Macrolides for better resolution of community-acquired pneumonia: A global meta-analysis of clinical outcomes with focus on microbial aetiology.

Objectives: This meta-analysis examined the effect of macrolides on resolution of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and interpretation of clinical benefit according to microbiology; emphasis is given to data under-reported countries (URCs).

Methods: This meta-analysis included 47 publications published between 1994 and 2022. Publications were analysed for 30-d mortality (58 759 patients) and resolution of CAP (6465 patients).

Scorpion sting: N-terminal fragment of proB-type natriuretic peptide as an early predictor of pediatric cardiotoxicity.

Aim Of The Work: This prospective study was conducted to evaluate the clinical reliability of N-terminal fragment of proB-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in identifying patients with cardiotoxicity in the early hours following scorpion sting.

Subjects And Methods: This study involved 483 children aging between 2-17 years who were admitted to Minia University Poisoning Control Center from 1st January 2010 to 31st December 2019 with a history of scorpion sting, and on clinical evaluation symptoms were manifested. All subjects were clinically examined, investigated for NT-proBNP and CPK-MB on admission, 6 h and 24 h post-envenomation; and subjected to 24 h cardiac monitoring with periodic ECG every 6 h.

Diagnostic role of collagen-III and matrix metalloproteinase-1 for early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma.

: As the poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is mostly due to late detection at an advanced stage there is a strong need for establishing more effective strategies for early identification. We hypothesized that collagen-III and matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) and their ratio (CMR) are effective markers for identifying early-HCC when used alongside serum AFP, alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin.: We recruited 148 patients with HCC, 133 with cirrhosis and 121 with fibrosis.

Attitudes Toward Depression in Arab-American Muslims: A Pilot Study.

Objective: Religion is said to play a strong role in the attitude toward health and disease in Arab and Muslim countries. To what extent this is also true of Arabs and Muslims living in the United States is unknown. The objective of this pilot study was to determine the influence of religious beliefs on the attitudes of Arab-American Muslims toward mental illness, especially depression.

Consequences of twinning induction to ewes by a recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone compared with pituitary-derived porcine follicle-stimulating hormone on follicular dynamics, maternal biochemical attributes, and neonatal traits.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of using recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) compared with pituitary-derived porcine FSH given as one dose or multiple doses on the neonatal traits, follicular dynamics, and maternal blood biochemical constituents in ewes.

Materials And Methods: A 3×2 factorial arrangement was designed utilizing 60 adults ewes to test the effects of using two sources of FSH ( vs) in addition to control, either given as a single total dose or six descending doses to provoke twinning. Six treatments (T) were tested (n=10 ewes/T).

Angiotensin-converting enzyme insertion/deletion polymorphism is not associated with vasoocclusive complications of sickle cell anemia.

Context: Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is a group of hemoglobin disorders in which the sickle β-globin gene is inherited. It is associated with many complications; most of them are related to thrombotic events.

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the association between angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) insertion/deletion polymorphism and complications of SCA.

Investigating the potential role of vitamin E in modulating the immunosuppressive effects of tylvalosin and florfenicol in broiler chickens.

Tylvalosin (TVS) is a third-generation macrolide drug used for prophylaxis and treatment of mycoplasma, however; it is supposed to possess an immunosuppressive effect. In the current study, the immunosuppressive effect of TVS and florfenicol (FFC) and the potential immunomodulatory role of Vit E were investigated. The experiment included one day old chick groups treated with either TVS, FFC, Vit E, TVS/Vit E, FFC/Vit E and control non-treated group.

Effect of long-term selection for egg production on eggshell quality of Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica).

An experiment was conducted to evaluate egg quality and ultrastuctural measurements of eggshell using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) in 2 lines (selected and control) of Japanese quail. A selection program was applied over 22 consecutive generations for higher egg production and lower broken egg percentage. The results revealed that the females of the selected line produced significantly (P < 0.

Anterior Cervical Corpectomy with free vascularized fibular graft versus multilevel discectomy and grafting for Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy.

Purpose: A retrospective study to compare the radiologic and clinical outcomes of 2 different anterior approaches, multilevel anterior cervical discectomy with fusion (ACDF) using autologus ticortical bone graft versus anterior cervical corpectomy with fusion (ACCF) using free vascularized fibular graft (FVFG) for the management of cervical spondylotic myelopathy(CSM).

Methods: A total of 15 patients who underwent ACDF or ACCF using FVFG for multilevel CSM were divided into two groups. Group A (n = 7) underwent ACDF and group B (n = 8) ACCF.

Volar locking plate osteosynthesis for distal radial fractures.

Purpose: To review the one-year outcome after volar locking plate fixation for distal radial fractures.

Methods: Records of 22 men and 40 women aged 17 to 86 (mean, 52.5) years who underwent volar locking plate fixation for distal radial fractures were reviewed.

Pediatric Online Evidence-Based Medicine Assignment Is a Novel Effective Enjoyable Undergraduate Medical Teaching Tool: A SQUIRE Compliant Study.

Evidence-based medicine (EBM) is delivered through a didactic, blended learning, and mixed models. Students are supposed to construct an answerable question in PICO (patient, intervention, comparison, and outcome) framework, acquire evidence through search of literature, appraise evidence, apply it to the clinical case scenario, and assess the evidence in relation to clinical context. Yet these teaching models have limitations especially those related to group work, for example, handling uncooperative students, students who fail to contribute, students who domineer, students who have personal conflict, their impact upon progress of their groups, and inconsistent individual acquisition of required skills.

Metformin in peritoneal dialysis: a pilot experience.

Objective: In a number of patients, the antidiabetic drug metformin has been associated with lactic acidosis. Despite the fact that diabetes mellitus is the most common cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and that peritoneal dialysis (PD) is an expanding modality of treatment, little is known about optimal treatment strategies in the large group of PD patients with diabetes. In patients with ESRD, the use of metformin has been limited because of the perceived risk of lactic acidosis or severe hypoglycemia.

Bovine spermatozoa react to in vitro heat stress by activating the mitogen-activated protein kinase 14 signalling pathway.

Heat stress has long been recognised as a cause of subfertility in farm animals. The objectives of the present study were to elucidate the effect of heat stress on sperm function and involvement of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) 14 signalling pathway. Spermatozoa incubated for 4 h at a physiological temperature (38.

Evaluation of cytokeratin-1 in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: This study was undertaken to investigate whether serum cytokeratin-1 (CK1) could complement alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) to improve the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: CK1 was identified using western blot and ELISA in serum samples from 250 Egyptian patients including 150 with HCC, 100 with liver cirrhosis (LC) and 50 healthy controls. Multivariate discriminant analysis (MDA) and ROC curve analyses were used to create a predictive model including CK1 in addition to a panel of routine blood markers.

Role of CD4+CD25+ T cells in children with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.

Background: CD4CD25 T cells play an important role in the induction and maintenance of peripheral self-tolerance. These professional regulatory cells prevent the activation and proliferation of potentially autoreactive T cells that have escaped thymic deletion.

Objective: To investigate the role of CD4CD25 regulatory T cells in children with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) and correlate their levels with different disease stages, this study was conducted in 45 children (15 controls and 30 cases with ITP); 10 of these patients were in the acute phase (Group I), 10 in the remission phase (Group II), and the remaining 10 in the chronic phase (Group III).

Ilizarov gradual correction of genu varum deformity in adults.

Valgus producing high tibial osteotomy (HTO) is an effective treatment option for medial compartment osteoarthrosis with varus deformity in young patients. The most common complications of conventional high tibial osteotomy techniques are related to accuracy of correction. Major angle correction of more than 15 degrees with an osteotomy proximal to the tibial tuberosity may cause significant change in patellofemoral mechanics and patellar height.

Early surgical exploration of radial nerve injury associated with fracture shaft humerus.

The series included 36 patients, predominantly male, mean age 30.3 years. The most common cause of injury was motor car accident in 20 patients.

Management of traumatic tibial defects using free vascularized fibula or Ilizarov bone transport: a comparative study.

There are several options for the treatment of traumatic tibial defects. Among these options, free vascularized fibula and Ilizarov bone transport are well-known and effective techniques. The differences between both techniques and the indications for each of them are not well studied in the literature.

Effect of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene thickness on contact mechanics in total knee replacement.

One of the important design parameters in current knee joint replacements is the thickness of the ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) tibial insert, yet there is no clear definition of the upper limit of the 'thick' polyethylene insert. Using one design knee implant and subjecting it to the physiological loads encountered throughout the gait cycle, measurements of the lengths of contact imprints generated were compared with the corresponding theoretical predictions for different insert thicknesses under the same applied load. Multiple regression analysis was applied to test whether the dimensions of contact imprints are influenced by UHMWPE thickness.

Efficacy of intratympanic methylprednisolone acetate in treatment of drill-induced sensorineural hearing loss in guinea pigs.

Intratympanic steroids offer direct access to the inner ear with high concentration and without systemic effects. In this study, the efficacy of intratympanic methylprednisolone acetate (IT-MPA) was evaluated in a guinea-pig model of drill-induced inner ear trauma. Twenty-five guinea pigs were divided into a control group to document the baseline distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) and the normal scanning electron microscopic (SEM) morphology of the inner ear.

Effect of internal ureteral stenting of normal ureter on the upper urinary tract: an experimental study.

The effects of internal stenting of a normal ureter on the upper urinary tract were studied in 34 male rabbits by plain films, intravenous urograms, and 99mTc-DTPA renography at weekly intervals. Moreover, pressure-flow studies of the upper urinary tract were performed, and urine specimens for culture were obtained preoperatively and at the time of sacrifice. Histopathologic examination of the kidney, ureter, and ureterovesical junction was performed after animal sacrifice.