Cytokine polymorphisms and genotypic susceptibility of HCV infection in ribavirin response to peg interferon

@#Immune responses are largely regulated by cytokines. Genetic polymorphisms of the regulatory coding regions are recognized to impact the expression of cytokines. The abnormal cytokine levels in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection seems to be involved in disease progression, viral survival, and therapeutic response. The current study assesses the polymorphisms associated with IL-6, IL-10, IL28B, IFN-γ, TGF-β, and TNF-α on the genotypic susceptibility to HCV infection and Ribavirin response to Peg interferon. Droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to assess the gene polymorphisms associated with IL-6 A/G (rs2069837), IL-10-1082 G/A (rs1800896)], IL28B C/T (rs12979860), IFN-γ +874 A/T (rs2430561), TGF-β 1-509 C/T (rs1800469) and TNF-α-308 G/A promoter (rs1800629) from stored samples of 200 healthy individuals and 300 HCV infected patients. There was a significant association of AG and AA genotypes of IL28B, IFN-γ, TGF-β1, and TNF-α over HCV susceptibility and treatment outcome. However, no association between IL-6 and IL-10 gene polymorphism to HCV susceptibility response to the treatment. The observations indicate IL28B CT, TGF-β1 CT, TT and TNF- AG with AA genotypes influence the cytokine expression, which is related to susceptibility and resistance to HCV infection and combined antiviral therapy.

Breastfeeding practice in Kuwait: determinants of success and reasons for failure.

To explore the possible determinants of duration of breastfeeding in Kuwait, 234 mothers completed a questionnaire concerning the feeding of their youngest infant. The questionnaire addressed the factors that contributed to their willingness to continue breastfeeding and enquired about the factors leading to their decision to end it. Only 26.5% of the mothers had continued breastfeeding for 6 months or more. Separate family housing, higher maternal age, late initiation of breastfeeding, being employed without the feasibility to breastfeed at work, breastfeeding information given after rather than before birth, and maternal and infant sickness were all significant contributors influencing early cessation. Father's support was a significant factor that encouraged the practice. In conclusion, preventive strategies are recommended for boosting breastfeeding, with special emphasis on the factors linked to early cessation, aiming at full implementation of the WHO global public health recommendations for successful breastfeeding in Kuwait.

Breastfeeding practice in Kuwait: determinants of success and reasons for failure

هدفت هذه الدراسة إلى التعرف على المحددات المحتملة لمدة الإرضاع الطبيعي من الثدي في الكويت لدى 234 من الأمهات اللاتي استكملن استبيانات حول إطعام أصغر أطفالهن سنا. وقد تناولت الاستبيانات العوامل التي تسهم في الترحيب باستمرار الرضاعة الطبيعية من الثدي، كما تضمنت تساؤلات حول العوامل التي أدت لاتخاذهن قرارا بإنهائها. واتضح للباحثين أن 26.5 % فقط من الأمهات قد واصلن الرضاعة الطبيعية من الثدي لمدة وصلت أو تجاوزت ستة أشهر، وأن العوامل التي يعتد بها إحصائيا من حيث المساهمة في التأثر على الإيقاف الباكر للرضاعة هي:السكن في مسكن منفصل عن بقية الأسرة، وارتفاع سن الأم، والبدء المتأخر بالرضاع من الثدي، وكون الأم موظفة مع عدم وجود تسهيلات للرضاعة الطبيعية من الثدي أثناء العمل، وتلقي معلومات حول الإرضاع الطبيعي من الثدي بعد الولادة وليس قبلها، ومرض الأم أو الرضيع. كما أن دعم الآباء كان عاما يعتد به في تشجيع ممارسة الرضاعة الطبيعية من الثدي. واستنتج الباحثون ضرورة التوصية باسراتيجيات وقائية لتعزيز الرضاعة الطبيعية من الثدي، مع تأكيد خاص على العوامل التي ترتبط بالإيقاف المبكر للرضاعة، تنفيذا للتوصيات التي أصدرتها منظمة الصحة العالمية في سياق الصحة العامة العالمية لإنجاح الإرضاع الطبيعي من الثدي في الكويت

ABSTRACT To explore the possible determinants of duration of breastfeeding in Kuwait, 234 mothers completeda questionnaire concerning the feeding of their youngest infant. The questionnaire addressed the factors thatcontributed to their willingness to continue breastfeeding and enquired about the factors leading to theirdecision to end it. Only 26.5% of the mothers had continued breastfeeding for 6 months or more. Separatefamily housing, higher maternal age, late initiation of breastfeeding, being employed without the feasibilityto breastfeed at work, breastfeeding information given after rather than before birth, and maternal and infantsickness were all significant contributors influencing early cessation. Father’s support was a significant factor thatencouraged the practice. In conclusion, preventive strategies are recommended for boosting breastfeeding, withspecial emphasis on the factors linked to early cessation, aiming at full implementation of the WHO global publichealth recommendations for successful breastfeeding in Kuwait.

RÉSUMÉ Afin d'étudier les déterminants possibles de la durée de l'allaitement maternel au Koweït, 234 mèresont rempli un questionnaire sur l'alimentation de leur plus jeune enfant. Le questionnaire portait sur les facteurscontribuant à leur volonté de poursuivre l'allaitement et sur les facteurs qui les ont conduit à leur décisiond'y mettre fin. Seules 26,5 % des mères ont allaité au sein pendant au moins 6 mois. Les facteurs contribuantsignificativement à un arrêt précoce de l'allaitement au sein étaient les suivants : une résidence familiale séparée,un âge maternel élevé, une initiative tardive de l'allaitement, un emploi sans possibilité d'allaiter sur le lieu detravail, une communication sur l'allaitement faite après la naissance plutôt qu'avant, et une affection chez lamère et/ou chez l'enfant. Le soutien du père était un facteur important qui favorisait la pratique de l'allaitement.En conclusion, des stratégies préventives sont recommandées afin de promouvoir l'allaitement au sein tout enprenant particulièrement en compte les facteurs liés à un arrêt précoce de l'allaitement, et de viser une mise enoeuvre intégrale des recommandations mondiales de l'OMS en santé publique pour la réussite de l'allaitementmaternel au Koweït.

Fundamentals, present and future perspectives of electrocoagulation.

Electrocoagulation is an electrochemical wastewater treatment technology that is currently experiencing both increased popularity and considerable technical improvements. There has been relatively little effort to better understand the fundamental mechanisms of the processes, particularly those that could provide design parameters to optimize the performances of this relatively simple and inexpensive technique. In a research programme to delineate the mechanisms of the fundamental processes involved in, the authors have realized that the technology has been insufficiently reviewed with emphasis on the fundamentals and their relationship to the performance of this technology. This paper presents an in-depth discussion and consideration of the factors that need to be addressed for optimum performance of this technology. Recent improvements of this technique and the theoretical model studies are also reviewed.

Treatment of orange II azo-dye by electrocoagulation (EC) technique in a continuous flow cell using sacrificial iron electrodes.

This paper describes the EC treatment of orange II dye solution in a flow cell using sodium chloride as an internal electrolyte. In this technique dye solutions were passed through a flow-through EC apparatus consisting of a flow-through cell, the electrode assembly, the feed pump and the DC power supply unit. The cell contained five parallel iron electrodes, which form four parallel cells. Experiments were run at 25 degrees C under various electrolyte concentrations, dye concentrations, current density, flow rate of the solution, and pH at dc current range of 2-5A. Various number of recycles of the treated dye solution were also performed at the same dc current range. Optimum conditions to get high removal efficiency were experimentally determined. It was found that 98.5% of the dye was removed from the solution under the optimum conditions. The residue from a blank run (pH = 7.3) and a dye added run (pH = 8.5) were collected by vacuum filtration and analyzed by XRD after drying in a vacuum desiccator. The XRD data indicated the presence of mainly maghemite (gamma-Fe2O3) and magnetite (Fe3O4) in the residue. However, there is not much difference between the X-ray diffractograms of the blank sample and the dye-containing residue to warrant any conclusions therefrom with regard to the interactions between the oxides and the dye molecules.

An X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic (FT-IR) investigation of the long-term effect on the solidification/stabilization (S/S) of arsenic(V) in Portland cement type-V.

The long-term effects on solidification/stabilization (S/S) of As5+-bearing oxyanions (AsO4(3)-) in Portland cement type-V (OPC) have been investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic (FT-IR) techniques. The results of this study confirm our previous results that the early hydration of cement is inhibited by the presence of AsO4(3)-, and that the inhibition is mainly caused by the formation of highly insoluble Ca3(AsO4)2 on the surface of hydrating cement particles. Arsenate analog of ettringite [Ca6(Al2O6)(SO4)3 x 32H2O] was identified in the early stages of hydration of pure Portland cement and As(V)-treated Portland cement [OPC-As(V)], but not in 10-year-old similar samples. The XRD and FT-IR results indicated interactions of oxyanions and cement particles to produce minor quantities of As5+-bearing compounds in fresh as well as in 10-year-old samples. New As5+-bearing phases, NaCaAsO4 x 7.5H2O and Ca5(AsO4)3OH were identified in the 10-year-old OPC-As(V) samples by XRD analyses. Based on these results it is concluded that Portland cement may be considered as a potential matrix to immobilize As5+-bearing wastes.