Effect of Foot Insole on Planter Pressure Distribution in Patients with Neuropathic Diabetic Foot Ulcer: A Prospective, Randomized, Double-Blinded, Controlled Clinical Trial.

Patients with diabetes polyneuropathy are at a heightened risk for developing foot ulcers, often due to dynamic plantar foot pressure patterns that lead to increased pressure and shear forces in specific foot areas. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of foot insoles on peak pressure and the pressure-time integral in patients with polyneuropathy diabetic foot ulcers over a twelve-week period followed by an eight-week follow up. : This was a prospective, randomized, double-blinded, controlled clinical trial involving 60 patients aged between 50 and 65 years of both genders.

Endometrial Progesterone and Estrogen Receptors in Relation to Hormonal Levels in Women with Unexplained Recurrent Miscarriage.

Objective:  Recurrent miscarriage has been linked to hormonal disturbance due to dysregulation of its receptors rather than to the availability of the hormone. We aimed to investigate endometrial expression of progesterone and estrogen receptors in relation to serum and endometrial hormonal levels in unexplained recurrent miscarriage.

Methods:  The present case control study included 20 cases with unexplained recurrent miscarriage and 20 parous women as controls.

Evaluation of the Humoral and Cellular Immune Response Post COVID-19 Infection in Kidney Transplant Recipients.

Kidney transplantation is a major risk factor for severe forms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The dynamics and the persistence of the immune response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in this immunocompromised population remain largely unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the persistence of humoral and cellular immune response in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) and to establish whether immunosuppressive therapy influenced long-term immunity in this population.

Improved Performance of the QuantiFERON-SARS-CoV-2 Assay with the Extended Set.

Multiple assays have been developed for the characterization of the functional activation of SARS-CoV-2 specific T-cells. This study was conducted to assess the post-vaccination and post-infection T cell response, as detected by the QuantiFERON-SARS-CoV-2 assay using the combination of three SARS-CoV-2 specific antigens (Ag1, Ag2 and Ag3). An amount of 75 participants with different infection and vaccination backgrounds were recruited for the evaluation of humoral and cellular immune responses.

Beliefs around help-Seeking and Support for Dementia in the Australian Arabic Speaking Community.

Background: The number of people with dementia in multicultural Australia is rapidly increasing. Despite its culturally diverse population, there is limited research about how people from ethnic minority groups understand and approach help-seeking and support for dementia. The aim of this study is to understand the perceptions of dementia symptoms, help-seeking and support in the Australian Arabic-speaking community.

Lacrimal gland injection of platelet rich plasma for treatment of severe dry eye: a comparative clinical study.

Background: We aimed to assess the efficacy of the injections of platelet rich plasma (PRP) for the treatment of severe dry eye disease (DED).

Results: In this retrospecitve interventional clinincal study, we included 28 eyes of 14 patients with severe DED who were diagnosed with Sjogren syndrome. Each patient received unilateral lacrimal gland injection of PRP at days 0, 30, 60 and 90 days while the other eye served as control group who received preservative free eye drops.

Inborn Errors of Immunity in Algerian Children and Adults: A Single-Center Experience Over a Period of 13 Years (2008-2021).

Background: Inborn errors of immunity (IEI) predispose patients to various infectious and non-infectious complications. Thanks to the development and expanding use of flow cytometry and increased awareness, the diagnostic rate of IEI has markedly increased in Algeria the last decade.

Aim: This study aimed to describe a large cohort of Algerian patients with probable IEI and to determine their clinical characteristics and outcomes.

Shrimp sensitization in house dust mite algerian allergic patients: A single center experience.

Background: Cross-reactivity between shrimp and house dust mite (HDM) proteins has been widely documented. However, a significant geographical variability in sensitization patterns and cross-reactive allergens has been reported which may impact the diagnosis and management of shrimp allergy among HDM-shrimp co-sensitized patients. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of shrimp and tropomyosin sensitization among HDM-allergic patients in order to understand the local epidemiology to inform the development of targeted diagnostic and therapeutic tools.

Ocular Surface Changes in Patients with Thyroid Eye Disease: An Observational Clinical Study.

Background: This study aimed to compare ocular surface parameter changes in active and inactive thyroid eye disease (TED) patients and controls.

Methods: This is an observational clinical study that included 60 eyes divided into three groups following clinical activity score (CAS) assessment. The first group (Group A) comprised 20 eyes with active TED (CAS score ≥3/7), while the second group (Group B) comprised 20 eyes with inactive TED (CAS score <3/7) and the third group (Group C) comprised 20 eyes of controls without dry eye manifestations.

Optic nerve sheath fenestration in leukemic patients having increased intracranial pressure: a prospective clinical trial.

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of optic nerve sheath fenestration (ONSF) in leukemic children having increased intracranial pressure with severe uncontrolled visual loss on medical treatment and not eligible for venous sinus stenting.

Methods: In this non-randomized clinical trial, we included patients presenting with severe sight-threatening papilledema due to increased intracranial pressure following leukemia treatment. All included patients were subjected to a complete history taking, assessment of the visual acuity and fundus examination with fundus photography and grading of papilledema using Frisen scale.

The Role of the Flash Visual Evoked Potential in Evaluating Visual Function in Patients with Indirect Traumatic Optic Neuropathy.

Purpose: To assess the value of the flash visual evoked potential (FVEP) in determining final visual prognosis in patients with indirect traumatic optic neuropathy (TON).

Subjects And Methods: We included 30 patients diagnosed with indirect TON. Within one week of the onset of the trauma, visual acuity was recorded, pupillary reactions were assessed, FVEP was performed in both eyes.

Comparing the diagnostic value of Echocardiography In Stroke (CEIS) - results of a prospective observatory cohort study.

Background: Echocardiography is one of the main diagnostic tools for the diagnostic workup of stroke and is already well integrated into the clinical workup. However, the value of transthoracic vs. transesophageal echocardiography (TTE/TEE) in stroke patients is still a matter of debate.

Interleukin-6, procalcitonin and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio: Potential immune-inflammatory parameters to identify severe and fatal forms of COVID-19.

Accumulating evidence supports that the viral-induced hyper-inflammatory immune response plays a central role in COVID-19 pathogenesis. It might be involved in the progression to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), multi-organ failure leading to death. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of the immune-inflammatory biomarkers in COVID-19, then determine optimal thresholds for assessing severe and fatal forms of this disease.

T cell counts and IL-6 concentration in blood of North African COVID-19 patients are two independent prognostic factors for severe disease and death.

The immune system plays a crucial role in the response against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 with significant differences among patients. The study investigated the relationships between lymphocyte subsets, cytokines, and disease outcomes in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The measurements of peripheral blood lymphocytes subsets and cytokine levels were performed by flow cytometry for 57 COVID-19 patients.

Autoantibody profile in a cohort of Algerian patients with systemic sclerosis.

Aim: To describe the autoantibody profile in a cohort of Algerian patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and to determine clinical associations between SSc-related autoantibodies, disease subtypes and specific clinical features.

Methods: Consecutive Algerian patients with SSc were included in the present study. In addition to clinical characterization, all subjects underwent autoantibody testing using indirect immunofluorescence, immunoenzymatic, and line immunoblot assays.

Epidemiological and immunochemical parameters of monoclonal plasma cell dyscrasias of 2121 cases in Algeria.

Background: Plasma cell dyscrasias (PCD) are a heterogeneous group of diseases characterized by the expansion of monoclonal bone marrow plasma cells that produce a monoclonal immunoglobulin (M-component).

Purpose: This is a retrospective study that describes the epidemiological, immunochemical features and etiology of monoclonal gammopathies diagnosed between 1998 and 2016 in the Teaching Hospital Beni-Messous of Algiers.

Patients And Methods: 2121 cases of monoclonal gammopathies (MG) were collected during this period.

Vaginal misoprostol before copper IUD insertion after previous insertion failure: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, randomised clinical trial.

The aim of the study was to assess whether vaginal administration of misoprostol before copper intrauterine device (IUD) insertion increased the success of the procedure among parous women with previous insertion failure. A single-centre, parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised clinical trial was conducted at Ain Shams University Maternity Hospital, Cairo, Egypt, between October 2015 and August 2016. The study comprised 90 parous women undergoing TCu380A IUD insertion after a failed attempt.

Th17 pathway genes polymorphisms in Algerian patients with systemic sclerosis.

Objective: TH17 cells have involved in the pathogenesis of several autoimmune diseases including systemic sclerosis (SSc). The aim of our study was to investigate an association of IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-21, IL-23R and STAT3 genes with SSc susceptibility, and clinical and immunological phenotypes.

Patients And Methods: The case-control study included 136 patients suffering from SSc and 317 healthy controls of the Algerian population.

SAFlex: A structural alphabet extension to integrate protein structural flexibility and missing data information.

In this paper, we describe SAFlex (Structural Alphabet Flexibility), an extension of an existing structural alphabet (HMM-SA), to better explore increasing protein three dimensional structure information by encoding conformations of proteins in case of missing residues or uncertainties. An SA aims to reduce three dimensional conformations of proteins as well as their analysis and comparison complexity by simplifying any conformation in a series of structural letters. Our methodology presents several novelties.

Prediction of spontaneous preterm birth: salivary progesterone assay and transvaginal cervical length assessment after 24 weeks of gestation, another critical window of opportunity.

Measurement of salivary progesterone (SP4) levels and cervical length (CL) after 24 weeks to assess their potential predictive value among asymptomatic women at high risk of spontaneous preterm birth (PTB). This prospective observational (noninterventional) study consecutively recruited asymptomatic women at high risk of spontaneous PTB. SP4 and CL were measured at recruitment (24-28 weeks of gestation) then repeated after 3-4 weeks.

Association of MTHFR C677T and A1298C gene polymorphisms with methotrexate efficiency and toxicity in Algerian rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Methotrexate (MTX) is the most used drug in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment. However, it shows variability in clinical response, which is explained by an association with genetic polymorphisms. This study aimed to elucidate the role of the two gene polymorphism C677T and A1298C of the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) in response to MTX in Algerian RA patients.

Association study of single nucleotide polymorphisms of IL23R and IL17 in rheumatoid arthritis in the Algerian population.

Objective: Previous studies implicated that IL17/IL23 pathway and TH17 cells play an important role in autoimmune inflammation. Genome wide association studies have identified multiple single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the IL23R and IL17 genes region associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: In this study, we investigated the association of IL23R, IL17A and IL17F genes SNPs with RA susceptibility in the Algerian population.