SARS-CoV-2 Infection of Young Infants during the Omicron Wave: A Case Series.

We describe the clinical course of 4 infants infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. All were admitted to our tertiary care neonatal intensive care unit during the Omicron variant wave in our region. All 4 infants, who were less than 3 months of age, including three born prematurely, presented with critical illness. However, their clinical presentation varied considerably. Of them, two infants presented with apnea, one with respiratory distress, and one with gastrointestinal manifestation. Our experience with these four infants provides evidence for a severe form of disease and varied clinical presentation in neonates and young infants speculated to be infected with Omicron variant.

SARS-CoV-2 Associated Respiratory Failure in a Preterm Infant and the Outcome after Remdesivir Treatment.

Severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) occurs in approximately 10% of neonates infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Guidelines for optimal management of severe COVID-19 in neonates do not exist. In this report, we describe a late-preterm neonate with severe COVID-19, requiring invasive mechanical ventilation who recovered following treatment with remdesivir and high dose dexamethasone.

Evaluation of Fecal M2PK as a Diagnostic Marker in Colorectal Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Invasive colonoscopy is the gold standard for patients at risk for colorectal cancer. However, the need for non-invasive and specific markers is required. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the sensitivity of the glycolytic pyruvate kinase isoenzyme type M2 dimer (M2PK) as a diagnostic biomarker for colorectal cancer (CRC) and adenomatous colorectal polyps (CRP) screening. DESIGN: Case-control. PATIENTS: Twenty patients with CRC, 20 patients with CRP (lack criteria for colonic cancer by biopsy), and 20 normal subjects. OUTCOME: Complete blood count (CBC), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), tumor markers: carcino embryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), fecal occult blood test (FOBT), and fecal M2PK. Pelvic and abdominal ultrasound (US), colonoscopy, and a histopathological examination. RESULTS: Only weight loss and cachexia were significantly associated with CRC than CRP or control groups. M2PK was the most sensitive and specific test in differentiating CRC from CRP and the control subjects (sensitivity = 75%, specificity = 100%). LIMITATIONS: (1) The selection of cases for three well-matched groups, as to perform colonoscopy in well-prepared cases and conditions. (2) Replicates in more than 20 cases for confirmation at the expense of enrolling new patients. (3) The cost associated with tumor markers analysis. CONCLUSION: Fecal M2PK can be used as a precolonoscopy screening test for CRC patients, and is superior to other tumor markers, and in indicating the progress of colorectal adenomas > 1 cm. Thus being cost-effective and easy-to-perform test, it is a feasible tool to preselect patients who require colonoscopy.

Assessment of compost quality and usage for agricultural use: a case study of Hebron, Palestine.

Complying with the technical specifications of compost production is of high importance not only for environmental protection but also for increasing the productivity and promotion of compost use by farmers in agriculture. This study focuses on the compost quality of the Palestinian market and farmers' attitudes toward agricultural use of compost. The quality is assessed through selection of 20 compost samples of different suppliers and producers and lab testing for quality parameters, while the farmers' attitudes to compost use for agriculture are evaluated through survey questionnaire of 321 farmers in the Hebron area. The results showed that the compost in the Palestinian markets is of medium quality due to partial or non-compliance with the quality standards and guidelines. The Palestinian farmers showed a positive attitude since 91.2% of them have the desire to use compost in agriculture. The results also showed that knowledge of difference between compost and chemical fertilizers, perception of compost benefits, and previously experiencing problems in compost use are significant factors affecting the farmers' attitude toward the use of compost as an organic fertilizer.

Glycogen synthase kinase 3ß inhibitors prevent hepatitis C virus release/assembly through perturbation of lipid metabolism.

Direct acting antivirals against hepatitis C virus (HCV) have markedly improved cure rates in the past few years. However, they are expensive, with only few targeting host cell factors, and affecting virus assembly and release. Huh7.5 cells infected with a JFH-1 clone of HCV were treated with two different glycogen synthase kinase (GSK3)-ß inhibitors; AR-A014418 and lithium chloride. Intra- and extracellular HCV virions and specific infectivity was determined using real-time RT-PCR and TCID50, and changes in lipid production were identified by enzyme-linked immunoassay and mass spectrometry analyses. Similarly, effect on two HCV replicon cells were identified by the luciferase activity. Although there was limited effect on virus replication in Huh7.5 cells and replicons, Huh7.5 cells treated with GSK3ß inhibitors produced significantly less viral particles in comparison to untreated cells. In addition, the treated cells synthesized significantly lower amounts of ApoB and trapped the ApoE lipoproteins in the cells. In conclusion, our study suggests that GSK3ß plays a pivotal role in HCV virion assembly and release mediated in part through inhibition of apolipoprotein synthesis.

Biochemical and molecular studies on the possible influence of the Brassica oleracea and Beta vulgaris extracts to mitigate the effect of food preservatives and food chemical colorants on albino rats.

This study aimed to investigate the biochemical influence of broccoli and beet extracts on selected individual additives NaNO2 or sunset yellow treated rats, in addition to the gene expression of some antioxidant enzymes. Forty-two male rats were assigned to seven groups of six rats in each group. The control group was fed a diet without an additive for four weeks. Group (2) received NaNO2, groups (3) received NaNO2 co-administered with broccoli extract (4) NaNO2 co-administered with beet extracts, Group (5) received sunset yellow, Group (6) received sunset yellow co-administered with broccoli extract, and Group (7) received sunset yellow co-administered with beet extract, for four weeks. At the end of the experiment, blood, liver, kidney, and brain samples were taken for biochemical and/or molecular analysis. The mRNA expression of antioxidant enzymes was determined by reversing transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The obtained results revealed that rats co-administered with beet or broccoli extracts had a significant decrease in serum levels of AST, ALT, ALP, urea, total lipids, and triglycerides, as well as a significant increase in reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-px), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme activities, compared to the normal control group. Oral administration of NaNO2 or sunset yellow caused a significant increase in serum levels of AST, ALT, ALP, urea, total lipids, and triglycerides, as well as a significant decrease in GSH, GSH-px, and SOD compared to the positive group. In conclusion, this study showed that broccoli and beet extracts have a protective effect against NaNO2 or sunset yellow in rat treated groups.

Differential expression of candidate virus receptors in human T lymphocytes prone or resistant to infection with patient-derived hepatitis C virus.

Accumulated evidence implies that hepatitis C virus (HCV) infects not only the liver but also the immune system. A lymphocyte-specific CD5 molecule was recently identified as essential for infection of T cells with native, patient-derived HCV. To assess whether the proposed hepatocyte receptors may also contribute to HCV lymphotropism, expression of scavenger receptor-class B type 1 (SR-B1), claudin-1 (CLDN-1), claudin-6 (CLDN-6), occludin (OCLN), CD5 and CD81 was examined by real-time RT-PCR and the respective proteins quantified by immunoblotting in HCV-prone and resistant T cell lines, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), primary T cells and their subsets, and compared to hepatoma Huh7.5 and HepG2 cells. SR-B1 protein was found in T and hepatoma cell lines but not in PBMC or primary T lymphocytes, CLDN-1 in HCV-resistant PM1 T cell line and hepatoma cells only, while CLDN-6 equally in the cells investigated. OCLN protein occurred in HCV-susceptible Molt4 and Jurkat T cells and its traces in primary T cells, but not in PBMC. CD5 was displayed by HCV-prone T cell lines, primary T cells and PBMC, but not by non-susceptible T and hepatoma cell lines, while CD81 in all cell types except HepG2. Knocking-down OCLN in virus-prone T cell line inhibited HCV infection, while de novo infection downregulated OCLN and CD81, and upregulated CD5 without modifying SR-B1 expression. Overall, while no association between SR-B1, CLDN-1 or CLDN-6 and the susceptibility to HCV was found, CD5 and CD81 expression coincided with virus lymphotropism and that of OCLN with permissiveness of T cell lines but unlikely primary T cells. This study narrowed the range of factors potentially utilized by HCV to infect T lymphocytes amongst those uncovered using laboratory HCV and Huh7.5 cells. Together with the demonstrated role for CD5 in HCV lymphotropism, the findings indicate that virus utilizes different molecules to enter hepatocytes and lymphocytes.

Antimicrobial susceptibility pattern in nosocomial infections caused by Acinetobacter species in Asir Region, Saudi Arabia.

This study aimed at evaluating the sensitivity of antibiotics towards nosocomial infections caused by Acinetobacter species. The study took place during the period Dec. 2011- Dec. 2012 at Assir Central Hospital in collaboration with the department of microbiology, college of medicine, King Khalid University, Abha. A prospective study involving 150 patients presented with nosocomial infections due to Acinetobacter species detected by bacteriological tests; direct microscopy, culture in blood agar media, fermentation test in MacConkey media and MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration) for antibiotics sensitivity using Muller Hinton media and Chemical test using API 20. A 150 nosocomial infections in this study showed gram-negative coccobacilli, non motile, glucose-negative fermentor and oxidase negative. All isolates showed 100% sensitivity to: Imipramine, Meropenem, Colistin. From the rest of tested antibiotics the higher resistant ones were; Nitrofurantoin 87% and Cefoxitin 85%. The least resistant antibiotics; Imipenem 3% and Ticarcillin 7%. While variable resistance in the rest of tested antimicrobials. A 47 patients (31.3%) have used antibiotics prior to this study. The high rate of usage occurred in elder patients. The frequency of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus baumannii complex multi-drugs resistance ABCMDR is rising including almost all commonly used antibiotics. Only few antibiotics exert 100% sensitivity towards these bacteria.

Patient-derived hepatitis C virus and JFH-1 clones differ in their ability to infect human hepatoma cells and lymphocytes.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a hepatotropic virus that also infects cells of the immune system. HCV clones cultivated in human hepatoma Huh-7.5 cells have significantly advanced our understanding of HCV replication and candidate hepatocyte receptors. However, naturally occurring patient-derived HCV, in contrast to the HCV JFH-1 clone, is unable to infect Huh-7.5 cells, while it can replicate in human primary T-cells and selected T-cell lines. To better understand this incongruity, we examined the susceptibility of primary T-cells, PBMCs and T-cell lines to infection with patient-derived HCV, the classical HCV JFH-1 and a cell culture-adapted JFH1(T) known to be highly infectious to Huh-7.5 cells. We also tested whether Huh-7.5 cells are prone to virus readily infecting T-lymphocytes. The results revealed that while primary T-cells and Molt4 and Jurkat T-cell lines were susceptible to patient-derived HCV, they were resistant to infection with either JFH1(T) or JFH-1. However, the JFH1(T) clone interacted more firmly, although non-productively, with the cells than JFH-1. Further, Huh-7.5 cells robustly supported replication of JFH1(T) but not patient-derived, wild-type virus, despite using highly sensitive detection assays. In conclusion, JFH-1 and JFH1(T) clones were unable to establish productive infection in human primary T-cells, PBMCs and T-cell lines known to be prone to infection by patient-derived HCV, while Huh-7.5 cells were resistant to infection with naturally occurring virus infecting immune cells. The data showed that the ability to infect lymphocytes is a characteristic of native virus but not laboratory HCV clones.

Hepatitis C virus infection of human T lymphocytes is mediated by CD5.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of the main causes of chronic liver disease. Although infection of hepatocytes is mainly responsible for manifestations of hepatitis C, the virus also invades the immune system by a yet-to-be-identified mechanism. Using human T cell lines and primary T lymphocytes as targets and patient-derived HCV as inocula, we aimed to identify how HCV gains entry into these cells. HCV replication was determined by detection of the HCV RNA replicative (negative) strand and viral proteins, while specific antibodies, knocking down gene expression and making otherwise-resistant cells prone to HCV, were employed to identify a receptor molecule determining T lymphocyte permissiveness to HCV infection. The results revealed that T cell susceptibility to HCV requires CD5, a lymphocyte-specific glycoprotein belonging to the scavenger receptor cysteine-rich family. Blocking of T cell CD5 with antibody or silencing with specific short hairpin RNA (shRNA) decreased cell susceptibility to HCV, while increasing CD5 expression by mitogen stimulation had the opposite effect. Moreover, transfection of naturally CD5-deficient HEK-293 fibroblasts with CD5 facilitated infection of these otherwise HCV-resistant cells. In contrast to T cells, hepatocytes do not express CD5. The data revealed that CD5 is a molecule important for HCV entry into human T lymphocytes. This finding provides direct insight into the mechanism of HCV lymphotropism and defines a target for potential interventions against HCV propagating in this extrahepatic compartment.

Cloning, protein expression and display of synthetic multi-epitope mycobacterial antigens on Salmonella typhi Ty21a cell surface.

Expressing proteins of interest as fusion to proteins of bacterial envelope is a powerful technique for biotechnological and medical applications. The synthetic gene (VacII) encoding for T-cell epitopes of selected genes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis namely, ESAT6, MTP40, 38 kDa, and MPT64 was fused with N- terminus of Pseudomonas syringae ice nucleation protein (INP) outer membrane protein. The fused genes were cloned into a bacterial expression vector pKK223-3. The recombinant protein was purified by Ni-NAT column. VacII gene was displayed on the cell surface of Salmonella typhi Ty21a using N-terminal region of ice nucleation proteins (INP) as an anchoring motif. Glycine method confirmed that VacII was anchored on the cell surface. Western blot analysis further identified the synthesis of INP derivatives containing the N-terminal domain INP- VacII fusion protein of the expected size (52 kDa).

Tuberculosis vaccine.

Tuberculosis (TB) is still one of the leading causes of death from a single infectious agent, killing 1.6 million people each year, mostly in developing countries. The existing vaccines, Bacille Calmette and Guerin (BCG), are efficient in preventing the most severe disseminated forms of disease in children and newborns, but its efficacy against active TB in adults has been challenged by several clinical studies. It is a common opinion that only the development of a new and more effective vaccine against TB would significantly ease the deadly disease. In recent years, looking for a new vaccine or an improved TB vaccine is urgently needed. Such vaccines include new live and attenuated strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, improved recombinant BCG strains, subunit and DNA vaccines.

Thiocyclam does not induce structural chromosome aberrations in human lymphocytes in vitro.

Thiocyclam (trade name Evisect) is a broad-spectrum nereistoxin analogue insecticide used widely for agricultural applications. The aim of this investigation was to determine its genotoxic effects in the chromosome aberration (CA) test and determining of mitotic index (MI), using lymphocytes from peripheral blood samples of healthy human donors. A negative and a positive control (MMC) were also included. Chromosomal analyses of the metaphase plates of the samples treated with 14 different concentrations (from 0.1 to 120 µg/ml) of thiocyclam, indicating the lack effect on chromosomes. Thus thiocyclam is not genotoxic but highly toxic on cell proliferation in human lymphocytes.

Lack of micronuclei formation in bone marrow of rats after oral exposure to thiocyclam insecticide.

In this study, a nereistoxin analogue insecticide, thiocyclam, was administered to adult male albino rats by gavage dose of 135, 270 and 540 mg/kg b.w. repeated for 5 days at 24 h intervals. Control animals received only water. Thiocyclam was tested for its potential to cause genotoxic effects in rat bone marrow cells using an in vivo micronucleus assay. After 24 h of the last treatment, rats from all dose levels were sacrificed. Bone marrow cells were collected and assayed for the presence of micronuclei. Thiocyclam did not cause any increase in the incidence of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes in rats bone marrow at any of the dose levels. The polychromatic erythrocytes/normochromatic erythrocytes (PCE:NCE) ratio was found to be in the range from 0.50 ± 0.11 to 0.55 ± 0.02. The results of this study demonstrate that the effect of thiocyclam is not significant in the rat in vivo micronucleus assay.

Distribution of ABO blood groups and rhesus factor in Southwest Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVE: To document the distribution of the ABO and rhesus (Rh) blood groups in a random sample of Saudi students from the King Khalid University, Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and to compare our results from that of other studies in the Kingdom and elsewhere. METHODS: The subjects included in this study were 944 males from the southwest region of Saudi Arabia including Aseer, Jizan, and Najran regions. The ABO blood groups and Rh factor from 944 Saudi males were determined. The frequency of ABO blood groups and Rh status were calculated separately. This study was carried out at King Khalid University, Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, from January to March 2008, and the ethical approval was obtained from the Research Ethical Committee, College of Science, King Khalid University. RESULTS: The frequencies of ABO groups showed 56.8% for group O, 33.4% group A, 6% group B and 3.8% group AB trend. Only 7.2% of them were found to be Rh-negative. CONCLUSION: The frequencies of ABO and Rh phenotypes in the southwest population of Saudi Arabia are similar to those reported in most areas of the Arabian Gulf region.