weeks) after ovariectomy. Groups 3 and 5 were treated with 1 mL/250 g/day of Persea americana for one month. Serum levels of estrogen, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, cholesterol, triglycerides and lipoproteins were measured. Additionally, hepatic oxidative stress, inflammatory and fibrogenic markers were evaluated. Results: Persea americana treatment reduced the oxidative stress markers as well as the levels of triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, which in turn lowered hepatic fat accumulation. Moreover, it suppressed hepatic inflammatory mediators (interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and C-reactive protein) and downregulated pro-fibrogenic markers (transforming growth factor-β and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1). Conclusions: Persea americana provides protection against ovariectomy, and gamma radiation-mediated hepatic inflammation not only through its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, lipid-lowering effect but also by modulating the fibrogenic markers.

[Scutumplasty with glass ionomer cement [GIC] after cholesteatoma surgery]

Objectives: To evaluate the value of glassionomer cement in repair of scutum defect after cholesteatoma surgery

Patients: Prospective study was performed on consecutive patients undergoing combined approach tympanoplasty[CAT] in 34patients with attic cholesteatoma in ENT department of Assuit University Hospital,Assuit, Egypt, from October 2012, to June 2015

Results: In this study, recurrence of cholesteatoma at the last .follow-up was found in6 % and no retraction pocket was seen. Permanent epithelialization of the bone replacement material was achieved in 30 cases[88.2 %]

Conclusion: The GIC aided scutumplasty is simple, safe and effective way of reconstruction of the attic wall in terms of cholesteatoma recurrence and further hearing restoration

Surgical outcome of canal wall up procedures with reconstruction versus without reconstruction

To compare the surgical outcome of canal wall up procedure with reconstruction versus without reconstruction, considering recidivism, otorrhea and hearing level. Fifty two patients with middle ear cholesteatoma were involved in this study. 26 patients were submitted to canal wall up with reconstruction and 26 patients, to canal wail up without reconstruction. cholesteatoma was attic in 32.7%, atticoantral in 36.5% and extensive in 30.8%. cholesteatoma residual or recurrence was found in 10 patients [19.2%] during the three years period of follow up. seven out of them were children, [2 in attic region with reconstruction, 2 in atticoantral with reconstruction and 3 in atticoantral without reconstruction, one in extensive with reconstruction and 3 in extensive without reconstruction. Otorrhea in attic was 45.5% in canal wall up with recons/ruction and 50% after without reconstruction, in atticoantral was 50% and 54.4% in canal wall up with and without reconstruction respectively and in extensive cholesteatoma was 42.9% after canal up with reconstruction and 44.4% after without reconstruction. There was statistically significant hearing improvement [8. 91dB] after canal wall up with reconstruction in attic cholesteatoma while decreased by [2dB.] after canal up without reconstruction, in atticoantral and extensive cholesteatoma the hearing gain was insignificant. surgery should be planned according to the site, size of cholesteatoma and age of the patient. One stage tympanoplasty is not recommended for childhood or for extensive adult cholesteatoma but only for attic cholesteatoma in adult

Molecular and serological studies on a plant virus affecting strawberry

Viruses form a major threat to the strawberry industry in Egypt causing severe economic losses. Rapid and simple methods for the detection of the major strawberry viruses are absent due to the lack of sensitive diagnostic tools. Plants showing virus-like symptoms [VLS] were collected from the field and subjected to indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [I-ELISA] tests using the polypeptide CP3 antiserum specific for whitefly transmitting geminivirus [WTG] in addition to Tomato yellow leaf curl geminivirus [TYLCV] polyclonal antiserum. In addition, plants were subjected to PCR as a molecular diagnosis test for further confirmation. Experiments proved that the virus could be transmitted mechanically, by viruliferous whiteflies and by grafting. Inoculated strawberry plants with viruliferous whiteflies showed curling and upward cup shape of the leaves. Primers specific for whitefly transmitted geminivirus were used in PCR diagnosis of the inoculated plants. Based on the positive molecular and serological diagnosis results, we concluded that the virus belongs to WTGs. PCR was also carried out for the inoculated plants using primers specific for TYLCV, however negative amplification was obtained indicating that the virus under this study is not a TYLCV. Electron microscopy of purified virus preparation showed the presence of geminate virus particles about 18x20 nm. Antiserum was raised against the purified virus and used for indirect-ELISA to measure the antigenicity of the raised antibodies. Western blot analysis was also used for confirmation of the specificity of the raised antiserum. The isolated virus was given the name strawberry leaf curl geminivirus [StLCV] and it represents the first record of WTG that infect strawberry plants in Egypt

Differential display analysis of mRNAs in chronic myelogenous leukaemia

Analysis of expressed mRNAs with differential display-polymerase chain reaction [DD-PCR] is a powerful tool for the characterization of genes involved in malignant pathways and might identify markers for different phases of chronic myelogenous leukaemia [CML]. We examined the presence of BCR-ABL transcripts in 25 CML patients in either the chronic phase or blast crisis. We then analysed the expression of leukocytic RNA transcripts in CML phases. DD-PCR technique was used to examine CML cases with BCR-ABL in comparison with CML cases lacking detectable BCR-ABL transcripts. Our results support the use of differential display not only for characterization of the CML differentially expressed genes but also to locate patterns that can be implemented as valuable fingerprints for each phase of CML

Eosinophil cationic protein as a serological marker of disease activity in childhood bronchial asthma

To study the value of eosinophil cationic protein [ECP] as a serological marker of disease activity in childhood bronchial asthma, ECP levels were measured in 20 healthy control children and 25 asthmatic children, during and 2 weeks after acute exacerbation. The mean serum ECP level of all asthmatic patients, during and after exacerbation, was significantly higher than the control group and was significantly higher during attacks than 2 weeks after their termination. ECP levels were highest in severe attacks, but did not differ between mild and moderate attacks. ECP levels in asthmatic patients 2 weeks after mild and moderate attacks were comparable to normal; after severe attacks levels remained higher than normal. Measurement of serum ECP will be helpful in determining asthma activity and deciding the use of anti-asthma drugs

Management of differentiated adenocarcinoma of thyroid: a ten years experience and a suggested protocol

Through a retrospective study of 320 cases of differentiated adenocarcinoma of thyroid presented to us or referred to Kasr El-Eini Center of Radiation Oncology and Nuclear Medicine [NEMROCK] treated initially surgically followed by other modalities of treatment varying between 131I, external irradiation and/or variable dose of thyroxine, a trial was made to divide such patients into a high risk and another low risk groups. Various treatment modalities were given according to certain parameters. A trial was made to provide a score system for the risk factors of cases of differentiated adenocarcinoma of thyroid to be able to start a prospective study through the suggested protocol of management. The main risk factors were, the age of the patient, the degree of differentiation, whether purely papillary, mixed or purely follicular, the size of the primary lesion and the sex of the patient. Near total thyroidectomy was done for about half of the patients. In the remaining half, lobectomy, hemithyroidectomy or subtotal thyroidectomy was performed. External irradiation was used in less than one fourth of the cases. Post operative variable dose of 131I was given in most of the cases, but our tendency is towards more limited use in the low risk group. In the low risk group we felt that ipsilateral near total lobectomy and contralateral subtotal lobectomy with a very selective neck dissection in presence of palpable nodal disease should be more than enough as a surgical treatment. Total thyroidectomy could carry the hazards of hypoparathyroidism and recurrent laryngeal nerve injury without due benefits in the so-called low risk group of patients. Total or near total thyroidectomy with selective neck dissection could be advocated in the high risk group. Radio-iodine therapy was found to be a safe and effective modality of treatment specially in adults and elderly patients

challenge of recurrent basal cell carcinoma

Recurrent basal Cell Carcinoma "B.C.C." is a much more difficult problem to diagnosis and to treat compared to primary B.C.C. In this work 35 cases of recurrent B.C.C. were studied to conclude the real reasons of recurrence to prevent and to establish an accurate way to follow up and to predict recurrences. A trial was made to choose the best way of ablative and reconstructive steps of treatment. Recurrence rate after treating recurrent B.C.C. in such series was 20% which is near the experience of other authors. This is much higher than the expected recurrences after treating primary B.C.C. Surgery was adopted in 27 cases and radiotherapy in 8 cases. the disease free survival rate at a mean period of 3 years as 81% and 75% for the groups treated by surgery and radiotherapy respectively. The highest rate of a second recurrences was observed in their morphed like lesions [four out of six cases] and lesions around fusion lines [five out of six].Post radiation recurrences were more difficult to predict and to treat; nevertheless the final disease free survival for such group was almost equal to the post surgery recurrences

Risk factors determining the outcome of injection sclerotherapy

A total of 100 patients with bleeding oesophageal varices were treated with injection sclertotherapy. The success rate in the initial control of bleeding, the complications of sclerotherapy and the risk affecting the prognosis of the patients as regards the recurrence of bleeding succeeded in 90% of the cases. The chance of success is less in patients with bad liver function, those with previous attacks of bleeding and the patient with grades III and IV oesophageal varices. Thirteen patients died in hospital in the first postsclerotherapy week. Of the deaths were due to failure of initial control of bleeding. Considering the complications of sclerotherapy apart from deaths due to bleeding from postsclertherapy ulcerations all the other complications were not fatal and included mild pyrexia, chest pain, dysphagia and postobliteration gastric varices. Patients with bad liver function, shrunken liver and previous attacks of bleeding had a higher risk of rebreeding. Patients with bad liver function, previous attacks of bleeding and high grade oesophageal varices also had a higher death rate. It was noticed that most of the deaths in the first 3 months after injection sclerotherapy were due to recurrence of bleeding andthis is the period when the varices are still large and need further injection for obliteration. So we recommend the use of strict carful injection for patients who are at a high risk of rebreeding together with correction of any haemostatic defects and amelioration of ascites if present. Continuation of injection sclerotherpy till complete obliteration of the varices is a must in all cases particularly the high risk group