Clinical characteristics, functional outcome and socioeconomic impact of ischemic stroke among young Egyptian adults.

BACKGROUND: Stroke in young patients results in disproportionately high societal cost given the productive life-years lost. Little is known about stroke in young Egyptian patients. We aimed to analyze clinicodemographic characteristics, functional outcome and socioeconomic impact of ischemic stroke among young Egyptian adults. METHODS: Prospective, observational cohort study of consecutively recruited patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS), 18- 50 years, between September 2022-Septemeber 2023 at a tertiary stroke center in the south of Egypt. We recorded baseline demographic and cardiovascular risk factors, stroke severity, stroke subtype according to the TOAST classification, intravenous thrombolysis, employment and ambulation status pre and post stroke, post stroke complications and 90-day functional outcome measured by the modified Rankin Scale (mRS). RESULTS: Our cohort comprised 210 patients, 38.0 (±7.8) years; 89 (42%) females. Mean NIHSS score was 11.2(±4.8); in-hospital case fatality was 9% (19 patients). Dyslipidemia (n=105, 50%), smoking (n=105, 50%), and hypertension (n=67, 32%) were the most prevalent cardiovascular risk factors. At 90 days 58 (29%) patients had a 90-mRS 0-1 and 53 (26%) met criteria for depression diagnosis. Sixty-nine of the 116 employed individuals (59%) remained out of work after 90 days of stroke, 61 of whom were single earners in their household. . 36/60 (60%) thrombolysis-eligible patients received it; an additional 98 otherwise thrombolysis-eligible patients presented >4.5 hours from symptom onset. Patients receiving IV thrombolysis were significantly more likely to have resumed full time work at 90 days (32% vs 11%, p=0.006) but with no significant difference in 90-day mRS. CONCLUSIONS: Young adult AIS patients in Egypt experience high rates of post-stroke depression and face challenges in their ability to work and provide for their families. Since most patients have treatable cardiovascular risk factors and only about two-thirds of eligible patients receive thrombolysis, reinforcing primary prevention, education about early stroke signs and benefits of acute can improve outcomes and have significant potential societal benefit.

Satisfaction and Quality of Life in Patients Who Underwent Post Massive Weight Loss Body Contouring Procedures: A Tertiary Center Experience in Bahrain.

Background: Incidence of body contouring surgeries (BCS) rose significantly to overcome problems resulted from post-Bariatric Surgery (BS). We aimed to evaluate satisfaction level and quality of life (QOL) in patients' post-BCS. Methods: In this retrospective prospective study, patients who underwent BCS in Plastic Surgery Department, Salmaniya Medical Complex, Bahrain, in 2017-2018, were enrolled. Demographic and anthropometric data were collected. BS-group's QOL and satisfaction level were assessed using a questionnaire. Results: Of 929 plastic surgery admissions, 316 (34%) were for BCS (249 patients). Fifty-eight (28%) patients underwent 82 BS were recruited, mostly females (n=42, 72.4%). The mean age was 37.4±9.6 years. Excess abdominal skin was the most area of concern (n=50, 86.2%). Median pre-BCS body mass index was 26.9 (interquartile range: 25.6-29.8) kg/m2. Most patients were overweight (n=26, 44.8%). Abdominoplasty was the commonest BCS (n=172, 50.6%). This was also the case in 82 BCS in post-BS group (n=38, 46.3%). In post-BS group, post-operative complications were noted in 25/82 (30.5%) patients with wound problems being the most frequent (n=14, 17.1%). Most patients rated their experience as better in all questionnaire domains and most (n=45, 54.9%) rated their satisfaction level as excellent. Older age gave better overall satisfaction (P<0.001) while employed patients had better overall QOL (P=0.012) and self-confidence (P=0.048). Females had better satisfaction with body appearance (P<0.001) while those underwent abdominoplasty or breast surgeries had lower physical activity (P=0.042). Conclusion: This study showed improvement in patient's QOL post-BCS with excellent overall satisfaction, findings that could be affected by age, sex, and occupation.

Late onset neonatal sepsis: Can plasma gelsolin be a promising diagnostic marker?

Plasma gelsolin (pGSN) correlates with clinical improvement in septic patients. We aimed to investigate pGSN levels as a diagnostic and prognostic marker of neonatal late-onset-sepsis (LOS). A case-control study was done on 184 neonates (92 with LOS and 92 controls). All participants were subjected to detailed history taking, full clinical evaluation, sepsis workup, and pGSN enzyme-linked immunosorbent-assay measurement. We detected significantly lower pGSN level among cases compared to controls (90.63 ±â€…20.64 vs 451.83 ±â€…209.59). It was significantly related to the severity of sepsis and mortality, with significantly lower values among cases with septic shock and multiorgan failure and non-survivors. Follow-up pGSN significantly increased after sepsis improvement in survivors compared to admission values. pGSN might be a reliable diagnostic and prognostic marker for LOS.

Association of ACE1 I/D polymorphism and susceptibility to COVID-19 in Egyptian children and adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Given the sparse data on the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and its biological effector molecules ACE1 and ACE2 in pediatric COVID-19 cases, we investigated whether the ACE1 insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism could be a genetic marker for susceptibility to COVID-19 in Egyptian children and adolescents. METHODS: This was a case-control study included four hundred sixty patients diagnosed with COVID-19, and 460 well-matched healthy control children and adolescents. The I/D polymorphism (rs1799752) in the ACE1 gene was genotyped by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), meanwhile the ACE serum concentrations were assessed by ELISA. RESULTS: The ACE1 D/D genotype and Deletion allele were significantly more represented in patients with COVID-19 compared to the control group (55% vs. 28%; OR = 2.4; [95% CI: 1.46-3.95]; for the DD genotype; P = 0.002) and (68% vs. 52.5%; OR: 1.93; [95% CI: 1.49-2.5] for the D allele; P = 0.032). The presence of ACE1 D/D genotype was an independent risk factor for severe COVID-19 among studied patients (adjusted OR: 2.6; [95% CI: 1.6-9.7]; P < 0.001. CONCLUSIONS: The ACE1 insertion/deletion polymorphism may confer susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection in Egyptian children and adolescents. IMPACT: Recent studies suggested a crucial role of renin-angiotensin system and its biological effector molecules ACE1 and ACE2 in the pathogenesis and progression of COVID-19. To our knowledge, ours is the first study to investigate the association of ACE1 I/D polymorphism and susceptibility to COVID-19 in Caucasian children and adolescents. The presence of the ACE1 D/D genotype or ACE1 Deletion allele may confer susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection and being associated with higher ACE serum levels; may constitute independent risk factors for severe COVID-19. The ACE1 I/D genotyping help design further clinical trials reconsidering RAS-pathway antagonists to achieve more efficient targeted therapies.

Evaluation of bipolar Transurethral Enucleation and Resection of the Prostate in terms of efficiency and patient satisfaction compared to retropubic open prostatectomy in prostates larger than 80 cc. A prospective randomized study.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the outcomes of bipolar Transurethral Enucleation Resection of the Prostate (TUERP) and simple retropubic prostatectomy in patients with prostate volumes larger than 80 cc. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective randomized study included all patients amenable to surgeries for benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) with prostate size over 80 cc at a tertiary care hospital between January 2020 to February 2022. Bipolar TUERP and Retropubic open prostatectomy techniques were compared regarding patients' demographics, intraoperative parameters, outcomes, and peri-operative complications. RESULTS: Ninety patients were included in our study and randomly assigned to bipolar TUERP (Group 1 = 45 patients) and retropubic open prostatectomy (Group 2 = 45 patients). The TUERP group demonstrated significantly lower operative time (77 ± 11 minutes vs. 99 ± 14 minutes, p < 0.001), hemoglobin drop (median = 1.1 vs. 2.5, p < 0.001), and resected tissue weight (71 ± 6.6 cc vs. 84.5 ± 10.6 cc, p < 0.001). Postoperatively, the TUERP group demonstrated significantly lower catheter time (median = 2 vs. 7 days, p < 0.001) and less hospital stay. IPSS, Qmax, and patient satisfaction were better in the TUERP group within six months of surgery. We reported 90-day complications after TUERP in 13.3% of patients compared to 17.8% after retropubic prostatectomy, with a statistically insignificant difference. Urethral stricture predominated after TUERP, while blood transfusion dominated in retropubic prostatectomy. CONCLUSIONS: The present study found that TUERP had equivalent efficacy and safety to open retropubic prostatectomy for patients with BPH and prostate volumes > 80 ml.

Comparative study on free vibration analysis of rotating bi-directional functionally graded beams using multiple beam theories with uncertainty considerations.

The present study investigates the free vibration behavior of rotating beams made of functionally graded materials (FGMs) with a tapered geometry. The material properties of the beams are characterized by an exponential distribution model. The stiffness and mass matrices of the beams are derived using the principle of virtual energy. These matrices are then evaluated using three different beam theories: Bernoulli-Euler (BE) or Classical Beam Theory (CBT), Timoshenko (T) or First-order Shear Deformation Theory (FSDT), and Reddy (R) or Third-order Shear Deformation Theory (TSDT). Additionally, the study incorporates uncertainties in the model parameters, including rotational velocity, beam material properties, and material distribution. The mean-centered second-order perturbation method is employed to account for the randomness of these properties. To ensure the robustness and accuracy of the probabilistic framework, numerical examples are presented, and the results are compared with those obtained through the Monte Carlo simulation technique. The investigation explores the impact of critical parameters, including material distribution, taper ratios, aspect ratio, hub radius, and rotational speed, on the natural frequencies of the beams is explored within the scope of this investigation. The outcomes are compared not only with previously published research findings but also with the results of 3-Dimensional Finite Element (3D-FE) simulations conducted using ANSYS to validate the model's effectiveness. The comparisons demonstrate a strong agreement across all evaluations. Specifically, it is observed that for thick beams, the results obtained from FSDT and TSDT exhibit a greater agreement with the 3D-FE simulations compared to CBT. It is shown that the coefficient of variation (C.O.V.) of first mode eigenvalue of TSDT, FSDT and CBT are approximately identical for random rotational velocity and discernible deviations are noted in CBT compared to FSDT and TSDT in the case of random material properties. The findings suggest that TSDT outperforms FSDT by eliminating the need for a shear correction coefficient, thereby establishing its superiority in accurately predicting the natural frequencies of rotating, tapered beams composed of FGMs.

Early electrophysiological study variants and their relationship with clinical presentation and outcomes of patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome.

This study compared the clinical outcomes of the two main neurophysiological types of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS). Sixty-two GBS patients were examined clinically at onset using Medical Research Council (MRC), Hughes disability scales (HDS), and nerve conduction studies were evaluated in four limbs. The Modified Erasmus GBS outcome score (MEGOS) was assessed 2 weeks after onset. Outcomes were measured after 3 months using MRC and HDS scores. According to electrophysiological data two main groups identified acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP = 31 cases) or acute axonal GBS including inexcitable forms (26 cases). The number of days between onset of weakness and admission was significantly shorter, and gastrointestinal symptoms were significantly higher among the axonal type than AIDP. MRC sum scores at onset and at nadir were significantly worse in the axonal type than in AIDP. Neck muscle weakness, impaired cough reflex, the need for mechanical ventilation, hypoalbuminemia, and hypernatremia were more common in the axonal type. At outcome, 74% of the AIDP were healthy/minor symptoms versus 38.46% of the axonal type. There was a high prevalence of the axonal variant (41.9%) compared with European and North American populations. The axonal type had a significantly worse outcome than AIDP type.

Comparative study between patient specific titanium plates versus conventional miniplates for treatment of mandibular fractures: Randomized clinical trial.

The aim of the study was to evaluate and assess the clinical stability and efficacy of three-dimensional patient-specific computer-guided titanium plates versus conventional mini plates when used for the treatment of mandibular fractures. Patients with isolated mandibular body fractures were assigned randomly into two equal groups. Group I was treated with patient-specific 3D titanium plates and Group II was treated with conventional mini plates. Outcome measurements included patient satisfaction, pain, occlusion, occlusal bite force and fracture gap distance. All parameters were evaluated at one-week and three-month intervals. The operating time was measured during the surgery. A total of 20 patients were included in the study. Group I (n=10) showed higher values of patient satisfaction and lower pain values than Group II (n=10) at both follow-up intervals. The degree of occlusal derangement showed no statistically significant difference between both groups at one week postoperatively, while both groups showed normal occlusion after 3 months. Occlusal bite forces in Group I were significantly higher than Group II at both follow up intervals. The fracture gap distance was statistically insignificant between both groups at both follow up intervals. The operating time was significantly lower for Group I. Within the limitations of the study, it seems that in the treatment of mandibular body fractures patient-specific plates are preferred over conventional mini plates as they provide more stability, higher biting forces and shorter operating time with highly acceptable outcomes and promising results.

Vitamin D deficiency and vitamin D receptor FokI polymorphism as risk factors for COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Given the sparse data on vitamin D status in pediatric COVID-19, we investigated whether vitamin D deficiency could be a risk factor for susceptibility to COVID-19 in Egyptian children and adolescents. We also investigated whether vitamin D receptor (VDR) FokI polymorphism could be a genetic marker for COVID-19 susceptibility. METHODS: One hundred and eighty patients diagnosed to have COVID-19 and 200 matched control children and adolescents were recruited. Patients were laboratory confirmed as SARS-CoV-2 positive by real-time RT-PCR. All participants were genotyped for VDR Fok1 polymorphism by RT-PCR. Vitamin D status was defined as sufficient for serum 25(OH) D at least 30 ng/mL, insufficient at 21-29 ng/mL, deficient at <20 ng/mL. RESULTS: Ninety-four patients (52%) had low vitamin D levels with 74 (41%) being deficient and 20 (11%) had vitamin D insufficiency. Vitamin D deficiency was associated with 2.6-fold increased risk for COVID-19 (OR = 2.6; [95% CI 1.96-4.9]; P = 0.002. The FokI FF genotype was significantly more represented in patients compared to control group (OR = 4.05; [95% CI: 1.95-8.55]; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin D deficiency and VDR Fok I polymorphism may constitute independent risk factors for susceptibility to COVID-19 in Egyptian children and adolescents. IMPACT: Vitamin D deficiency could be a modifiable risk factor for COVID-19 in children and adolescents because of its immune-modulatory action. To our knowledge, ours is the first such study to investigate the VDR Fok I polymorphism in Caucasian children and adolescents with COVID-19. Vitamin D deficiency and the VDR Fok I polymorphism may constitute independent risk factors for susceptibility to COVID-19 in Egyptian children and adolescents. Clinical trials should be urgently conducted to test for causality and to evaluate the efficacy of vitamin D supplementation for prophylaxis and treatment of COVID-19 taking into account the VDR polymorphisms.

Long-term outcomes of plasma exchange versus intravenous immunoglobulin for the treatment of Guillain-Barré Syndrome: A double-blind, randomized clinical trial.

Background: Most previous studies comparing the effectiveness of Plasma Exchange (PE) or intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in treating Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) have focused on the short-term outcome at around 1 month. Objective: To compare the long-term efficacy of PE and IVIG at one year in adult patients with GBS. Methods: Eighty-one adult patients with acute GBS were randomized into two groups with a ratio of 2 : 1: PE (N = 54) and IVIG (N = 27). Patients were assessed with the Medical Research Council sum score (MRC sum score), GBS Disability Scale (GDS), and Functional assessment of acute inflammatory neuropathy (FAAIN) at baseline, ten days, one month, three months, and one year. Neurophysiological examinations were performed at baseline and three months following treatment. Results: There were no significant differences between groups in demographic, clinical, and laboratory data. Both treatments produced a significant improvement in all clinical rating scales in both groups that continued up to one year. There were significant differences in the time course of recovery in the MRC and FAAIN scales, with significantly more improvement in the IVIG group at 1 and 3 months, although there was no significant difference in outcome at one year. However the effect size showed measurable differences between the PE and IVIG groups across the different measures at one-year. Electrophysiological studies showed equal improvement in most measures in both groups at three months, with a slightly greater effect in the IVIG group. Conclusion: long term outcomes of IVIG and PE were equivalent. However the effect size showed measurable differences between the PE and IVIG groups across the different measures at one-year follow-up that indicate the superiorty of IVIG. There was also a tendency for improvement to be slightly faster in the IVIG group.

Deep Neural Network-Based Novel Mathematical Model for 3D Brain Tumor Segmentation.

The use of multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to autonomously segment brain tumors and subregions is critical for accurate and consistent tumor measurement, which can help with detection, care planning, and evaluation. This research is a contribution to the neuroscience research. In the present work, we provide a completely automated brain tumor segmentation method based on a mathematical model and deep neural networks (DNNs). Each slice of the 3D picture is enhanced by the suggested mathematical model, which is then sent through the 3D attention U-Net to provide a tumor segmented output. The study includes a detailed mathematical model for tumor pixel enhancement as well as a 3D attention U-Net to appropriately separate the pixels. On the BraTS 2019 dataset, the suggested system is tested and verified. This proposed work will definitely help for the treatment of the brain tumor patient. The pixel level accuracy for tumor pixel segmentation is 98.90%. The suggested system architecture's outcomes are compared to those of current system designs. This study also examines the suggested system architecture's time complexity on various processing units with neuroscience approach.

Contribution of interleukin 27 serum level to pathogenesis and prognosis in children with immune thrombocytopenia.

ABSTRACT: Concepts surrounding the mechanisms of thrombocytopenia in ITP have shifted from the traditional view of autoantibody mediated platelet destruction to more complex mechanisms in which impaired platelet production, T-cell-mediated effects, and disturbed cytokine profiles play a role. Interleukin 27 (IL-27) plays pleiotropic roles in immunomodulation and autoimmune diseases.We aimed to determine the level of IL-27 in patients with ITP and its relationship to patient and disease characteristics as well as disease chronicity and response to treatment.Sixty childrens with primary immune thrombocytopenia were consequetively enrolled in this study as well as 20 age and sex matched healthy controls.ITP patients had significantly higher levels of IL-27 than controls (770.6 and 373.8 pg/ml, respectively). Patients with acute ITP had the highest levels of IL-27 among patient groups, while patients in remission had the lowest IL-27 levels (860.1and 622.9 pg/ml, respectively). Patients who received IVIG and combined steroids plus IVIG had significantly higher IL-27 levels than others. Patients who received Eltrombopag had significantly lower IL-27 levels than others.IL-27 seems to play a role in pathogenesis of childhood ITP. IL-27 can be used as a predictor for disease occurrence as well as responsiveness to treatment.

Characteristics of Patients Admitted to the Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit: A Tertiary Center Experience in Bahrain.

BACKGROUND: Plastic surgery is the most diverse specialty. It deals with a wide spectrum of abnormalities in different genders, age groups and body parts. Data on clinical characteristics of patients admitted in the burn and plastic surgery unit have been reported from our center last in 1993. METHODS: This retrospective cross-sectional study conducted during 1-year from 2017 to 2018 in the burn and plastic surgery unit, Salmaniya Medical Complex, Bahrain. Seven hundred seventy-four patients (929 admissions) were enrolled. Indications of admissions, demographic data including gender, nationality and age were gathered. Different types of burns were categorized. RESULTS: Out of 16,492 surgical admissions, 929 (5.6%) admissions were for burn and plastic surgery. Nine hundred-twelve (98.2%) admissions for 766 patients were included. Burn injuries were the main indication with a total of 345 (37.8%) admissions for 337 (44%) patients. Three hundred eighty-eight (50.7%) patients were males. Five hundred fifty-eight (72.8%) patients were nationals. Most were in the age group of 30-39 years old (24.9%). On comparison, burn injuries were more in males (n=241, 71.5%), nationals (n=175, 51.9%), younger in age (mean age, 23.8±19.6 years) and in pediatric age group (n=122, 36.2%) specifically, (All P<0.0001). Scalded burn was the commonest type (n=184/317, 58%). CONCLUSION: Burn and plastic surgery is a significant part of surgical admissions. Burn injuries were the most frequent reason of admissions. Patients with burn injuries were mainly males, nationals and children. Scalded burn was the most frequent type in our center.

Uterine cavity evaluation after uterine preservation surgeries for morbidly adherent placenta.

Introduction: The morbidly adherent placenta (MAP) is usually associated with maternal morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study was to evaluate the uterine cavity after uterine preservation surgeries for MAP. Material and methods: The study group comprised women ≥ 28 weeks pregnant with confirmed MAP, with a desire for future fertility, and who agreed to uterine preservation surgery for MAP. The uterine preservation surgeries done for MAP include the following: uterine artery ligation, placental-myometrial en bloc excision, and/or internal iliac artery (IIA) ligation. Participants managed by uterine preservation surgeries for MAP were evaluated 3-6 months after the surgeries using office hysteroscopies to evaluate the uterine cavity after uterine preservation surgeries (primary outcome). The secondary outcome measures the pregnancy outcome after uterine preservation surgery. Results: The hysteroscopic examination of the uterine cavity after uterine preservation surgery for MAP showed normal uterine cavity in 36 participants (90%), while it showed abnormal uterine cavity in 4 participants (10%). The abnormal hysteroscopic findings were a single abnormal hysteroscopic finding (endometrial polyp) in 2 participants (5%) and 2 abnormal hysteroscopic findings (incompletely healed scar with unilateral tubal ostial occlusion) in 2 participants (5%). The incidence of pregnancy after uterine preservation surgeries for MAP was 7.5% (3/40). Conclusions: The uterine preservation surgeries for MAP in this study had no effect on menstrual pattern, uterine cavity, or future fertility. The effect of uterine preservation surgeries for MAP on menstrual pattern, uterine cavity, and future fertility should be evaluated in future larger studies.

Association of interleukin-17A gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus in Egyptian children and adolescents: a multi-centre study.

BACKGROUND: Recently, the interleukin-17A (IL-17A) gene has emerged as a potential candidate gene for autoimmune disorders, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate whether IL-17A polymorphisms at rs2275913 G/A, rs8193036 C/T and rs3748067 C/T could be susceptibility markers for juvenile-onset SLE (JSLE) and lupus nephritis (LN) in Egyptian children and adolescents. METHODS: In this multi-centre study, we genotyped 320 patients diagnosed with JSLE and 320 matched control children for three IL-17A polymorphisms at rs2275913 G/A, rs8193036 C/T and rs3748067 C/T using TaqMan probe-based real-time polymerase chain reaction. Meanwhile, IL-17A serum levels were assessed using ELISA. RESULTS: The IL-17 rs2275913 A/A genotype and A allele were more represented in JSLE patients compared to the control group (21% vs. 7%, odds ratio (OR) = 3.8, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.78-5.5, p = 0.001, pBonf = 0.003 for the A/A genotype; 37% vs. 29%, OR = 1.4, 95% CI 1.11-1.8, p = 0.003, pBonf = 0.009 for the A allele. No significant difference was found for IL-17 rs8193036 and rs3748067 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genotype distribution or allele frequencies (p>0.05). Patients carrying the IL-17 rs2275913 A/A genotype and A allele were more likely to develop LN (OR = 5.64, 95% CI 2.39-13.77, pBonf = 0.001 for the A/A genotype; OR = 2.73, 95% CI 1.84-4.07, pBonf = 0.02 for the A allele). CONCLUSION: The IL-17 rs2275913 A allele and A/A genotype were associated with high IL-17 serum levels and may contribute to susceptibility to JSLE and the development of LN in Egyptian children and adolescents. However, no significant association was evident between the studied IL-17A SNPs and other clinical phenotypes, disease activity scores or laboratory profile of JSLE.

Effectiveness of a Theory-Based mHealth Intervention for High-Risk Drinking in College Students.

Background: College students are among the most vulnerable groups to problems associated with high-risk drinking consequences such as illness, injury, sexual abuse, and death. Promising mobile health (mHealth) approaches, such as smartphone (SP) apps, can be used in interventions to address or prevent excessive drinking. Method: The aim of the investigation was to examine the efficacy of a theoretically based mHealth SP app for alcohol intervention in two independent samples (N = 379): Mandated participants (Study 1) and voluntary participants (Study 2). Study 1 included a controlled trial with Mandated participants randomized into either an in-person Brief Motivational Interviewing BMI (n = 70) or BMI + SP app intervention (n = 71). Study 2 included Voluntary participants who participated in either a Control group (n = 157) or the BMI + SP app intervention (n = 81). Participants in both studies completed baseline and 6-week assessments. Results: In Study 1, peak Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of participants in the in-person BMI group had increased slightly at six weeks, while it had decreased for the app-based BMI + SP group. Study 2 participants using the BMI + SP app reported significant reductions in drinking and consequences; there were no changes in the (AO) Control group. Conclusions: The BMI + SP app was effective with both Mandated and Voluntary participants. Future testing with the BMI + SP app is needed to assess whether reach, adoptability, portability, and sustainability are greater with the mHealth smartphone app for alcohol intervention than in-person approaches.

Ficolin-1 gene (FCN1) -144 C/A polymorphism is associated with adverse outcome of severe pneumonia in the under-five Egyptian children: A multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Pneumonia is the foremost cause of child death worldwide. M-ficolin is encoded by the FCN1 gene and represents a novel link between innate and adaptive immunity. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the FCN1 -144 C/A (rs10117466) polymorphism as a potential marker for pneumonia severity and adverse outcome namely complications or mortality in the under-five Egyptian children. METHODS: This was a prospective multicenter study that included 620 children hospitalized with World Health Organization-defined severe pneumonia and 620 matched healthy control children. Polymorphism rs10117466 of the FCN1 gene promoter was analyzed by PCR-SSP, while serum M-ficolin levels were assessed by ELISA. RESULTS: The FCN1 A/A genotype and A allele at the -144 position were more frequently observed in patients compared to the control children (43.4% vs 27.6%; odds ratio [OR]: 1.62; [95% confidence interval {CI}: 1.18-2.2]; for the A/A genotype) and (60.8% vs 52.5%; OR: 1.4; [95% CI: 1.19-1.65]; for the A allele); P < .01. The FCN1 -144 A/A homozygous patients had significantly higher serum M-ficolin concentrations (mean: 1844 ± 396 ng/mL) compared with those carrying the C/C or C/A genotype (mean: 857 ± 278 and 1073 ± 323 ng/mL, respectively; P = .002). FCN1 -144 A/A genotype was an independent risk factor for adverse outcomes in children with severe pneumonia (adjusted OR = 4.85, [95% CI: 2.96-10.25]; P = .01). CONCLUSION: The FCN1 A/A genotype at the -144 position was associated with high M-ficolin serum levels and possibly contributes to enhanced inflammatory response resulting in the adverse outcome of pneumonia in the under-five Egyptian children.

Conventional intensive versus LED intensive phototherapy oxidative stress burden in neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia of haemolytic origin.

Background: Phototherapy causes oxidative stress which is of particular importance in neonates because of the increased susceptibility of neonatal red blood cell membranes to oxidative damage.Aim: To evaluate the oxidant/antioxidant status in neonates with haemolytic hyperbilirubinaemia before and after exposure to two different intensive phototherapy light sources.Patients and Methods: A randomised controlled study was undertaken in 54 full-term neonates with indirect haemolytic hyperbilirubinaemia admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit in the first week of life. They were randomly divided into two equal groups. Group 1 infants were exposed to intensive conventional phototherapy (Bilisphere 360) and Group 2 were exposed to an intensive light-emitting diode (LED) phototherapy device (Bilitron bed 3600). Total serum bilirubin (TSB), total oxidative stress (TOS), total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and the oxidative stress index (OSI) were measured before and 48 hours after initiation of phototherapy.Results: There was a significant decrease in TSB after phototherapy in both groups (p < 0.001). The TOS and OSI were significantly increased after phototherapy in both groups (p < 0.001) but more so in Group 1 with conventional phototherapy (p = 0.05 and 0.01, respectively). TAC was significantly decreased after phototherapy in both groups (p < 0.00) but more so in Group 1 (p = 0.03).There were significant increases in the incidence of dehydration, hyperthermia and skin rash in the conventional compared with the LED phototherapy group (p = 0.02, 0.01 and 0.02, respectively). However, there was a significant increase in the incidence of hypothermia in the LED compared with the conventional phototherapy group (p = 0.001).Conclusion: Both intensive conventional and LED phototherapy are equally effective in decreasing TSB, but intensive LED phototherapy is safer than intensive conventional phototherapy with regard to oxidative stress and oxidant/antioxidant imbalance.Abbreviations: DSB: direct serum bilirubin; G6PD: glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase enzyme; LED: light-emitting diode; OSI: oxidative stress index; TAC: total antioxidant capacity; TOS: total oxidative stresses; TSB: total serum bilirubin.

Comparison of biting force when using a combination of one microplate and one miniplate versus two miniplates for fixation of parasymphyseal mandibular fracture: the use of microplates for parasymphyseal mandibular fracture.

PURPOSE: This study was to assess the efficiency of using a combination of one microplate and one miniplate for management of patients with parasymphyseal mandibular fractures versus two miniplates through measurement of the biting force. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study sample consisted of sixteen patients with an isolated mandibular fracture and randomly divided into two groups; group I was managed using two miniplates, while group II was managed using a combination of one microplate at subapical region and one miniplate at the inferior border of the mandible. The biting force was measured at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months follow-up visits. A control group consisted of 40 healthy adult volunteers was selected to measure the normal biting force. RESULTS: The mean of the normal biting force of the control group was 435 N ± 219, 103.2 N ± 4.8, and 390.6 N ± 195.4 at right molar, incisor, and left molar regions respectively. There was a statistically non-significant difference regarding the bite force of both study groups, with a progressive increase through the different follow-up visits and a period of 3 months is sufficient for recovery of patients to regain their normal biting force. CONCLUSION: Consequently a combination of one microplate and one miniplate is efficient for the management of isolated parasymphyseal mandibular fracture in the same way as two miniplates.

Computer guided resection and reconstruction of intra-osseous zygomatic hemangioma: Case report and systematic review of literature.

OBJECTIVES: to systemically integrate the available data on various published treatment strategies for intraosseous hemangioma of the zygoma in an updated comprehensive systematic review, and to present a new case of treated resection and immediate reconstruction using computer guided patient specific composite graft. CASE PRESENTATION: A 29 years old female patient with intraosseos zygomatic hemangioma treated using computer guided resection and immediate reconstruction. The resection was performed using a resection template constructed based on preoperative 3D planning. The reconstruction was performed using ramus bone graft and titanium mesh. The patient was followed up for 3 years with no complications. METHODS: An electronic search was performed on 3 data bases; additional hand search of bibliographies of selected articles was performed. Eligibility criteria include human studies presenting intraosseous zygomatico-orbital hemangioma with clearly reported therapeutic strategies. RESULTS: 53 articles with 73 cases were included. The lesion was highly prevalent in females compared to males (2.28:1). Fifth decade represents the highest prevalence with mean age of 44.1 ±â€¯1.8 years. The main patient concern was swelling and facial deformity. Total tumor resection can assure no recurrence, while partial resection and curettage are associated with high recurrence rate.