Chromatographic assessment of biodiesel production from Peganum harmala seed oil using environmentally benign nano-catalysts.

This work gives a comprehensive chromatographic assessment of biodiesel generation from plant seed oil using ecologically friendly nano-catalysts. Researchers all over the world are actively looking for new ways to satisfy the urgent need for clean and renewable energy sources. The resultant biodiesel was fully characterized utilizing modern techniques like scanning electron microscopy, energy diffraction X-ray and X-ray diffraction. The biodiesel gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis revealed four significant peaks of fatty acid methyl esters, indicating high-quality biodiesel production. Furthermore, the biodiesel fuel qualities were discovered to be comparable with international standards such as ASTM D-6571 and EN-14214. This indicates that the iron-modified clay nano-catalyst can be used as a catalyst for large-scale biodiesel production. This work is important because it could lead to the large-scale production of a novel, non-food feedstock. We may lessen our reliance on fossil fuels and contribute to a more sustainable and ecologically friendly energy future by leveraging the usage of biodiesel produced in this way. The chromatographic assessment of biodiesel production from non-edible seed oil using environmentally benign nano-catalysts holds significant promise in advancing sustainable and eco-friendly biodiesel production methods, contributing to a cleaner and more environmentally responsible energy sector.

Outcomes of Varus Derotation Femoral Osteotomy By Angle Blade Plate in Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease for Patient Above Eight Years of Age in The Lateral Pillar B or B/C Group.

Legg-Calve-Perthes disease (LCPD) that starts after 8 years (late onset) usually follow more aggressive course and the long-term outcome is also poor. Treatment method of LCPD that will produce best results is controversial particularly if the patients are with late-onset presentation. This prospective study was conducted from January 2015 to January 2019 at Dhaka Medical College Hospital and Health N Hope Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh. We evaluated the radiographic outcomes for patients who had varus derotation femoral osteotomy (VDRO). We followed up 16 patients who had femoral varus osteotomy. All patients were above 8 years of age at clinical onset. The involvement of femoral epiphysis was in either in B or B/C in lateral pillar classification. All patients had MRI done to confirm radiological diagnosis and classification. The mean age was 9.5 years (range, 8 to 12 years). Final outcome was evaluated by using the Stulberg classification which was radiological. Important exclusion criteria were patient with bilateral involvement and requirement of femoral varus >30 degree. We had 81.25% of our patient with satisfactory outcomes. Among them there were Stulberg grade I, 0 cases; Stulberg grade II, 13 cases (81.25%); Stulberg III, 3 cases (18.75%), Stulberg IV and V both 0 case each. The surgical outcomes for varus derotation femoral osteotomy in late onset LCPD patients over 8 years old were showing the good results than other modalities of non surgical and surgical methods.

Photobiomodulation Therapy Restores Olfactory Function Impaired by Photothrombosis in Mouse Olfactory Bulb.

An ischemic stroke typically accompanies numerous disorders ranging from somatosensory dysfunction to cognitive impairments, inflicting patients with various neurologic symptoms. Among pathologic outcomes, post-stroke olfactory dysfunctions are frequently observed. Despite the well-known prevalence, therapy options for such compromised olfaction are limited, likely due to the complexity of olfactory bulb architecture, which encompasses both the peripheral and central nervous systems. As photobiomodulation (PBM) emerged for treating ischemia-associated symptoms, the effectiveness of PBM on stroke-induced impairment of olfactory function was explored. Novel mouse models with olfactory dysfunctions were prepared using photothrombosis (PT) in the olfactory bulb on day 0. The post-PT PBM was performed daily from day 2 to day 7 by irradiating the olfactory bulb via an 808 nm laser with a fluence of 40 J/cm2 (325 mW/cm2 for 2  smin per day). The buried food test (BFT) was used to score behavioral acuity in food-deprived mice to assess the olfactory function before PT, after PT, and after PBM. Histopathological examinations and cytokine assays were performed on the mouse brains harvested on day 8. The results from BFT were specific to an individual, with positive correlations between the baseline latency time measured before PT and its alteration at the ensuing stages for both the PT and PT + PBM groups. Also, the correlation analysis in both groups showed highly similar, significant positive relationships between the early and late latency time change independent of PBM, implicating a common recovery mechanism. Particularly, PBM treatment accelerated the recovery of impaired olfaction following PT by suppressing inflammatory cytokines and enhancing both glial and vascular factors (e.g., GFAP, IBA-1, and CD31). PBM therapy during the acute phase of ischemia improves the compromised olfactory function by modulating microenvironments and inflammation status of the affected tissue.

Analysis of stromal PDGFR-ß and α-SMA expression and their clinical relevance in brain metastases of breast cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer brain metastasis (BCBM) is a growing therapeutic challenge and clinical concern. Stromal cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are crucial factors in the modulation of tumorigeneses and metastases. Herein, we investigated the relationship between the expression of stromal CAF markers in metastatic sites, platelet-derived growth factor receptor-beta (PDGFR-ß), and alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and the clinical and prognostic variables in BCBM patients. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry (IHC) of the stromal expression of PDGFR-ß and α-SMA was performed on 50 cases of surgically resected BCBM. The expression of the CAF markers was analyzed in the context of clinico-pathological characteristics. RESULTS: Expression of PDGFR-ß and α-SMA was lower in the triple-negative (TN) subtype than in other molecular subtypes (p = 0.073 and p = 0.016, respectively). And their expressions were related to a specific pattern of CAF distribution (PDGFR-ß, p = 0.009; α-SMA, p = 0.043) and BM solidity (p = 0.009 and p = 0.002, respectively). High PDGFR-ß expression was significantly related to longer recurrence-free survival (RFS) (p = 0.011). TN molecular subtype and PDGFR-ß expression were independent prognostic factors of recurrence-free survival (p = 0.029 and p = 0.030, respectively) and TN molecular subtype was an independent prognostic factor of overall survival (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Expression of PDGFR-ß in the stroma of BM was associated with RFS in BCBM patients, and the clinical implication was uniquely linked to the low expression of PDGFR-ß and α-SMA in the aggressive form of the TN subtype.

A Modified Approach for Harvesting Non Vascularized Fibular Graft for Pediatric Age Group.

The conventional technique of harvesting free non-vascularized fibular grafting is associated with different scale of morbidity and usually a long scar. We follow a technique that causes minimum interference to the surrounding soft tissues to harvest the desired length of fibula. This prospective study was performed at Department of Orthopaedics, Dhaka Medical College Hospital from January 2018 to December 2018. Thirty patients of average age 10.5 years (range 8 to 14 years) were taken up for the study. The fibula was harvested by two separate incisions, 1 cm each at proximal and distal extent of proposed length of graft after elevating the periosteum circumferentially using a periosteum elevator. Compression bandage and above knee plaster immobilization was applied that help to reduce hematoma formation. The mean follow up is 12 months. The patients were evaluated clinically and by radiology. Twenty nine patients showed good results. One patient had delayed wound healing resulting in fair result. This modified approach of harvesting fibula reduces donor site morbidity and is safer and easier than conventional approach.

Different Expression and Clinical Implications of Cancer-Associated Fibroblast (CAF) Markers in Brain Metastases.

Aims: This study assessed the expression and clinical relevance of cancer-asssociated fibroblast (CAF)-related biomarkers in brain metastasis (BM). Moreover, molecular characterization of patient-derived primary CAFs and normal fibroblasts (NFs) was performed. Methods: Sixty-eight patients with BM from various primary cancer types were selected. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and immunofluorescence (IF) staining were performed to evaluate the expression of various CAF-related biomarkers. CAFs and NFs were isolated from fresh tissues. Results: Various CAF-related biomarkers were expressed in CAFs in BMs of different primary cancers. However, only PDGFR-ß, α-SMA, and collagen type I were associated with BM size. PDGFR-ß and α-SMA were associated with BM recurrence after resection. PDGFR-ß was associated with recurrence-free survival (RFS). Interestingly, high expression of PDGFR-ß and α-SMA was found in the patients with previous chemotherapy or radiotherapy for primary cancer. In primary cell culture, PDGFR-ß and α-SMA were expressed at higher levels in patient-derived CAFs than in NFs or cancer cells. The origins of CAF in BM were presumed to be pericytes of blood vessels, circulating endothelial progenitor cells, or transformed astrocytes of the peritumoral glial stroma. Conclusion: Our results suggest that high expression of CAF-related biomarkers, particularly PDGFR-ß and α-SMA, is associated with poor prognosis and recurrence in patients with BM. With the elucidation of the role and origins of CAF in the tumor microenvironment, CAF can be a new imperative target for BM immunotherapy.

Managing Resource Utilization Cost of Laboratory Tests for Patients on Chemotherapy in Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare.

Introduction: Laboratory testing is a fundamental diagnostic and prognostic tool to ensure the quality of healthcare, treatment, and responses. This study aimed to evaluate the cost of laboratory tests performed for patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment in the oncology treatment center at Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare in Saudi Arabia. Additionally, we aimed to reduce the cost of unnecessary laboratory tests in a 1-year period. Methods: This was a quality improvement study with a quasi-experimental design using DMAIC methodology. The intervention strategy involved educating staff about adhering to the British Columbia Cancer Agency (BCCA) guidelines when ordering laboratory tests for chemotherapy patients, then integrating those guidelines into the electronic health record system. Data were collected for 200 randomly selected cases with 10 different chemotherapy protocols before and after the intervention. A paired t test was used to analyze differences in mean cost for all laboratory tests and unnecessary testing before and after the intervention. Results: A significant cost reduction was achieved for unnecessary laboratory tests (77%, p < 0.01) when following the BCCA guidelines. In addition, the mean cost of all laboratory tests (including necessary and unnecessary) was significantly reduced by 45.5% (p = 0.023). Conclusion: Lean thinking in clinical practice, realized by integrating a standardized laboratory test guided by BCCA guidelines into the electronic health record, significantly reduced financial costs within 1 year, thereby enhancing efficient resource utilization in the organization. This quality improvement project may serve to increase awareness of further efforts to improve resource utilization for other oncology treatment protocols.

Composition and Diversity of the Culturable Endophytic Community of Six Stress-Tolerant Dessert Plants Grown in Stressful Soil in a Hot Dry Desert Region.

Saudi Arabia is part of a hot dry desert region and is characterized by stressful conditions. The main goal of this research was to identify endophytic fungal (EF) community composition, diversity and abundance in relation to their plant hosts and soil stress. The above-ground parts of six wild plants (Haloxylon salicornicum, Salsola kali, Heliotropium bacciferum, Erica verticillata, Salsola imbricata and Bienertia sinuspersici) were sampled, surface-sterilized and cut into small pieces, which were cultured and incubated for 4-6 weeks. Isolates were grouped and identified by using both morphological and ITS rDNA molecular data. The diversity and community structure of plant-endophyte associations were studied. A total of 455 EF isolates were grouped into 25 different taxa; 21 of which were identified at the species level, 2 at genus level and 2 were unclassified fungi. Here, 95.65% of the identified genera were Ascomycota; of which 36.36, 31.81 and 31.81% were members of the classes Dothideomycetes, Eurotiomycetes and Sordariomycetes, respectively. S. imbricata showed the highest isolation rate and colonization frequency (CF%) of EF when compared to other plant species. Additionally, S. imbricata demonstrated the highest species richness and species diversity of the EF community predominated by the genus Fusarium. Conclusively, the core culturable EF genera of six wild plants were identified (unculturable taxa were not identified in this study). The composition of the EF community was revealed to have a strong correlation to both the electrical conductivity and pH of the soil and a moderate correlation to both the host species and the host family. The abundance and diversity of EF communities of the six plants were environment-dependent.

Potential use of a novel actinobacterial species to ameliorate tungsten nanoparticles induced oxidative damage in cereal crops.

Tungsten nanoparticles (WNPs) could induce hazard impact on plant growth and development; however, no study investigated their phytotoxicity. On the other hand, plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) can effectively reduce WNPs toxicity. To this end, Nocardiopsis sp. was isolated and employed to mitigate the phytotoxic effect of WNPs on three crops (wheat, barley, and oat). Soil contamination with WPNs induced the W accumulation in all tested crops, inhibited both growth and photosynthesis and induced oxidative damage. On the other hand, pre-inoculation with Nocardiopsis sp. significantly reduced W level in treated plants. Concomitantly, Nocardiopsis sp. strikingly mitigated the inhibitory effect of WNPs by augmenting both growth and reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis. To cope with heavy metal stress, all the tested species orchestrated their antioxidant homeostasis through enhancing the production of antioxidant metabolites (e.g., phenolics, flavonoids and tocopherols) and elevated the activities of ROS-scavenging enzymes (e.g., APX, POX, CAT, as well as the enzymes involved in AsA/GSH cycle). Moreover, pre-inoculation with Nocardiopsis sp. improved the detoxification metabolism by enhancing the accumulation of phytochelatins (PCs), metallothionein (MTC) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) in grasses grown in WNPs-contaminated soils. Overall, restrained ROS homeostasis and improved WNPs detoxification systems were the bases underlie the WNPs stress mitigating impact of Nocardiopsis sp treatment.

Evaluation of estimated glomerular function (eGFR) versus creatinine clearance (CrCl) to predict acute kidney injury when using zoledronate for the treatment of osteoporosis.

Zoledronate could be contributing to the development of acute kidney injury in a small number of patients. Since estimated glomerular function (eGFR) is simpler to obtain and at least as good a predictor as creatinine clearance (CrCl), it should be used in everyday practice. INTRODUCTION: Zoledronate is widely used for the treatment of osteoporosis. A potential side effect is acute kidney injury (AKI). Advice from the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in 2019 stated that CrCl and not estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) should be used and that treatment should not be given if CrCl < 35 ml/min. The objective of this study was to compare our current method of assessing renal function (eGFR) with the method proposed by the MHRA (CrCl) for predicting AKI after zoledronate infusions. METHODS: The evaluation was performed at the Metabolic Bone Centre in Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, UK. Data on all the patients who had zoledronate from 1/09/2015 to 1/10/2020 were included. RESULTS: Data on 4405 patients were retrieved (total number of infusions 7660). Creatinine in the 14 days post-infusion was available for a total of 969 infusions and AKI was observed within 14 days following 45 infusions (4.6%). One patient died due to pneumonia. One patient needed continued haemodialysis. Severe AKI (threefold in creatinine and/or eGFR < 15 ml/min/173 m2) was observed within 1 year following 24 infusions. If the MHRA recommendations had been followed, 996 infusions with baseline CrCl < 35 ml/min would not have been given. Of these, follow-up data on serum creatinine within 14 days were available for 142 infusions, showing AKI in only four (2.8%). Logistic regression showed that both CrCl and eGFR were significant factors in predicting AKI within 14 days, but that the current recommended cut-off of CrCl 35 ml/min had poor sensitivity. CONCLUSION: Since eGFR is at least as good a predictor of AKI as CrCl, and permits the treatment of more patients at high fracture risk, we recommend that eGFR is used to determine renal function for zoledronate treatment. We suggest that the infusion is given over 30 min in patients with eGFR < 50 ml/min/1.73 m2.

Improved Mineral Acquisition, Sugars Metabolism and Redox Status after Mycorrhizal Inoculation Are the Basis for Tolerance to Vanadium Stress in C3 and C4 Grasses.

Vanadium (V) can be beneficial or toxic to plant growth and the interaction between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and V stress was rarely investigated at physiological and biochemical levels of plant groups (C3 and C4) and organs (roots and shoots). We tested the potential of AMF to alleviate the negative effects of V (350 mg V/Kg soil) on shoots and roots of rye and sorghum. Relative to sorghum (C4), rye (C3) showed higher levels of V and lower levels of key elements under V stress conditions. V inhibited growth, photosynthesis, and induced photorespiration (increased HDR & GO activities) and oxidative damage in both plants. AMF colonization reduced V stress by differently mitigating the oxidative stress in rye and sorghum. This mitigation was accompanied with increases in acid and alkaline phosphatase activities in plant roots and increased organic acids and polyphenols exudation into the soil, thus reduced V accumulation (29% and 58% in rye and sorghum shoot, respectively) and improved absorption of mineral nutrients including Ca, Mg and P. AMF colonization improved photosynthesis and increased the sugar accumulation and metabolism. Sugars also acted as a supplier of C skeletons for producing of antioxidants metabolite such as ascorbate. At the antioxidant level, rye was more responsive to the mitigating impact of AMF. Higher antioxidants and detoxification defence system (MTC, GST, phenolics, tocopherols and activities of CAT, SOD and POX) was recorded for rye, while sorghum (C4) improved its GR activity. The C3/C4-specificity was supported by principal component analysis. Together, this study provided both fundamental and applied insights into practical strategies to mitigate the phytotoxicity hazards of V in C3 and C4 grasses. Moreover, our results emphasize the importance of AMF as an environment-friendly factor to alleviate stress effects on plants and to improve growth and yield of unstressed plants.

Soil enrichment with actinomycete mitigates the toxicity of arsenic oxide nanoparticles on wheat and maize growth and metabolism.

The use of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) to enhance plant growth and protection against heavy metal toxicity has been extensively studied. However, its potentiality to reduce arsenate toxicity, a threat to plant growth and metabolism, has been hardly investigated. Moreover, the toxic effect of arsenic oxide nanoparticles (As-NPs) on plants and possible mechanisms for its alleviation has not yet been explored. In this study, the impact of the bioactive actinomycete Streptomyces spp. on the growth, physiology and stress-related metabolites, such as sugars and proline, on As-NPs-stressed wheat and maize plants was investigated. Soil amendment with arsenic oxide nanoparticles (As-NPs) induced the uptake and accumulation of As in the plants of both species, resulting in reduced growth and photosynthesis, but less marked in maize than in wheat plants. Under As-NPs-free conditions, Streptomyces spp. treatment markedly improved growth and photosynthesis in wheat only. The application of Streptomyces spp. reduced As accumulation, recovered the As-NPs-induced growth, photosynthesis inhibition, and oxidative damage in plants of both species. Wheat plants specifically accumulated soluble sugars, while both species accumulated proline. Under As-NPs stress, the ornithine pathway of proline biosynthesis was more important in maize than in wheat plants, while the glutamine pathway was dominant in wheat ones. The addition of Streptomyces spp. further induced the accumulation of proline and starch in both plant species. Overall, despite a different response to Streptomyces spp. under nontoxic conditions, the amendment of as-contaminated soil with Streptomyces spp. induced similar metabolic responses in the two tested species, which trigger stress recovery.

Physiologically-based pharmacokinetic model for alectinib, ruxolitinib, and panobinostat in the presence of cancer, renal impairment, and hepatic impairment.

Renal (RIP) and hepatic (HIP) impairments are prevalent conditions in cancer patients. They can cause changes in gastric emptying time, albumin levels, hematocrit, glomerular filtration rate, hepatic functional volume, blood flow rates, and metabolic activity that can modify drug pharmacokinetics. Performing clinical studies in such populations has ethical and practical issues. Using predictive physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models in the evaluation of the PK of alectinib, ruxolitinib, and panobinostat exposures in the presence of cancer, RIP, and HIP can help in using optimal doses with lower toxicity in these populations. Verified PBPK models were customized under scrutiny to account for the pathophysiological changes induced in these diseases. The PBPK model-predicted plasma exposures in patients with different health conditions within average 2-fold error. The PBPK model predicted an area under the curve ratio (AUCR) of 1, and 1.8, for ruxolitinib and panobinostat, respectively, in the presence of severe RIP. On the other hand, the severe HIP was associated with AUCR of 1.4, 2.9, and 1.8 for alectinib, ruxolitinib, and panobinostat, respectively, in agreement with the observed AUCR. Moreover, the PBPK model predicted that alectinib therapeutic cerebrospinal fluid levels are achieved in patients with non-small cell lung cancer, moderate HIP, and severe HIP at 1-, 1.5-, and 1.8-fold that of healthy subjects. The customized PBPK models showed promising ethical alternatives for simulating clinical studies in patients with cancer, RIP, and HIP. More work is needed to quantify other pathophysiological changes induced by simultaneous affliction by cancer and RIP or HIP.

Histologic Reliability of Tissues from Embalmed Cadavers: Can They be Useful in Medical Education?

BACKGROUND: Current trends in medical curricula are shifting from teaching histology and pathology as stand-alone disciplines. Therefore, it would be useful to examine the potential value of integrating these into the anatomical dissection experience. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the histologic reliability of tissues taken from embalmed cadavers in an anatomy laboratory. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 112 tissue samples were obtained using standard autopsy techniques from various organs (heart, lung, thyroid, skeletal muscle, bone and skin) of 11 cadavers available at the anatomy laboratory of Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia, in 2019. Samples were prepared using the standard paraffin procedure followed by cutting sections at 4-µm thickness and staining with standard hematoxylin and eosin stain. Using predefined criteria, the quality of the samples was evaluated by two board-certified histopathologists and each slide was categorized as good, satisfactory or poor. RESULTS: Overall, 34.2% and 60.3% of the slides were of good and satisfactory quality, respectively. A significant difference in tissue quality was found between various organs. Thick skin and bone tissues had the highest "good" rating (84.6% and 81.8%, respectively), while thyroid and lung tissues had the highest "poor" rating (20% and 13.6%, respectively). CONCLUSION: Most of the tissues acquired from the embalmed cadavers were of good or satisfactory quality, thereby indicating the beneficial use of histological tissue from cadavers for educational purposes. Future research into how these findings translate into meaningful medical education would be beneficial.

Peripheral Medulloepithelioma: A Rare Entity to Know.

According to the World Health Organization, medulloepithelioma belongs to the embryonal neoplasm entity. It is a very rare, highly malignant tumor typically affecting infants and young children. Usually, the tumor arises in the eye or in the central nervous system; a peripheral location has been rarely reported without an established treatment. The recognition and separation of this neoplasm from other differential tumors are mandatory for better understanding of its biology and determination of optimal treatment. This paper reports a case of an ectopic intrapelvic medulloepithelioma with liver metastasis in a 3-year-old girl.

Protective role of glutamine against cadmium-induced testicular dysfunction in Wistar rats: Involvement of G6PD activity.

BACKGROUND: Endocrine disruptor such as cadmium has been widely reported to cause testicular toxicity, which contributes to recent decline in male fertility worldwide. Glutamine, the most abundant amino acid in the body has been demonstrated to exert protective effects in cellular toxicity. However, its role in testicular toxicity is unknown. The present study is therefore aimed at investigating the effects of glutamine supplementation on cadmium-induced testicular toxicity, and the possible involvement of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) activity. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Male Wistar rats weighing 160-190 g were allotted into 4 groups (n = 5/group): The groups received vehicle (distilled water; p.o.), glutamine (1gkg-1; p.o.), cadmium chloride (5mgkg-1p.o.) and Cadmium chloride plus glutamine respectively, daily for 30 days. Biochemical and histological analyses were performed with appropriate method. RESULTS: Administration of cadmium significantly decreased body weight, sperm count, motility and viability, as well as altered sperm morphology and progressivity. Cadmium also caused atrophy of the seminiferous tubule in addition to disrupted testicular architecture, lumen, Sertoli cells and spermatogonia. Similarly, serum and testicular aspartate transaminase, and malondialdehyde significantly increased, and G6PD, glutathione, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate and nitric oxide significantly decreased with corresponding decrease in follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone and testosterone in cadmium-treated animals compared with control groups. However, supplementation with glutamine attenuated these alterations. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrates that cadmium induces testicular dysfunction that is attributable to defective G6PD and accompanied by increased lipid peroxidation and impaired NO-dependent endothelial function. Interestingly, glutamine supplementation ameliorates cadmium-induced testicular dysfunction through enhancement of G6PD activity.

Ameliorative effect of sesamin in cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats by suppressing inflammation, oxidative/nitrosative stress, and cellular damage.

Nephrotoxicity of cisplatin (CP) involves renal oxidative stress and inflammation, and sesamin (a major liganin in many plants) has strong antioxidant and antiinflammatory actions. Therefore, we investigated here the possible mitigative action of sesamin on CP nephrotoxicity in rats. Sesamin was given orally (5 mg/kg/day, 10 days), and on the 7th day, some of the treated rats were injected intraperitoneally with either saline or CP (5 mg/kg). On the 11th day, rats were sacrificed, and blood and urine samples and kidneys were collected for biochemical estimation of several traditional and novel indices of renal damage in plasma and urine, several oxidative and nitrosative indices in kidneys, and assessment of histopathological renal damage. CP significantly and adversely altered all the physiological, biochemical and histopathological indices of renal function measured. Kidneys of CP-treated rats had a moderate degree of necrosis. This was markedly lessened when CP was given simultaneously with sesamin. Sesamin treatment did not significantly alter the renal CP concentration. The results suggested that sesamin had ameliorated CP nephrotoxicity in rats by reversing the CP-induced oxidative stress and inflammation. Pending further pharmacological and toxicological studies sesamin may be considered a potentially useful nephroprotective agent.

An Unusual Case of Left Spigelian Hernia Containing Part of a Fibroid Uterus and the Left Adnexa in a 66-Year-Old Woman.

BACKGROUND Spigelian hernia, or lateral ventral hernia, is rare and represents between 0.1-2% of all hernias of the abdominal wall. The presentation is variable, and the diagnosis may be challenging. This report is of an unusual case of Spigelian hernia that contained part of a fibroid uterus and the left adnexa. CASE REPORT A 66-year-old woman presented with an abdominal wall mass in the left lower quadrant. On physical examination, a provisional diagnosis of ventral hernia was made. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) imaging showed an unusual Spigelian hernia that contained part of a fibroid uterus and the left adnexa. Treatment using laparoscopic hysterectomy, left salpingo-oophorectomy, and hernia repair was successfully performed jointly by a general surgeon and a gynecologist. CONCLUSIONS To the best of our knowledge, the is the first reported case of Spigelian hernia that contained part of the uterus and the left adnexa.

Identifying breeding goals to develop selection index for buffalo in Egypt using preference survey.

The aim of the study was to identify the breeding goals, derive the relative goal values (RGV), and develop selection index (SI) for buffalo in Egypt. A structured questionnaire survey of milk-producing buffalo holders in 10 Egyptian governorates was carried out to collect data. The total number of surveyed holders was 1797. Buffalo holders were asked to identify the breeding goal groups (BGG). Breeding goal groups were ranked, according to relative importance to farmers, in descending order. The breeding goal traits (BGT) within each BGG were chosen and ranked in descending order. The survey results reflected the importance of milk production traits as the main breeding goal. Traits of milk yield and fat yield were given the greatest attention. In order to estimate the relative goal values (RGV), the subjective determination procedure was used. A principal component analysis (PCA) followed by cluster analysis (CA) of the principal components were performed. The CA led to the identification of three farmer clusters. Six selection indices were proposed from the PCA. The indices yielded different precision with a maximum of 93% of the holder's preferences variability. The current study revealed that subjective method could be used to identify the RGV. Further studies are needed particularly those related to the production system. Also, measurements of market data and consumers requests and their influence on the selected traits are badly needed.

Six Sigma Application in Healthcare Logistics: A Framework and A Case Study.

Six Sigma is used heavily in various industrial sectors, yet no noticeable applications are seen in healthcare logistics. This paper reveals the special case of healthcare logistics where cost reduction is not the only factor considered in project selection; performance and criticality of each item in the logistics system are of high importance as well. This paper provides a proposed framework to apply Six Sigma in the area of healthcare logistics. It also presents a case study implementing the proposed framework at a Jordanian hospital. In the case study, the paper reveals how the modifications of the define phase to take into consideration the criticality, cost, and performance of items make typical Six Sigma methodology very beneficial for healthcare logistics. In addition, it shows how the Six Sigma project selection can be done to deal effectively with healthcare logistics issues. This paper paves the road for research to elaborate on ways to use Six Sigma in the area of improving healthcare logistics.