The protective effect of taurine, piracetam and vinpocetine on etoposide-induced inflammation and brain injury in the serum of female albino rats.

Etoposide (ETP) is one of the leading antitumour agents in cancer chemotherapy. Many studies have reported on ETP-induced peripheral neuropathy; however, few reports have focused on its brain toxicity. The current research investigates the protective potential of taurine, piracetam and vinpocetine on serum biomarkers associated with inflammation and brain injury induced by ETP in a rodent model. A total of 30 female albino rats were equally divided into five groups; the 1st and 2nd groups were the control and ETP-treated groups, respectively, while the 3rd, 4th and 5th groups were ETP-treated rats cotreated with taurine, piracetam and vinpocetine, respectively. Administration of ETP reduced body weight significantly, enhanced production of serum proinflammatory cytokines including tumour necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß) and IL-6 and decreased glutathione serum levels. Moreover, ETP treatment resulted in upregulation of glial fibrillary acidic protein expression and histopathological alterations in the rats' brain compared to the control group. Co-treatment with taurine, piracetam and vinpocetine counteracted ETP-induced brain injury and altered serum biomarkers levels. We concluded that co-treatment with vinpocetine could serve as a complementary therapeutic agent in reducing brain injury and toxicity induced by ETP.

Frequency of parasitic infections in Arachishypogaea L (groundnuts), Citrulluslanatus seeds (watermelon seeds), and Ziziphusspina-christi (nabag) sold by street vendors in Khartoum State, Sudan: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Plant products, including seeds are an important source of vitamins, minerals, proteins, and energy. This study aimed to assess parasitic contaminations in roasted groundnuts, nabag, and tasali (watermelon seeds) sold by street vendors in Khartoum State, Sudan. Methods: The frequency of parasitic contaminations among all crop products was detected by washing the plants with saline, and then conducting an examination using a formal ether concentration technique (FECT), followed by a saturated sugar floatation technique. Results: The detected parasites belonged to two species: Entamoeba histolytica (33.3%) and Giardia lamblia (15.6%). No helminthic parasites were detected. Mixed contamination of the mentioned parasites was also observed (11.1%). The most contaminated crop was nabag, followed by groundnut, and finally tasali. Conclusion: No relation was established between the positivity of samples for parasites and crop type, Khartoum State city, or  seller sex. FECT was more sensitive than the saturated sugar floatation technique as a detection method.

Epitope-Based Peptide Vaccine against Glycoprotein G of Nipah Henipavirus Using Immunoinformatics Approaches.

BACKGROUND: Nipah belongs to the genus Henipavirus and the Paramyxoviridae family. It is an endemic most commonly found at South Asia and has first emerged in Malaysia in 1998. Bats are found to be the main reservoir for this virus, causing disease in both humans and animals. The last outbreak has occurred in May 2018 in Kerala. It is characterized by high pathogenicity and fatality rates which varies from 40% to 70% depending on the severity of the disease and on the availability of adequate healthcare facilities. Currently, there are no antiviral drugs available for NiV disease and the treatment is just supportive. Clinical presentations for this virus range from asymptomatic infection to fatal encephalitis. OBJECTIVE: This study is aimed at predicting an effective epitope-based vaccine against glycoprotein G of Nipah henipavirus, using immunoinformatics approaches. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Glycoprotein G of the Nipah virus sequence was retrieved from NCBI. Different prediction tools were used to analyze the epitopes, namely, BepiPred-2.0: Sequential B Cell Epitope Predictor for B cell and T cell MHC classes II and I. Then, the proposed peptides were docked using Autodock 4.0 software program. Results and Conclusions. The two peptides TVYHCSAVY and FLIDRINWI have showed a very strong binding affinity to MHC class I and MHC class II alleles. Furthermore, considering the conservancy, the affinity, and the population coverage, the peptide FLIDRINWIT is highly suitable to be utilized to formulate a new vaccine against glycoprotein G of Nipah henipavirus. An in vivo study for the proposed peptides is also highly recommended.

Various causative factors and associated complications of childhood obesity in Jeddah, Western Region, Saudi Arabia.

Objective: The objective of the study was to investigate the causative factors and complications attributable to obesity in children living in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Methods: This is a retrospective study encompassing a sample size of 151 children and adolescents between the ages of 4 and 20 years. Data were collected through reviewing medical records, medical files on the hospital electronic system, and clinical interviews conducted with legal guardians. The date of the study was from January to June 2018, and the study was carried out in Jeddah, Western Region, Saudi Arabia. Results: Data were entered, coded, cleaned, and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (IBM SPSS), version 22. The analysis was done by assessing the significance of various risk factors and sequelae in their contribution to pediatric obesity by one-way ANOVA for nominal variables of more than two categories and independent-samples t-test for the nominal variables with two categories. The sample was 47% of the male gender, whereas females made for the remaining 53%. The causation of obesity was distributed among the following factors: an unhealthy diet, a sedentary lifestyle, medications such as glucocorticoids, and complications attributed to obesity including gastroesophageal reflux, hypertension, precocious puberty, sleep apnea, psychological disturbances, and fatty liver diseases. Conclusion: Environmental factors were found to be the most predominant cause, where the majority of children were found to be leading a sedentary lifestyle, following an unhealthy diet, and skipping meals. The most recurring complications involved psychosocial and behavioral abnormalities, and among the medical consequences, gastroesophageal reflux and obstructive sleep apnea were the most prevalent.

RésuméObjectif: Étudier les facteurs de causalité et les complications imputables à l'obésité chez les enfants vivant à Djedda, en Arabie saoudite. Méthodes: Il s'agit d'une étude rétrospective couvrant un échantillon de 151 enfants et adolescents âgés de 4 à 20 ans. Les données ont été collectées à travers l'examen des dossiers médicaux, des fichiers médicaux sur le système électronique de l'hôpital et des entretiens cliniques menés avec des tuteurs légaux. La date d'étude était de janvier à juin 2018 et a été réalisée à Djeddah, dans l'ouest de l'Arabie saoudite. Résultats: Les données ont été entrées, codées, nettoyées et analysées à l'aide d'un logiciel de statistiques sociales (IBM SPSS), version 22. L'analyse a été réalisée en évaluant l'importance de divers facteurs de risque et de leurs conséquences dans leur contribution à l'obésité pédiatrique par une ANOVA à un facteur pour les variables nominales de plus de deux catégories et Test t de l'échantillon indépendant pour les variables nominales à deux catégories. L'échantillon comprenait 47% du sexe masculin alors que les femmes représentaient les 53% restants. La cause de l'obésité a été répartie entre les facteurs suivants: une alimentation malsaine, un style de vie sédentaire, des médicaments tels que les glucocorticoïdes, et les complications attribuées à l'obésité comprennent le reflux gastroesophagien, l'hypertension, la puberté précoce, l'apnée du sommeil, des troubles psychologiques et des maladies de foie grasses. Conclusion: Les facteurs environnementaux ont été la principale cause, la majorité des enfants menant une vie sédentaire, suivant un régime alimentaire malsain et sautant des repas. Les complications les plus récurrentes concernaient des anomalies psychosociales et comportementales, et parmi les conséquences médicales, le reflux gastro-oesophagien et l'apnée obstructive du sommeil étaient les plus répandus.

Various causative factors and associated complications of childhood obesity in Jeddah, western region, Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVE: to investigate the causative factors and complications attributable to obesity in children living in jeddah, saudi arabia. METHODS: this is a retrospective study encompassing a sample size of 151 children and adolescents between the ages of 4 and 20 years. data was collectived through revieweing medical records, medical files on the hospital electironic system and clinical interviews conducted with legal guardians. date of study was from january to june 2018, and was carried in jeddah, western region, saudi arabia. RESULTS: data was entered, coded, cleaned and analysed using statistical package for social science (IBM SPSS), version 22. the analysis was done by assessing the significance of various risk factors ands equalae in their contribution to paediatric obesity by one way ANOVA for nominal variables of more than two categories and independent sample t-test for the nominal variables with two categories. the sample was 47% of the male gender whereas females made for the remaining 53%. the causation of obesity was distributed among the following factors: an unhealthy diet, a sedentary lifestyle, medications such as glucocorticoids, and complications attributed to obesity included gastro-oesophageal reflux, hypertension, precocious puberty, sleep apnoea, psychological disturbances and fatty liver diseases. CONCLUSION: environmental factors were found to be the most predominant cause, where the majority of children were found to be leading a sedentary lifestyle, following an unhealthy diet, and skipping meals. the msot recurring complications involved psychosocial and behavioural abnormalities, and among the medical consequences, gastro-oesophageal reflux and obstructive sleep apnoea were the most prevalent.

Epitope-Based Peptide Vaccine Against Fructose-Bisphosphate Aldolase of Madurella mycetomatis Using Immunoinformatics Approaches.

BACKGROUND: Mycetoma is a distinct body tissue destructive and neglected tropical disease. It is endemic in many tropical and subtropical countries. Mycetoma is caused by bacterial infections (actinomycetoma) such as Streptomyces somaliensis and Nocardiae or true fungi (eumycetoma) such as Madurella mycetomatis. To date, treatments fail to cure the infection and the available marketed drugs are expensive and toxic upon prolonged usage. Moreover, no vaccine was prepared yet against mycetoma. AIM: The aim of this study is to predict effective epitope-based vaccine against fructose-bisphosphate aldolase enzymes of M. mycetomatis using immunoinformatics approaches. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Fructose-bisphosphate aldolase of M. mycetomatis sequence was retrieved from NCBI. Different prediction tools were used to analyze the nominee's epitopes in Immune Epitope Database for B-cell, T-cell MHC class II and class I. Then the proposed peptides were docked using Autodock 4.0 software program. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The proposed and promising peptides KYLQ show a potent binding affinity to B-cell, FEYARKHAF with a very strong binding affinity to MHC I alleles and FFKEHGVPL that shows a very strong binding affinity to MHC II and MHC I alleles. This indicates a strong potential to formulate a new vaccine, especially with the peptide FFKEHGVPL which is likely to be the first proposed epitope-based vaccine against fructose-bisphosphate aldolase of M. mycetomatis. This study recommends an in vivo assessment for the most promising peptides especially FFKEHGVPL.