Deciphering the role of MicroRNAs in diabetic nephropathy: Regulatory mechanisms and molecular insights

A serious consequence of diabetes mellitus, diabetic nephropathy (DN) which causes gradual damage to the kidneys. Dietary changes, blood pressure control, glucose control, and hyperlipidemia are all important components of DN management. New research, however, points to microRNAs (miRNAs) as having a pivotal role in DN pathogenesis. Miniature non-coding RNA molecules such as miRNAs control gene expression and impact several biological processes. The canonical and non-canonical routes of miRNA biogenesis are discussed in this article. In addition, several important signaling pathways are examined in the study of miRNA regulation in DN. A deeper knowledge of these regulatory mechanisms would allow for a better understanding of the molecular basis of DN and the development of innovative therapeutic strategies. Finally, miRNAs show tremendous potential as DN diagnostic biomarkers and treatment targets, opening up promising avenues for further study and potential clinical use.

COVID-19 and Oral Mucosal Lesions: a Systematic Review

Introduction

COVID-19 disease is caused by a mutated strain of the coronavirus family "SARS-CoV-2". It affects especially the respiratory system, but many clinical manifestations outside this system have been reported. Oral manifestations are uncommon, however, with the absence of common signs, they may represent the onset of COVID-19 disease. The aim of this systematic review is to observe if there is a correlation between SARS-CoV-2 infection and oral manifestations.

Methods

The research was conducted on PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholars and Cochrane Library from March 2020 to May 2023. Each study was subjected to data extraction; including authors, year and month of publication, study type, patients' average age, type and localization of oral lesions, the positivity of the SARS-CoV-2 virus test, and comorbidities.

Results

A total of 43 studies met the inclusion criteria and a total of 507 COVID-19 patients with 496 oral lesions were included. The most frequent was ulceration and the most common localization was the tongue.

Conclusions

The results of our systematic review show a possible correlation between COVID-19 infection and oral manifestations. Further studies are required to determine if the lesions are directly connected to the virus.

Utilization of optimized microwave sintering to produce safe and sustainable one-part alkali-activated materials

Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) as an alkaline activator presents a vital limitation in the mass production of alkali-activated binders due to its severe effect on users' safety. In this study, safe and sustainable one-part alkali-activated slag mixes (OP-AAS) were prepared through an efficient microwave sintering for a mixture of active amorphous ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) and sodium hydroxide powder (NaOH). Different microwave-sintered powders were prepared using microwave energy of power 900 W for the mixture at different treatment periods (10, 20, and 30 min). Fresh and hardened properties of different OP-AAS mixes were studied. Moreover, the phase composition and microstructure were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Cytotoxicity/viability testing was performed to evaluate the cell death induced by the developed materials to measure their safety for the user. According to compressive strength, cytotoxicity/viability analysis, environmental impact and cost calculation of developed OP-AAS, it is concluded that employing microwave sintering for a short duration is sufficient to produce safe binding materials with adequate mechanical properties suitable for commercial applications in the construction sector.

Modern cemented Furlong hemiarthroplasty: Are dislocations rates better?

BACKGROUND

Dislocation following hip hemiarthroplasty is a major complication with increased mortality and morbidity. Data looking at dislocation following contemporary bipolar stems are lacking in literature.

METHODS

Retrospective review of our prospective national hip fracture database over a two-year period. Group 1 comprised of consecutive patients receiving bipolar Furlong prosthesis (N222) while Group 2 was made up of a historical cohort (uncemented; N254). Clinical and radiological records were reviewed to determine dislocation rates, causes and associative factors of dislocations. Data were analysed using SPSS.

RESULTS

Following 476 hemiarthroplasties performed during the study period, 12 (2.5%) dislocations were reported (eight in Group 1; four in Group 2). There was no significant difference in dislocation rates (3.6% vs 1.6%) between groups (p = 0.159). Subgroup analysis of Group 1 demonstrated a significant difference in dislocations with Furlong cemented (6%) as compared with Furlong uncemented (0%) hemiarthroplasties (p = 0.024). Following dislocation, death rates increased to 8.3% from 1.7% in both groups.

CONCLUSION

There is a statistically significant increase in dislocation rate following use of cemented Furlong prosthesis when compared to similar uncemented prosthesis at the same treatment period. However, when compared to traditional uncemented prosthesis, there is no difference in dislocation rates.

Water quality assessment of Lake Burullus, Egypt, utilizing statistical and GIS modeling as environmental hydrology applications

GIS is a very powerful tool for analyzing huge amount of data and connecting them with the geography; moreover, recently, there is great advancement in the field. The main objective of this study is to assess the water quality (WQ) and trophic status (TS) conditions of Lake Burullus, Egypt, using statistical modeling (PCA/FA and CA), WQ index (L-WQI), and trophic status index (Carlson TSI and TRIX) approaches, in addition to using GIS tools for building models able to automatically calculate the various indices and producing color coded maps for the lake. The results indicated that PCA/FA grouped the twenty-four WQ parameters into nine principal components explaining 72.6% of the total variance, domestic, and agriculture pollution were dominant. CA divided the twelve sampling stations into most and least polluted groups. The lake WQ was classified as a "Very Poor," according to L-WQI. Moreover, the results of the Carlson TSI and TRIX indices were coincided and classified the eutrophication levels in the lake as "Hyper-Eutrophic" and "Elevated Trophic," respectively. Based on the results of this study, Lake Burullus needs urgent plans for recovering its WQ. Pre-treatment for its drains' effluents and implementing of a periodical WQ monitoring program are highly recommended.

Effects of laser photobiomodulation in the management of oral lichen planus: a literature review

Objectives

This review aims to understand whether Photobio-modulation (PBM) therapy is a valid aid in the management of Oral Lichen Planus (OLP) and its symptoms. Moreover, an analysis to determine whether it is a valid replacement for conventional therapies and whether standardized protocols can be used in PBM sessions or whether these should be changed depending on the type of injury has been made. Finally, an evaluation to determine whether PBM may induce transformation of dysplastic oral keratinocytes into squamous cell carcinoma has been made.

Materials and Methods

Searches were conducted on two search databases for relevant publications released between 1992 and 2019. The databases used were: Pubmed "Medline", and Google Scholar. Forty-four articles complied with the inclusion criteria and were included for quality assessment and data extraction.

Results

All the studies reported positive effects of PBM; how-ever, there was wide heterogeneity in the laser parameters used in the management of the OLP. The effective dose ranges from 2 to 3 J/cm2, in order to see the desired biological effects.

Conclusions

PBM is useful in controlling algal sensation and can be used in cases of OLP lesions that are not responsive to conventional therapies or when corticosteroid doses are too high for the patient, resulting in possible side effects. Standardized biostimulation protocols with further scientific insights are therefore required.

Change detection for Lake Burullus, Egypt using remote sensing and GIS approaches

Lake Burullus is the second largest natural coastal lake in Egypt. It has an economic importance for fish yield. However, several anthropogenic activities such as industrial, agriculture, and reclamation activities lead to a deterioration of its water quality and a decrease of the water body area of the lake. This study aims to detect the spatiotemporal changes of Lake Burullus in the period 1972-2015 using 12 Landsat {(1,3-MSS), (4,5-TM), and (7-ETM+)} imageries and water indices approach. To extract water feature from imageries, the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) and the Water Ratio Index (WRI) were applied. The NDWI was applied to the MSS imageries. For other TM and ETM+ imageries, the WRI was applied. Obtained results show a significant decrease in the water area of the Lake Burullus, where it lost about (49%) of its surface area during the period from the year 1972 to the year 2015. A rapid decrease in the lake surface area was noticed through the period from 1972 to 1984. A prediction model was built depending on the calculated water area of the lake. Finally, the multi-temporal maps of the lake surface area are overlaid to produce a map for the changes of the lake surface area using Geographic Information System (GIS).

Research Note. One minute, intraoperative assessment of the viability of hydatid cysts using a simple reagent strip test

The aim of the current work was to evaluate the possibility of using a rapid and simple reagent strip test to investigate the viability of hydatid cysts intraoperatively, via testing certain biochemical parameters. Thirty eight HCF samples were processed and examined by different methods for determining the viability status. Using the reagent strip test in the current study, the highest significant level of glucose was detected in HCF samples with the highest viability % at pH 7.5 and the lowest significant level of glucose was detected in HCF samples with the lowest viability % at pH 8.5, indicating a likely correlation between glucose concentration and the viability of PSs. On the contrary, protein was not detected in HCF containing viable PSs and was found to be higher in HCF containing non-viable PSs, denoting the possible degenerative processes in such PSs. Haemoglobin was found in trace amounts in all of our samples. In addition, the strip test detected bacterial contamination in 8 samples and biliary leakage in 7 samples. Our results suggest that the simple reagent strip test can assist in providing fast, uncomplicated primary data regarding the viability status of the hydatid cysts. Thus, it may aid the surgeons to make informed decisions for further management and appropriate follow up to minimise the risk of post-operative recurrence.

Patient evaluation of outpatient venous thromboembolism prophylaxis service following lower limb injuries using a developed validated questionnaire

This paper explores patients' perceptions of a new service and protocol for managing outpatient venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis, using either subcutaneous Dalteparin or oral off-license Dabigatran in patients with lower limb injury requiring immobilisation. Establishing a patient's perspective is part of good practice as, when this is positive, it aids patient compliance and protocol dissemination. A questionnaire consisting of fifty questions was given at random to one hundred patients over a six month period when they attended the trauma clinic. Each question was scored on a five point Likert scale (1 = poor, 5 = excellent) by the patient. The internal consistency of the questionnaire (Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient) was more than 0.9 in all domains. Qualitative analysis was done for open-ended questions. One hundred respondents completed the questionnaire, two were void due to significant amounts of incomplete data. The gender split was 54 females, 43 males, and one did not answer the question. The average age was 43 (range 18-72). Sixty seven respondents were first-time attenders, 22 were follow-up patients and nine did not complete this section. The overall average score was 4.26 (range 1-5), with 90% of the patients recommending the service. The overall patient satisfaction for a VTE prophylaxis service is high although there is room for improvement as demonstrated by the range of the scores.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices of health-care personnel towards waste disposal management at Ain Shams University Hospitals, Cairo

This study assessed knowledge, attitudes and practices of health-care providers towards waste management at Ain Shams University Hospitals, Cairo, Egypt. In this cross-sectional study 110 physicians, 151 nurses and 89 housekeepers were interviewed using a pre-designed questionnaire. Housekeepers were significantly more knowledgeable than physicians or nurses about hospital policies and systems for waste disposal, but less so about specific details of disposal. Housekeepers also had the highest overall scores for attitudes to waste disposal among the 3 groups. Significantly more nurses had satisfactory practice scores (84.0%) than did physicians (67.3%) (housekeepers were not assessed). Training and duration of work experience were not significantly associated with knowledge, attitude and practice scores, except for nurses with longer work experience, who were more likely to have satisfactory knowledge about waste disposal than less experienced nurses.

Quality of operation notes in orthopaedic hip arthroplasty surgery: are we complying with British Orthopaedic Association's guide to good practice?

This retrospective audit evaluates the compliance of our operation notes with the British Orthopaedic Society Primary Hip Arthroplasty 'A guide to good practice' using a 24-data point question (BOA 2006). Ninety-nine notes reviewed, of which 94% had patient identifiers, the surgical team was documented in 92.5%, post-operative instruction in 97%, and prosthesis stability in 97% of cases. Despite high standards, we did not achieve the 100% gold standard. We suggest that increased awareness of the 24-point BOA guideline via education and proformas would help to ensure better practice

An evidence-based warfarin management protocol reduces surgical delay in hip fracture patients

Background

Up to 4 % of patients presenting with a hip fracture may be on warfarin at admission. There is little consensus on the timing, dosage or route of vitamin K administration. We aimed to evaluate the impact of a locally developed, evidence-based protocol for perioperative warfarin management on the admission-to-operation time (AOT) in hip fracture patients.

Materials and methods

Clinical and demographic data were collected prospectively for hip fracture patients who were on warfarin at the time of admission (post-protocol group) and compared to a historical control group of patients who were on warfarin before implementation of the protocol (pre-protocol group). Univariate analysis was undertaken to identify any significant differences between the two groups.

Results

Twenty-seven patients in the pre-protocol group (27/616, 4.4 %) and 40 patients in the post-protocol group (4.7 %, 40/855) were on warfarin at admission. There was a significant reduction in the median AOT from 73 h (IQR 46–105) to 37.7 h (IQR 28–45) after implementation of the warfarin protocol (p < 0.001). The proportion of patients operated on within 48 h of admission increased from 30 % (8/27) in the pre-protocol group to 80 % (32/40) in the post-protocol group (p < 0.001). No significant differences in hospital length of stay (p = 0.77) or the postoperative warfarin recommencement time (p = 0.90) were noted between the two groups.

Conclusion

Implementation of a perioperative warfarin management protocol can expedite surgery in hip fracture patients, but did not reduce hospital stay in our cohort, possibly because of a delay in recommencing warfarin in these patients postoperatively.

Level of evidence

Level III.

The cost of outpatient venous thromboembolism prophylaxis following lower limb injuries

This paper reports the cost of outpatient venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis following 388 injuries of the lower limb requiring immobilisation in our institution, from a total of 7408 new patients presenting between May and November 2011. Prophylaxis was by either self-administered subcutaneous dalteparin (n = 128) or oral dabigatran (n = 260). The mean duration of prophylaxis per patient was 46 days (6 to 168). The total cost (pay and non-pay) for prophylaxis with dalteparin was £107.54 and with dabigatran was £143.99. However, five patients in the dalteparin group required nurse administration (£23 per home visit), increasing the cost of dalteparin to £1142.54 per patient. The annual cost of VTE prophylaxis in a busy trauma clinic treating 12 700 new patients (2010/11), would be £92 526.33 in the context of an income for trauma of £1.82 million, which represents 5.3% of the outpatient tariff. Outpatient prophylaxis in a busy trauma clinic is achievable and affordable in the context of the clinical and financial risks involved.

Patellar resurfacing in primary total knee replacement: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Treatment of the patella during total knee replacement is an area of continuing debate. We performed a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials to address the hypothesis that patellar resurfacing in primary total knee replacement improved patient outcome.

METHODS

Randomized controlled trials comparing patellar resurfacing with nonresurfacing in primary total knee replacement were included. The primary outcomes analyzed were knee scores, anterior knee pain, and patient satisfaction. We also investigated the prevalence of complications, revision surgery related specifically to the patellofemoral joint, the infection rate, operative time, and radiographic appearance.

RESULTS

Sixteen randomized controlled trials assessing 3465 knee replacements were eligible; 1710 procedures included patellar resurfacing and 1755 did not. The knee component of the Knee Society Score was significantly higher in the resurfacing group (p = 0.005); however, no significant difference was observed for the function component of the Knee Society Score or for any other reported knee score. Anterior knee pain was reported in 13% of resurfaced knees and in 24% of nonresurfaced knees; this difference was not significant (p = 0.1). Patients were satisfied with the outcome after 485 (90%) of 539 procedures that included patellar resurfacing compared with 488 (89%) of 548 that did not; this difference was not significant. There were ninety-three reported patellofemoral complications in the resurfacing group and 205 in the nonresurfacing group; this difference was significant (p = 0.02) in a random-effect model. The rate of reoperation because of anterior knee pain (p &lt; 0.00001) and the rate of reoperation because of any patellofemoral complication (p = 0.002) were significantly higher in the nonresurfaced group. No differences were found in the analyses of infection rate, operative time, or radiographic appearance.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients who underwent patellar resurfacing experienced anterior knee pain and satisfaction with the arthroplasty procedure that were equivalent to those experienced by patients whose patella was not resurfaced; however, these patients underwent significantly fewer additional surgical procedures. Further long-term follow-up of modern prostheses in randomized studies measuring outcome with a patella-specific score is needed.

HCV iatrogenic and intrafamilial transmission in Greater Cairo, Egypt

OBJECTIVES

To document hepatitis C virus (HCV) intrafamilial transmission and assess its relative importance in comparison to other current modes of transmission in the country with the largest HCV epidemic in the world. HCV intrafamilial transmission was defined as HCV transmission among relatives living in the same household.

DESIGN

Case-control study. Cases were adult patients with acute hepatitis C diagnosed in two 'fever hospitals' of Cairo. Controls were adult patients with acute hepatitis A diagnosed in the same two hospitals, and family members of cases. All consenting household members of cases provided blood for HCV serological and RNA testing. Homology of viral sequences (NS5b region) within households was used to ascertain HCV intrafamilial transmission. Exposures at risk for HCV during the 1-6 months previous to onset of symptoms were assessed in all cases and controls.

RESULTS

From April 2002 to June 2007, 100 cases with acute hepatitis C, and 678 controls (416 household members and 262 patients with acute hepatitis A) were recruited in the study. Factors independently associated with HCV infection and their attributable fractions (AFs) were the following: having had a catheter (OR=5.0, 95% CI=1.4 to 17.8; AF=6.7%), an intravenous perfusion (OR=5.8, 95% CI=2.5 to 13.3; AF=20.1%), stitches (OR=2.0, 95% CI=1.3 to 6.6; AF=10.7%), gum treatment (OR=3.7, 95% CI=1.1 to 11.9; AF=3.8%) and being illiterate (OR=2.4, 95% CI=1.4 to 4.4). Of the 100 cases, 18 had viraemic HCV-infected household members. Three long-married (>15&emsp14;years) couples were infected with virtually identical sequences and none of the three index patients reported any exposure at risk, suggesting HCV intra-familial transmission.

CONCLUSION

While three new HCV infections out of 100 could be linked to intra-familial transmission, parenteral iatrogenic transmission (dental care included) was accountable for 34.6% of these new infections. Thus, the relative contribution of intrafamilial transmission to HCV spread seems to be limited.

Functional outcome of computer-assisted spinal pedicle screw placement: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 23 studies including 5,992 pedicle screws

A number of studies have shown increased accuracy of pedicle screw placement in spine with the help of computer-assisted navigation. The literature is lacking in regard to functional benefit derived from this technique. The aim of this systematic review was to look at the functional outcomes following computer-assisted pedicle screw placement in spine. A 'Dialog Datastar' search was used using optimized search strategy covering the period from 1950 to July 2009; 23 papers were finally included which met our inclusion criteria. We report on a total of 1,288 patients with 5,992 pedicle screws. The comparison of neurological complications in two groups demonstrated an odds ratio of 0.25 (95% CI 0.06, 1.14) in favour of using navigation for pedicle screw insertion (p = 0.07). Comparative trials demonstrated a significant advantage in terms of accuracy of navigation over conventional pedicle screw insertion with a relative risk of 1.12 (95% CI 1.09, 1.15) (p < 0.00001). Navigation does not show statistically significant benefit in reducing neurological complications and there was insufficient data in the literature to infer a conclusion in terms of fusion rate, pain relief and health outcome scores.

Gastrointestinal parasites of stray cats in Kashan, Iran

Considering the role of parasites in contamination of human beings and domestic animals and lack of information in the region, the present study was performed to investigate the infection status of helminthes and protozoa of stray cats in central Iran. A cross - sectional study was conducted on 113 stray cats trapped from different geographic regions of Kashan during four seasons and were necropsied. Different organs including: kidney, heart, liver, lungs, gastrointestinal tract and abdominal cavity were inspected for helminthes and protozoa infection. Animal's characters including: genus, weight, and season, location, microscopic and macroscopic findings were recorded in a special form. Data were classified and statistically analyzed with a confidence interval of 95%. Chi- Squire Test was used to show the relationship between different factors and parasitic infection. From a total 113 stray cats examined, 67(59.3%) were male and 46(40.7%) were female. Fifteen species of endoparasite including helminthes and protozoa were detected in intestine and fecal sample of the examined cats. There were six protozoa, five cestodes and four nematodes. All endoparasite were localized in the gastrointestinal tract. Overall 108 cats (95.6%) have been infected with at least one of the endoparasites. Prevalences of parasites found were Nematodea: Toxocara cati 13.3%, Physaloptera preputialis 39.8%, Rictularia 52.2% and Uncinaria stenocephala 1.8%; Cestodea: Mesocestoides lineatus 7.1%, Taenia taeniaformis 15%, Diplopylidium nolleri 64.6%, Dipylidium caninum 68.1% and Joyeuxiella echinorhyncoides 85%; Sporozoea: Isospora rivolta 5.3%, Isospora felis 5.3%, Sarcocystis spp 8%, Blastocystis spp 16.8% and Zoomastigophorea: Giardia felis 0.9% and Trichomonas spp 1.8%. Contamination rate for zoonotic parasites of cat was greater than expected in Kashan region. In this respect, appropriate control measures should be taken and it is recommended to determine the most appropriate preventive methods.

Acute care of hip fractures in centenarians--do we need more resources?

The centenarian population in England and Wales is the most rapidly increasing age group, yet we have little information as regards their acute hospital stay and delay in surgery after hip fracture. We reviewed the records of 26 centenarians with hip fracture between 2000 and 2007 and compared them to a randomly selected control group of 50 hip fracture patients between the ages of 75 and 85 years. The mean stay in acute orthopaedic wards for centenarians was 20.7 days and for the control group was 14.9 days (p=0.015). Centenarians had a mean delay in surgery of 3.6 days while non-centenarians were operated within a mean of 1.9 days, which was not statistically significant (p=0.241). The longer acute hospital stay in our centenarian cohort would amount to a mean extra cost of pound 2511 per patient.

Computer assisted orthopaedic surgical system for insertion of distal locking screws in intra-medullary nails: a valid and reliable navigation system

The insertion of distal locking screws is a difficult task in intra-medullary (IM) nailing operations of long bones and contributes a significant proportion to the overall operating time. The current technique to insert these screws uses numerous fluoroscopic images and depends on the skills and expertise of the surgeon. The Computer Assisted Orthopaedic Surgical System (CAOSS) was developed to assist orthopaedic surgeons in these operations. The laboratory based test results for insertion of distal locking screws in IM nailing procedures are presented and discussed in terms of accuracy and as part of the validation process to introduce new CAOS procedures into clinical use. This study shows that CAOSS in IM nailing is robust and reliable. Positional accuracy was shown to be within 0.3 mm and angular accuracy within 0.2 degrees with femoral IM nail. CAOSS was also shown to be very reliable and accurate at different angles of distal screws in fluoroscopic image space.

Differences among breeds and manifestation of heterosis in AI boar sperm output

A total of 271,547 records of semen collections were utilized to appraise sperm characteristics of 3319 boars belonging to eight breeds: Czech Large White (CLW), Czech Landrace (CLA), Prestice Black-Pied (PBP), Czech Meat Pig (CM), Hampshire (HA), Duroc (DC), Pietrain (PN), Large White (LW), and various crosses of these breeds. The data was collected over 8 years (1990-1997) from insemination stations for boars in the Czech Republic. The assessment of sperm output was based on semen volume, number of total spermatozoa and number of viable spermatozoa. A linear model was used for statistical analysis included fixed effects of breed or crossbred combinations, boar within breed or crossbred combinations, year-season, and linear and quadratic regression on age of boars at collection and on interval between collections. The average semen volume of boars ranged from 161 to 349 ml, number of total spermatozoa from 81x10(9) to 119x10(9) and number of viable spermatozoa from 60x10(9) to 86x10(9). The lowest values were detected in DC while the highest were observed in LW. In general, sperm output significantly differed across breeds and their crossbreeds. The highest heterosis effect for semen volume was 30.6% (HA x PN), for number of total spermatozoa 18.2% (HA x PN) and 10.4% for number of viable spermatozoa (CLA x DC). Sperm output varied with season, including high values in autumn and winter and low ones in spring and summer.

Recovery of distal hole axis in intramedullary nail trajectory planning

In intramedullary nail (IMN) surgical operations, one of the main efforts for surgeons is to find the axes of two distal holes. Two distal holes on an IMN, which are inside the intramedullary canal of a patient's femur, can only be seen in a lateral X-ray view. For the standard surgical procedure, the localization of the distal hole axes is a trial-and-error process which results in a long surgical time and large dose of X-ray exposure. In this paper, an algorithm to derive the three-dimensional position and orientation of the distal hole axis was developed. The algorithm first derives the nail axis through two X-ray images. Then the distal hole axis is calculated through projecting back the hole boundary on the X-ray image from a lateral view to three-dimensional space. A least-squares method is used to determine the centres of the front hole and the back hole through iteration. The algorithm has been tested with real data and it was robust.

Cloning of genomic and cDNA for mouse isovaleryl-CoA dehydrogenase (IVD) and evolutionary comparison to other known IVDs

Isovaleryl-CoA dehydrogenase (IVD) is an intramitochondrial homotetrameric flavoenzyme that catalyzes the conversion of isovaleryl-CoA to 3-methylcrotonyl-CoA in the leucine catabolism pathway. Deficiency of IVD in humans causes isovaleric acidemia, which shows tremendous clinical variability for reasons that are unknown. To help better understand this disorder, we have cloned and sequenced the mouse IVD genomic and cDNAs. The mouse IVD gene spans approximately 17 kb and contains 12 coding exons organized identically to the human gene. It maps to mouse chromosome 2 in the area of band 2E4-E5, corresponding to the syntenic region of human chromosome 15. Mouse IVD predicted amino acid sequences are 95.8 and 89.6% identical to that of the rat and human sequences, respectively, with conservation of key functional residues. We have now identified IVD sequences from seven species. Comparison of these sequences shows that the rat and mouse proteins are the most closely related, both of which, in turn, share highest homology to human. All of the mammalian enzymes appear to be more closely related than any of the IVDs on other branches of the phylogram, while the fly and worm IVDs are the most divergent. The invertebrate IVDs are more closely related to the mammalian enzymes than to those from two plant species.

Outbreaks of influenza A in nursing homes in Sheffield during the 1997-1998 season: implications for diagnosis and control

Three recent outbreaks of influenza A in nursing and residential homes in Sheffield were characterized by high attack rates among both residents and staff, and a high mortality rate among residents. The epidemiology of the outbreaks was unusual in that all three occurred towards the end of a quiet influenza season, against a generally low level of community activity, and involved strains of influenza that were not included in the current season's vaccine. The outbreak investigation was aided by the use of a novel rapid diagnostic technique. In future the combination of vaccination, surveillance, rapid diagnosis and new antineuraminidase drugs should improve prospects for control of influenza within closed communities.

Brucellosis in fish

Brucellosis is a zoonotic infectious disease that represents serious economic and health problems. It has been extensively studied in different species of livestock but literary references to fish brucellosis are scarce. Therefore, the purpose of the research hereby presented was to investigate the serologic-bacteriologic response of Nile catfish to experimental infection with brucellosis. Thirty predatory catfishes were used. They were divided into two groups. The first was subjected to s. c. infection with Brucella melitensis biovar 3, the other to s. c. application of physiological solution. Three fishes from each group were killed once a week within 5 weeks to subject them to serologic-bacteriologic examinations. It was found that brucella antibodies were detected in the blood of infected fishes after 7 days post-inoculation. The antibody titre was maintained throughout the period of observation. The organism was also recovered from visceral organs of infected fishes. On the other hand, none of control fishes showed any serologic or bacteriologic response. These results suggest that fish could be considered as a suspectable species to brucellosis. Subsequently, further studies are needed to clarify the possible role of fish in the disease transmission.

4',17-dioxo-5'H-estra-1(10),4-dieno[3,2-b]furan: synthesis, binding affinity to the estrogen receptor, uterotrophic and antiimplantation activities

4',17-Dioxo-5'H-estra-1(10),4-dieno[3,2-b]furan (3) has been prepared by several routes starting from 2-bromoacetylestrone (2). Performance of the reaction with thiourea at elevated temperature provided compound 3 in good yield. When other reagents such as thiosemicarbazide, morpholine, sodium hydroxide or sodium hydride were treated with 2-bromoacetylestrone at room temperature, the furano derivative 3 was also obtained as the sole product. This new type of structural modification provided an estrogen nucleus deprived of the 3-hydroxyl function which was previously thought to be an essential requisite for binding to the estrogen receptor (ER). When evaluated in vitro for binding to the ER and in vivo for uterotrophic and antifertility activities, the furano derivative 3 was capable of inhibiting [3H]E2 binding by 16% while still eliciting high uterotrophic (99%) and postcoital antiimplantation (100%) activities relative to estradiol.

Bleeding from an epiphrenic oesophageal diverticulum

A 49-year-old woman with a 2-month history of mild dysphagia and three episodes of haematemesis was found at endoscopy and barium swallow to have an epiphrenic oesophageal diverticulum containing an ulcerating crypt, but no ectopic gastric epithelium. Diverticulectomy and lower oesophageal myotomy gave a good result.

Synthesis and evaluation for uterotrophic and antiimplantation activities of 2-substituted estradiol derivatives

Two novel series of 2-substituted estradiol derivatives have been synthesized and evaluated for uterotrophic and antiimplantation activities. Among the compounds tested in the rat, 2-acetylestradiol 17 beta-acetate (1), 2-(3'-dimethylamino-1'-propionyl)estradiol 3,17 beta-diacetate (7), 2-(3'-diethylamino-1'-propionyl)estradiol 3,17 beta-diacetate (8), 2-(3'-piperidino-1'-propionyl)estradiol 3,17 beta-diacetate (9), 1'-(2-estradiol 3,17 beta-diacetate-3'-diethylaminopropionyl thiosemicarbazone (12), and 1'-(2-estradiol 3,17 beta-diacetate)-3'-morpholinopropionyl thiosemicarbazone (14) displayed estrogenic activity. At dosages of 4 microliters/rat/day, none of the tested compounds elicited antiimplantation activity. All compounds shared a similar characteristic: nuclear substitution at the C-2 position of the steroid nucleus, a property previously thought to be markedly inhibitory for estrogenic activity.

Synthesis of 3-aryl-2-substituted-4(3H)-quinazolines as potential antimicrobial agents

Three new series of 4(3H)-quinazolinone derivatives were synthesized, namely: [3-Aryl-4(3H)-quinazolinon-2-yl]-methylenehydrazino-(N- substituted)-thiocarbamides, 3-Aryl-2-(3-substituted-4-phenyl-2,3-dihydrothiazol-2-ylidenehy drazonomethyl)-4 (3H)-quinazolinones and 3-Aryl-2-(3-substituted-4-oxothiazolidin-2-ylidenehydrazonometh yl)-4(3H)-quinazolinones. The antimicrobial activities of the synthesized compounds were also studied.

Novel thiazolidine-2,4-dione-4-thiosemicarbazone and 4-[(3,4-diaryl-3H-thiazol-2-yl)azo]thiazolidin-2-one derivatives: synthesis and evaluation for antimicrobial and anticancer properties

Two novel series of 3-benzylthiazolidine-2,4-dione-4-thiosemicarbazones (V - IX) and 3-benzyl-4-[(3,4-diaryl-3H-thiazol-2-yl)azo]thiazolidin-2-on es (X - XXII) were synthesized as potential antimicrobial and anticancer agents. The products were found to be inactive against a variety of microorganisms and the preliminary antileukemic evaluation of some representative compounds against P 388 lymphocytic leukemia indicated insignificant activity.

Steroidal derivatives. Part 1: some novel steroidal thiosemicarbazones. Their synthesis, anticancer and endocrinological activities

The synthesis of several novel thiosemicarbazone derivatives of steroids, including estrogens and androgens, is described. Evaluation of the products in P 388 Lymphocytic Leukemia indicated no anticancer activity. The endocrinological screening showed that estrogenicity is slightly reduced but not abolished in the thiosemicarbazones derived from estrone-3-methyl ether (compounds 1, 2 and 4). The androgenic activity of the thiosemicarbazones derived from testosterone (compounds 7--9) was more pronounced than that of testosterone. Among the same thiosemicarbazone derivatives 7--9, only o-tolyl derivative 8 exhibited anabolic activity.

New facile synthesis of 2-substituted aminobenzimidazoles

In this investigation, the cyclodesulphurization of N-o-aminophenyl-N'-phenylthiourea to produce 2-phenylaminobenzimidazole under the influence of dimethylsulphate was thoroughly studied under different reaction conditions. The mechanism of such reaction was also suggested.

Novel synthesis of 2-substituted aminobenzimidazoles from thiourea derivatives

The use of different alkyl halides as effective cyclodesulfurizing agents was thoroughly studied. N-phenyl-,N'-[o-aminophenyl]-thiourea when treated with different alkyl halides gave rise to 2-phenyl-aminobenzimidazole. The optimum conditions for such cyclodesulfurization reaction were established by using eight equivalents of the alkyl halide, ethyl alcohol as solvent, and 8 h reflux. The reaction was also successfully applied to N-o-tolyl (benzyl or n-butyl)-N'-[o-aminophenyli1-thioureas to give rise to the corresponding 2-substituted aminobenzimidazoles.