Prevalence and risk assessment of microplastics in the Nile Delta estuaries: "The Plastic Nile" revisited.

Recent research is directed toward studying plastic pollution in rivers, and estuaries due to the importance of freshwater bodies in all aspects of life. The river deltas and estuaries are interesting for studying the flux of plastics into the oceans. The Nile River has been identified as a hot spot of plastic litter flux in the eastern Mediterranean basin.

The role of MRI-R2* in the detection of subclinical pancreatic iron loading among transfusion-dependent sickle cell disease patients and correlation with hepatic and cardiac iron loading.

Objectives: Pancreatic reserve could be preserved by early assessment of pancreatic iron overload among transfusion-dependent sickle cell disease (SCD) patients. This study aimed to measure pancreatic iron load and correlate its value with patients' laboratory and radiological markers of iron overload.

Materials And Methods: Sixty-six SCD children and young adults underwent MRI T2* relaxometry using a simple mathematical spreadsheet and laboratory assessment.

Epistaxis in a Pediatric Outpatient Clinic: Could It be an Alarming Sign?

 Epistaxis is a common presentation among children.  To investigate the suitability of a simple tool of assessment for patients with epistaxis that could guide in subgrouping those with possible bleeding tendencies who may need further assessment.  Children who presented to a tertiary outpatient clinic with epistaxis of an unknown cause were recruited.

Geochemical and hydrogeological factors influencing high levels of radium contamination in groundwater in arid regions.

One of the most challenging environmental issues in arid regions is radionuclide groundwater contamination; typically, radionuclide sources, mobility, and spatial distributions are not well understood. The main objectives of this study are to investigate the groundwater hydrochemistry and identify the factors governing the radium occurrences and mobility. Groundwater samples were collected from shallow unconfined zone and deep confined Saq sandstone aquifer in the Hail area, Saudi Arabia.

Land use/cover and eco-toxicity indices for identifying metal contamination in sediments of drains, Manzala Lake, Egypt.

Six heavy metals in three main drains along the East Nile Delta were estimated to assess the environmental risk and employ land use/cover map of each drain. Composite sediment samples (n = 3) were collected from each drain. The elements were analyzed by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer.

Thyroid hemodynamic alterations in Egyptian patients with sickle cell disease: relation to disease severity, total body iron and thyroid function.

: Intraparenchymal thyroid Doppler measurements might be considered a useful index of the thyroid status as well as micro-circulation elsewhere in the body among sickle cell disease (SCD) patients. The authors aim to evaluate the intra-thyroidal hemodynamic changes and thyroidal volume in SCD patients and its relation to the disease severity, and thyroid functions tests as well as iron overload state. : Sixty SCD patients, randomly recruited from the regular attendants of the Pediatric Hematology Clinic, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt, were studied focusing on the disease duration, the transfusion history, the recorded Hydroxyurea, and chelation therapies and the vaso-occlusive crises history.

Angiotensinogen M235T Gene Polymorphism is a Genetic Determinant of Cerebrovascular and Cardiopulmonary Morbidity in Adolescents with Sickle Cell Disease.

Background: Cerebrovascular stroke is a common critical complication of sickle cell disease (SCD). Angiotensinogen (AGT) M235T gene polymorphism is associated with risk of ischemic stroke and cardiovascular disease.

Aim: We investigated the potential association between angiotensinogen M235T gene polymorphism and susceptibility to cerebrovascular and cardiopulmonary complications in adolescents with SCD.

Auditory brainstem response in full-term neonates born to mothers with iron deficiency anemia: relation to disease severity.

Iron is crucial for fetal brain development; however, there are insufficient data regarding the effects of maternal iron deficiency anemia (IDA) on auditory neural maturation. We evaluated the effect of maternal IDA on auditory brainstem response (ABR) in full-term neonates. Out of 223 pregnant women, 50 were diagnosed as having IDA and 50 healthy mothers were enrolled as controls.

Immunological role of CD4CD28 T lymphocytes, natural killer cells, and interferon-gamma in pediatric patients with sickle cell disease: relation to disease severity and response to therapy.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is associated with alterations in immune phenotypes. CD4CD28 T lymphocytes have pro-inflammatory functions and are linked to vascular diseases. To assess the percentage of CD4CD28 T lymphocytes, natural killer cells (NK), and IFN-gamma levels, we compared 40 children and adolescents with SCD with 40 healthy controls and evaluated their relation to disease severity and response to therapy.

Renal iron deposition by magnetic resonance imaging in pediatric β-thalassemia major patients: Relation to renal biomarkers, total body iron and chelation therapy.

Background: The reciprocal of multiecho gradient-echo (ME-GRE) T2* magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) R2*, rises linearly with tissue iron concentration in both heart and liver. Little is known about renal iron deposition in β-thalassemia major (β-TM).

Aim: To assess renal iron overload by MRI and its relation to total body iron and renal function among 50 pediatric patients with β-TM.

Integrating geochemical investigations and geospatial assessment to understand the evolutionary process of hydrochemistry and groundwater quality in arid areas.

Groundwater is the key for life in arid areas. Aquifer overexploitation and climatic conditions can significantly deteriorate groundwater quality. The Al-Qassim area in central Saudi Arabia is characterized by dense agricultural use and is irrigated mainly by fossil groundwater from the Saq Aquifer.

Incidence of Multidrug-Resistant Organism Among Children Admitted to Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in a Developing Country.

Aim: Multidrug-resistant infections are an increasingly common condition particularly in critical care units. This study aimed to determine the incidence and types of resistant bacteria acquired in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) of a university hospital.

Subject And Methods: A prospective study was conducted during the year 2016.

New potentially antihypertensive peptides liberated in milk during fermentation with selected lactic acid bacteria and kombucha cultures.

Compounds with the ability to inhibit angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) are used medically to treat human hypertension. The presence of such compounds naturally in food is potentially useful for treating the disease state. The goal of this study was to screen lactic acid bacteria, including species commonly used as dairy starter cultures, for the ability to produce new potent ACE-inhibiting peptides during milk fermentation.

Assessing the hydrogeochemical processes affecting groundwater pollution in arid areas using an integration of geochemical equilibrium and multivariate statistical techniques.

Rapid economic expansion poses serious problems for groundwater resources in arid areas, which typically have high rates of groundwater depletion. In this study, integration of hydrochemical investigations involving chemical and statistical analyses are conducted to assess the factors controlling hydrochemistry and potential pollution in an arid region. Fifty-four groundwater samples were collected from the Dhurma aquifer in Saudi Arabia, and twenty-one physicochemical variables were examined for each sample.

Spatial distribution and health risk assessment for groundwater contamination from intensive pesticide use in arid areas.

Arid and semiarid areas face major challenges in the management of scarce groundwater. This valuable resource is under pressures of population, economic expansion, contamination and over-exploitation. This research investigates groundwater vulnerability to pesticide contamination in the Al-Kharj area of Saudi Arabia.

Utility of labile plasma iron and transferrin saturation in addition to serum ferritin as iron overload markers in different underlying anemias before and after deferasirox treatment.

Objectives: Plasma markers in addition to serum ferritin (SF) may be useful for the assessment of iron overload; however, predictive utility may differ depending on underlying, transfusion-dependent, anemias.

Methods: Data were collected before and after 1 year of deferasirox treatment (end of study; EOS) from the large, 1-year EPIC (Evaluation of Patients' Iron Chelation with Exjade(®) ) study. Trends were evaluated between liver iron concentration (LIC), transferrin saturation (TfSat), predose labile plasma iron (LPI) and their relationship to SF categories in 1530 patients: thalassemia major (TM; n = 1114), myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS, n = 336), and sickle-cell disease (SCD, n = 80).

Neurocognitive outcome and white matter anisotropy in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia survivors treated with different protocols.

Neurocognitive outcome affects the quality of life of ALL survivors. This study is aimed to assess the prevalence of neurocognitive dysfunction by psychometric and imaging tools in survivors of childhood ALL, treated with 3 different protocols and the effect of time elapsed since the end of chemotherapy. Sixty-two ALL survivors aged 6-18 years and treated in the period 1997-2007 and 60 healthy age and sex matched controls were subjected to neurocognitive testing using Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Benton visual retention (BVRT) and Trail Making test (TMT), followed by diffusion weighed and diffusion tensor MRI for calculation of fraction anisotropy (FA).

Continuation of deferiprone therapy in patients with mild neutropenia may not lead to a more severe drop in neutrophil count.

Approximately 6% of patients with thalassemia receiving deferiprone develop neutropenia. Present practice is to monitor absolute neutrophil count (ANC) weekly and to interrupt treatment at the first sign of neutropenia, lest continuation lead to progressive neutrophil reduction. In a 6-month study evaluating the safety and efficacy of a liquid form of deferiprone in 100 children, ANC was initially checked weekly for all patients.

Hydrochemical modeling and assessment of groundwater contamination in northwest Sinai, Egypt.

This study aims to investigate groundwater geochemical characteristics, and to assess the effects of groundwater contamination in northwest Sinai, Egypt. A geographic information system, geochemical modeling, and statistical analyses tools were used. Twenty-five groundwater samples from a Quaternary aquifer were sampled.

Hemihydranencephaly syndrome: case report and review.

Background: Hemihydranencephaly (HHDNC) is a rare disorder with complete or almost complete unilateral absence of cerebral cortex.

Methods: This study describes a 27 months-old girl presenting with developmental delay and generalized weakness more on the left side. Bilateral blindness was noted since the age of 6 months.

Management of CML in the Pediatric Age Group: Imatinib Mesylate or SCT.

Background: Management of CML has changed markedly since the introduction of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). However stem cell transplantation (SCT) remains a valid therapeutic modality especially in developing countries due to its relatively lower cost. We aim to compare between imatinib mesylate and SCT as regard outcome in CML in the pediatric age group.

Persistent factor VIII inhibitors and orthopaedic complications in children with severe haemophilia A.

Persistence of inhibitors against factor VIII (FVIII) may be a risk factor that increases physical disability in haemophilia A (HA) patients. This study aimed to evaluate prevalence of FVIII inhibitors in previously treated children with severe HA and the impact of persistent inhibitors on knee joint status and lumbar bone mineral density (BMD). Fifty children with severe HA, FVIII <1%; aged 5-16 years were enrolled in this study; they received plasma-derived FVIII on-demand treatment for 50-250 exposure days (EDs).

The safety, tolerability, and efficacy of a liquid formulation of deferiprone in young children with transfusional iron overload.

Limited data are available on the use of deferiprone in children younger than 10 years of age. This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of a new liquid formulation of deferiprone for the treatment of transfusional iron overload in children 1-10 years old. One hundred children (91 thalassemia major, 8 Hb E-β thalassemia, and 1 sickle cell disease) were enrolled for a 6-month treatment with deferiprone (50 to 100 mg/kg/d).

Skin responses to topical dehydroepiandrosterone: implications in antiageing treatment?

Background: Although low dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is suspected to have a role in skin ageing, little information is available on the mechanisms potentially involved.

Objectives: To obtain information on androgen receptor (AR) and procollagen expression in ageing skin during DHEA treatment.

Methods: A placebo-controlled, randomized, prospective study was performed with 75 postmenopausal women aged 60-65 years.

Effect of long-term topical application of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and oral estrogens on morphology, cell proliferation, procollagen A1 and androgen receptor levels in rat skin.

Background: After cessation of estrogen secretion by the ovaries at menopause, all estrogens and almost all androgens acting in the skin of postmenopausal women are synthesized locally from dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a prohormone of adrenal origin that progressively declines with age.

Objective: To better understand the effects of DHEA on the skin, ovariectomized (OVX) rats were treated for 9 months with local topical application of DHEA compared with oral conjugated equine estrogens.

Materials And Methods: Morphological evaluation, immunohistochemistry for androgen receptor (AR) and Cdc47 proliferation marker, and in situ hybridization for procollagen A1 were performed on dorsal skin.