Evaluation of soft tissue profile changes following autogenous fat or onlay PEEK augmentation versus sliding genioplasty for correction of deficient chin: Randomized controlled clinical trial.

AIM: The study was conducted to evaluate soft tissue profile changes using autogenous fat augmentation or onlay PEEK versus sliding genioplasty for correction of deficient chin in patients with retruded chin. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty-three patients with deficient chins were included in the study. The patients were distributed into 3 groups: the fat augmentation group as intervention I, the PEEK augmentation group as intervention II, and the osseous genioplasty group as control group. Preoperative and postoperative CBCT were performed for all patients. With the aid of MIMICS,3-MATIC, and PROPLAN software, diagnosis, virtual planning, and evaluation were performed. The Face-Q questionnaire was used to assess patient satisfaction. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference regarding soft tissue relapse in the fat group after 6 months when compared to the control group (mean difference= 0.770), while there was no statistically significant difference regarding soft tissue relapse between PEEK and control group (mean difference= -0.060). Intragroup comparison has shown no statistically significant difference regarding soft tissue relapse within all groups between follow-up periods (P = 0.1389 for the fat group, P = 0.8739 for the peek group, and P = 0.8410 for the control group). All patients showed a statistically significant increase in scores of satisfaction with the chin between follow-up periods (P = 0.0165, P = 0.0150, and P = 0.0293) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Fat augmentation can be a good intervention choice in mild-moderate deficient cases. PEEK PSI has a stable surgical outcome.

Emergence of microbial infections in some hospitals of Cairo, Egypt: studying their corresponding antimicrobial resistance profiles.

BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial resistance is one of the ten major public health threats facing humanity, especially in developing countries. Identification of the pathogens responsible for different microbial infections and antimicrobial resistance patterns are important to help clinicians to choose the correct empirical drugs and provide optimal patient care. METHODS: During the period from November 2020 to January 2021, one hundred microbial isolates were collected randomly from different specimens from some hospitals in Cairo, Egypt. Sputum and chest specimens were from COVID-19 patients. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed according to CLSI guidelines. RESULTS: Most microbial infections were more common in males and in elderly people over 45 years of age. They were caused by Gram-negative, Gram-positive bacteria, and yeast isolates that represented 69%, 15%, and 16%, respectively. Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (35%) were the most prevalent microbial isolates and showed high resistance rates towards penicillin, ampicillin, and cefixime, followed by Klebsiella spp. (13%) and Candida spp. (16%). Of all microbial isolates, Acinetobacter spp., Serratia spp., Hafnia alvei, and Klebsiella ozaenae were extremely multidrug-resistant (MDR) and have resisted all antibiotic classes used, except for glycylcycline, in varying degrees. Acinetobacter spp., Serratia spp., and Candida spp. were secondary microbial infections in COVID-19 patients, while H. alvei was a bloodstream infection isolate and K. ozaenae was recorded in most infections. Moreover, about half of Staphylococcus aureus strains were MRSA isolates and reported low rates of resistance to glycylcycline and linezolid. In comparison, Candida spp. showed high resistance rates between 77 and 100% to azole drugs and terbinafine, while no resistance rate towards nystatin was reported. Indeed, glycylcycline, linezolid, and nystatin were considered the drugs of choice for the treatment of MDR infections. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in some Egyptian hospitals was high among Gram-negative, Gram-positive bacteria, and candida spp. The high resistance pattern -especially in secondary microbial infections in COVID-19 patients- to most antibiotics used is a matter of great concern, portends an inevitable catastrophe, and requires continuous monitoring to avoid the evolution of new generations.

A 6-month longitudinal study on worsening of Parkinson's disease during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Further studies are required to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Parkinson's disease (PD) progression. This study investigated the motor and non-motor progression of people with PD (PWP) at 6 months during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with that during the pre-pandemic period. Patients were recruited from Ain Shams University Hospitals, Cairo, in the period between April 2019 and December 2020. Fifty patients were included, of whom 17 and 33 patients were followed for 6 months before and during the pandemic, respectively. All patients were assessed at baseline and at 6 months using the MDS-UPDRS, Schwab and England scale (S&E), Hoehn and Yahr scale (H&Y), Berg Balance Scale, Timed Up and Go test (TUG), International Physical Activity Questionnaire, New Freezing of Gait Questionnaire, Non-Motor Symptoms Scale, and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Both groups were matched in age, gender, and disease characteristics. Patients followed during the pandemic showed more significant worsening of the total, part I and motor part of MDS-UPDRS, and balance scores (p < 0.001) than those followed during the pre-COVID-19 period. Gait (TUG), balance, and physical activity worsening were significantly correlated with baseline BDI, gait and balance scores, total and part I MDS-UPDRS scores, H&Y, and S&E OFF scores. Gait deterioration (TUG) was correlated with baseline physical activity (r = -0.510, p = 0.002). PWP showed worsening of motor and non-motor symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic at the 6-month follow-up. Worsening of gait, balance, and physical activity was correlated with baseline motor and physical activity OFF scores.

Suppression of Pepper Root Rot and Wilt Diseases Caused by Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium oxysporum.

Pepper is vulnerable to soil-borne fungal pathogens such as Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium oxysporum. The potential of beneficial rhizosphere microorganisms to control R. solani and F. oxysporum f.sp. capsici was evaluated in pepper plants. Paenibacillus polymyxa and Trichoderma longibrachiatum were isolated from rhizospheric soil samples of healthy pepper plants. In vitro, both isolates caused clear reductions in the radial growth of root rot and wilt pathogens. Scanning electron microscopy displayed lysis and abnormal shape of the pathogens in dual cultures with P. polymyxa and T. longibrachiatum. The incidence and severity of root rot and wilt diseases were significantly reduced in pepper plants treated with the growth-promoting fungi (PGPF isolates; Fusarium equiseti GF19-1, Fusarium equiseti GF18-3, and Phoma sp. GS8-3), P. polymyxa, or T. longibrachiatum in comparison to the control. Moreover, the induction treatments led to increased pepper growth compared with their control. The defense related gene (CaPR4) expression was shown to be significantly higher in the treated plants than in the control plants. In conclusion, the antagonistic isolates (P. polymyxa and T. longibrachiatum) and PGPF isolates have a clear impact on the prevention of root rot and wilt diseases in pepper plants incited by R. solani and F. oxysporum f.sp. capsici. The expression of the CaPR4 gene added to the evidence that PGPF isolates generate systemic resistance to pathogen infections.

Baseline predictors of progression of Parkinson's disease in a sample of Egyptian patients: clinical and biochemical.

BACKGROUND: Clinical progression of Parkinson's disease (PD) is highly heterogeneous, and its predictors are generally lacking. Identifying predictors of early disease progression is important for patients' management and follow-up. The current study aims to identify clinical, neuroimaging and biochemical baseline predictors of motor progression in patients with PD. Forty-five PD patients were assessed at baseline, 6 months and 1 year using MDS-UPDRS total and subscores, Hoehn and Yahr (H&Y), Schwab and England (S&E), International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Baseline New Freezing of Gait Questionnaire (NFOG-Q), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Ten-Meter Walking Test (10-MWT), and Time Up and Go Test (TUG), Non-Motor Symptoms Scale (NMSS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), PD questionnaire 39 (PDQ-39), MRI brain, uric acid, lipid profile and glycated hemoglobin were performed. RESULTS: Significant worsening of MDS-UPDRS total, part III scores, H&Y, S&E and IPAQ (p < 0.001) was detected. One-year progression of H&Y and S&E were significantly correlated to disease duration (p = 0.014, p = 0.025, respectively). Progression of H&Y was correlated to baseline TUG (p = 0.035). S&E progression was correlated to baseline MDS-UPDRS total score (rho = 0.478, p = 0.001) and part III (rho = 0.350, p = 0.020), H&Y (rho = 0.401, p = 0.007), PIGD (rho = 0.591, p < 0.001), NFOG-Q (rho = 0.498, p = 0.001), and TUG (rho = 0.565, p = 0.001). Using linear regression, there was no predictors of clinical progression among the used baseline variables. CONCLUSION: Despite the significant motor and physical activity progression over 1 year that was correlated to baseline motor and gait severity, but without predictive value, further similar and longitudinal studies are warranted to detect predictors of early progression and confirm findings. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s41983-022-00445-1.