Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis: A Rare Complication of COVID-19 in a Patient With Sickle Cell Anemia.

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is an uncommon condition that can be fatal due to overwhelming macrophage activation and cytokine production. It can be primary (familial/genetic) or secondary. It is associated with infections, malignancies, and rheumatologic and immunodeficiency disorders.

Sero-epidemiological survey of bluetongue disease in one-humped camel (Camelus dromedarius) in Kassala State, Eastern Sudan.

Background: Bluetongue (BT) is a vector-borne viral disease of ruminant and camelid species which is transmitted by Culicoides spp. The causative agent of BT is bluetongue virus (BTV) that belongs to genus Orbivirus of the family Reoviridae. The clinical disease is seen mainly in sheep but mostly sub-clinical infections of BT are seen in cattle, goats and camelids.

Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I-Related Chain A Alleles and Histology of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Major histocompatibility complex class I-related chain A (MICA) is a highly polymorphic gene that modulates immune surveillance by binding to its receptor on natural killer cells, and its genetic polymorphisms have been associated with chronic immune-mediated diseases. The progressive form of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), is characterized by accumulation of fat and inflammatory cells in the hepatic parenchyma, potentially leading to liver cell injury and fibrosis. To date, there are no data describing the potential role of MICA in the pathogenesis of NAFLD.

Serological Investigations of Bluetongue Virus (BTV) among Sheep and Goats in Kassala State, Eastern Sudan.

Bluetongue (BT) is an infectious, noncontagious, vector-borne viral disease of wild and domestic ruminants. BTV is a member of the genus of the family Reoviridae. The present study aimed to investigate the seroprevalence of BTV in sheep and goats in Kassala State, Sudan.

Large floating thrombus in the inferior vena cava.

A 32-year-old female presented to the emergency room with severe right loin pain. Abdominal color Doppler ultrasound (CDUS) observed a large thrombus in the inferior vena cava (IVC). Computed tomography with contrast described a large floating thrombus in the IVC with no visible wall attachment.

Analysis of human leukocyte antigen allele polymorphism in patients with non alcoholic fatty liver disease.

The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes may play a role in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and its progressive form, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The aim of this study was to assess the association of HLA class I and II alleles with NASH and its histological features.Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was extracted from 140 subjects (85 biopsy-proven NAFLD and 55 controls) and genotyped for HLA (-A, -B, -C, -DR1, -DR3, -DQ, and -DP).

An exploratory study examining how nano-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and phosphoproteomics can differentiate patients with advanced fibrosis and higher percentage collagen in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background: Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is among the leading causes of liver disease worldwide. It is increasingly recognized that the phenotype of NASH may involve a number of different pathways, of which each could become important therapeutic targets. The aim of this study is to use high resolution mass spectrometry (MS) and phosphoproteomics techniques to assess the serum proteome and hepatic phosphoproteome in subjects with NASH-related fibrosis.

Prevalence of dengue fever virus antibodies and associated risk factors among residents of El-Gadarif state, Sudan.

Background: Dengue fever, caused by dengue virus (DENV), has become one of the most important mosquito-borne viral diseases with a steady rise in global incidence, including the Sudan. Sporadic cases and frequent acute febrile illness outbreaks, compatible with Dengue fever, have been reported in El-Gadarif State, Sudan. However, diagnosis was based almost exclusively on clinical signs without confirmatory laboratory investigations.

The levels of monoamine neurotransmitters and measures of mental and emotional health in HCV patients treated with ledipasvir (LDV) and sofosbuvir (SOF) with or without ribavirin (RBV).

Mental and emotional health (MEH) impairment is commonly encountered in hepatitis C patients. Although the exact mechanism remains unknown, alterations in neurotransmitter and cytokine levels maybe associated with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related MEH issues.The aim of the study was to assess association of serum biomarkers with self-reports of MEH in HCV patients before treatment and after achieving sustained virologic response (SVR).

Anti-adipocyte antibody response in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background And Aim: A significant number of autoantibodies have been reported in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients. In the present study, our aim was to assess the role of disease and cell-specific antibodies, namely anti-adipocyte antibodies (anti-AdAb) in patients with NAFLD and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

Methods: Flow cytometry was used to detect the presence of anti-AdAb (immunoglobulin M [IgM] and immunoglobulin G [IgG]) in sera from patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD (n = 98) and in controls (n = 49) without liver disease.

Rift Valley fever, Sudan, 2007 and 2010.

To elucidate whether Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) diversity in Sudan resulted from multiple introductions or from acquired changes over time from 1 introduction event, we generated complete genome sequences from RVFV strains detected during the 2007 and 2010 outbreaks. Phylogenetic analyses of small, medium, and large RNA segment sequences indicated several genetic RVFV variants were circulating in Sudan, which all grouped into Kenya-1 or Kenya-2 sublineages from the 2006-2008 eastern Africa epizootic. Bayesian analysis of sequence differences estimated that diversity among the 2007 and 2010 Sudan RVFV variants shared a most recent common ancestor circa 1996.

Effect of salting and drying techniques on treated meat of Khashm El-Banat (Mormyrus niloticus) collected from the white Nile in Sudan.

The present study investigated effect of salting and drying techniques on nutritive values of treated meat of Khashm El-Banat (Mormyrus niloticus Bloch and Schneider, 1801). Twenty six kilograms of the studied fish were evaluated after dividing them into two main groups named salted fish and non-salted depending on 20% brine used. Each salted fish and non-salted fish were divided into two subgroups and then one subgroup of both salted fish and non-salted fish was exposed directly to sun rays in Open Air (OA) and the other one was exposed indirectly to sun rays in Shade (SH).

Pancreatic duct changes are not associated with early signs of chronic pancreatitis at magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis.

Objective: The association between chronic pancreatitis (CP) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) has been reported previously. The aims of the present study were to evaluate the presence of early pancreatic abnormalities and duct changes, using MRCP/MRI in PSC and to evaluate possible risk factors for these changes and their clinical importance.

Materials And Methods: One hundred and three patients with PSC were identified among all MRI liver/pancreas referrals in 2001-2005.

The innate immune molecule, NOD1, regulates direct killing of Helicobacter pylori by antimicrobial peptides.

The cytosolic innate immune molecule, NOD1, recognizes peptidoglycan (PG) delivered to epithelial cells via the Helicobacter pylori cag pathogenicity island (cagPAI), and has been implicated in host defence against cagPAI(+)H. pylori bacteria. To further clarify the role of NOD1 in host defence, we investigated NOD1-dependent regulation of human beta-defensins (DEFBs) in two epithelial cell lines.

Bacterial membrane vesicles deliver peptidoglycan to NOD1 in epithelial cells.

Gram-negative bacterial peptidoglycan is specifically recognized by the host intracellular sensor NOD1, resulting in the generation of innate immune responses. Although epithelial cells are normally refractory to external stimulation with peptidoglycan, these cells have been shown to respond in a NOD1-dependent manner to Gram-negative pathogens that can either invade or secrete factors into host cells. In the present work, we report that Gram-negative bacteria can deliver peptidoglycan to cytosolic NOD1 in host cells via a novel mechanism involving outer membrane vesicles (OMVs).

Bismuth(III) 5-sulfosalicylate complexes: structure, solubility and activity against Helicobacter pylori.

Treatment of 5-sulfosalicylic acid (H(3)Ssal) with BiPh(3) results in the formation of the first dianionic carboxylate-sulfonate bismuth complex, [PhBi(HSsal)H(2)O](infinity) 1a, and its ethanol analogue [PhBi(HSsal)EtOH](infinity) 1b (space group P2(1)/c), while Bi(OAc)(3) gives the mixed monoanionic and dianionic complex, {[Bi(HSsal)(H(2)Ssal)(H(2)O)(3)](2) x 2 H(2)O}(infinity) 2 (space group P1). The three complexes are all polymeric in the solid state as determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction, with extended frameworks constructed from dimeric [Bi(HSsal)](2), 1a and 1b, or from [Bi(HSsal)(H(2)Ssal)](2) units, 2. The heteroleptic bismuth complexes 1a and 2 display remarkable aqueous solubility, 10 and 2.

A commensal Helicobacter sp. of the rodent intestinal flora activates TLR2 and NOD1 responses in epithelial cells.

Helicobacter spp. represent a proportionately small but significant component of the normal intestinal microflora of animal hosts. Several of these intestinal Helicobacter spp.

Biliary epithelial cell antibodies link adaptive and innate immune responses in primary sclerosing cholangitis.

Background & Aims: Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is an autoimmune liver disease with destruction of hepatic bile ducts. A high frequency of biliary epithelial cell antibodies (BEC-Ab) is present in PSC. Here, we studied the mechanisms and signaling pathways used by these Ab in causing BEC dysfunction.

Human liver sinusoidal endothelial cells induce apoptosis in activated T cells: a role in tolerance induction.

Background: The liver may have a role in peripheral tolerance, by serving as a site for trapping, apoptosis and phagocytosis of activated T cells. It is not known which hepatic cells are involved in these processes. It was hypothesised that liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSEC) which are strategically placed for participation in the regulation of sinusoidal blood flow, and express markers involved in recognition, sequestration and apoptosis, may contribute to peripheral tolerance by inducing apoptosis of activated T cells.

Antibodies to liver sinusoidal endothelial cells modulate immune responses in liver transplantation.

Aim: Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) have been implicated to play a role in the induction of liver allograft rejections. Here, we studied the clinical consequences of preformed LSEC-reactive antibodies and their functional capacity in modulating T-cell responses.

Methods: Pre- and posttransplant sera and T lymphocytes from 95 liver transplant patients were used in this study.

Serogrouping of United States and some African serotypes of bluetongue virus using RT-PCR.

The diagnostic potential of RT-PCR for detection of bluetongue virus (BTV) ribonucleic acid (RNA) sequence in cell culture and tissue samples from infected ruminants from United States, Sudan, South Africa and Senegal, was evaluated. The non structural protein 1 (NS1) gene of North American BTV serotype 11 was targeted for PCR amplification. The United States BTV serotypes 2, 10, 11, 13 and 17 and the Sudanese BTV serotypes 1, 2, 4 and 16 and BTV serotype 4 from South Africa and BTV serotype 2 from Senegal were studied.

A novel mechanism of liver allograft rejection facilitated by antibodies to liver sinusoidal endothelial cells.

Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) may be implicated in the induction of liver allograft rejections. We studied the clinical consequences of LSEC-reactive antibodies and their functional capacity in modulating T-cell responses during acute rejections. Pre- and posttransplant sera and T lymphocytes from 95 liver transplant patients were used in this study.