Microbiological and molecular studies on a multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa from a liver transplant patient with urinary tract infection in Egypt.

Background: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen responsible for complicated UTIs and exhibits high antibiotic resistance, leading to increased mortality rates, especially in cases of multidrug-resistant strains. This study aimed to investigate the antibiotic susceptibility patterns and genomic characterization of XDR strains identified in end-stage liver disease patients who underwent liver transplants.

Methods: In this study, a number of 30 individuals who underwent liver transplants were registered.

Nitric Oxide Levels as a Marker of Intradialytic Hypertension in End-Stage Renal Disease Patients.

Intradialytic hypertension (IDH) is an important emerging complication in hemodialysis patients. No study has examined the diagnostic markers of various risk factors for the occurrence of IDH in chronic hemodialysis patients. Therefore, our study aimed to assess the use of nitric oxide (NO) as a marker of IDH among end-stage renal disease patients.

Platelet indices as an assessment tool of septic acute kidney injury.

Platelet (PLT), one of blood cells, plays a major role in physiological and pathological processes such as coagulation, thrombosis, inflammation, and keeping the integrity of vascular endothelium. There are a group of parameters that are used to measure the total amount of PLTs, PLTs morphology, and proliferation. PLT indices are associated with the severity of illness and patients' prognosis.

Angiotensinogen Gene Missense Polymorphisms (rs699 and rs4762): The Association of End-Stage Renal Failure Risk with Type 2 Diabetes and Hypertension in Egyptians.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and hypertension are common chronic diseases mainly associated with the development and progression of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) leading to morbidity and mortality. Gene polymorphisms linked to the renin-angiotensin ()-aldosterone system (RAAS) were broadly inspected in patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN) and hypertension. This study aimed to investigate the association of gene polymorphisms (rs699 and rs4762) with ESRD in T2DM hypertensive Egyptian patients.

The Human Genetic Variants CYP2J2 rs2280275 and EPHX2 rs751141 and Risk of Diabetic Nephropathy in Egyptian Type 2 Diabetic Patients.

Background: Diabetic nephropathy (DN), the primary driver of end-stage kidney disease, is a problem with serious consequences for society's health. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) can define differences in susceptibility to DN and aid in development of personalized treatment. Giving the importance of epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) in kidney health, we aimed to study the association between two SNPs in the genes controlling synthesis and degradation of EETs rs2280275 and rs751141 respectively) and susceptibility of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients to develop DN.

Improvement of Bi doping in ZnO nanocrystals by co-doping with Al: crystal geometry calculations and photocatalytic activity.

In this work we demonstrate enhancement in visible-light photocatalytic activity (PCA) of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) with minimal attenuation of visible light transmittance. This approach can benefit numerous optoelectronic and photocatalytic applications. ZnO NPs were p-n co-doped with Al and Bi to improve Bi doping into the ZnO crystal.

Study the Association of Tumor Necrosis Factor Promoter Polymorphism with Type 2 Diabetic Nephropathy.

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is well known to include an inflammatory component that has been considered to be related to diabetic complications. Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the significant complications as it constitutes the most frequent cause of end-stage renal disease. Tumor Necrosis Factor- (TNF-) is known as a multifunctional proinflammatory cytokine which is associated with some pathological processes such as immunoregulation, proliferation, inflammation, and apoptosis.

Relation of neuropeptide Y gene expression and genotyping with hypertension in chronic kidney disease.

Objectives: The prognosis of high-risk patients might be greatly ameliorated using genetic predisposition risk factors. Sympathetic activity and innate immunity related to neuropeptide Y function may be related to dyslipidemia and atherosclerosis. The aim of this study is to detect the correlation between Neuropeptide Y (NPY) SNP rs16147 and its gene expression in chronic kidney disease with and without hypertension.

Studying alternative approaches for placement of cuffed hemodialysis catheters in hemodialysis patients with bilateral internal jugular vein occlusion.

Introduction: Internal jugular vein occlusion often makes necessary the use of less desirable routes as external jugular, subclavian, and femoral vein approaches in addition to inferior vena cava approaches. This a prospective cross-sectional follow-up study of the alternative approaches for placement of cuffed hemodialysis catheters in end-stage renal disease patients with bilateral internal jugular vein occlusion from the interventional nephrology point of view.

Method: The study was conducted on 134 end-stage renal disease patients who were referred for insertion of a challenging hemodialysis catheter due to bilateral internal jugular vein occlusion.

First versus second trimester mean platelet volume and uric acid for prediction of preeclampsia in women at moderate and low risk.

Objective: To determine if second trimester mean platelet volume (MPV) and serum uric acid are reasonable predictors of preeclampsia (PE) or not, in patients at moderate and low risk.

Methods: This prospective study was conducted on 9522 women at low or moderate risk for developing PE who underwent dual measurements of MPV and serum uric acid at late first trimester (10-12 weeks) and at second trimester (18-20 weeks) and subsequently divided into two groups; PE group (n = 286) who later developed PE and non-PE group (n = 9236). Test validity of MPV and serum uric acid was the primary outcome measure.

Improved pregnancy outcome following earlier splenectomy in women with immune thrombocytopenia: a 5-year observational study.

Objective: To assess prospectively the maternal and fetal outcome in women with immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) who undergone earlier splenectomy compared to women on medical therapy.

Methods: A 5-year observational study included pregnant women in the first trimester previously diagnosed with primary ITP with 74 patients underwent splenectomy before pregnancy and 86 patients on medical therapy. Patients were followed throughout pregnancy and labour to record their obstetric outcome.

How assembly matters to catalysis and thermal conductivity mediated by CuO nanoparticles.

CuO nanostructures (NSs) of different morphologies were prepared, applied as catalysts for the pyrolysis of sugarcane bagasse (PSCB), and applied for thermally-conductive nanofluids. Both size and shape of the prepared NSs ranged from 5 to 1000 nm, and from nanodots (NDs) to spindle nano-aggregates (NAs), respectively. The catalytic activity of these NSs towards the PSCB was followed up by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), where they increased the percentage of total weight loss, and lowered the decomposition temperatures of PSCB.

Maternal and fetal morbidity following discontinuation of antihypertensive drugs in mild to moderate chronic hypertension: A 4-year observational study.

Objective: To assess maternal and fetal morbidity in women with mild to moderate chronic hypertension on antihypertensive drug therapy compared to cessation of therapy.

Methods: This was a prospective observational study included 222 women with mild to moderate chronic hypertension (systolic blood pressure of 140-159mmHg or diastolic blood pressure of 90-109mmHg) who were divided into two groups based on antihypertensive drug intake, treatment group (n=104) who received methyl dopa, and non-treatment group (n=118) who used only low dose aspirin. Patients were followed to assess maternal and fetal outcome.

Histopathological Assessment of Dyspepsia in the Absence of Endoscopic Mucosal Lesions.

Introduction: Dyspepsia is a common symptom with an extensive differential diagnosis. Endoscopy alone may miss serious mucosal lesions in about 15 to 30% of cases. The aim was to determine histopathological features of gastric and duodenal mucosal biopsies in patients with dyspepsia and normal looking upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy.

Maternal and fetal outcome in de novo preeclampsia in comparison to superimposed preeclampsia: a two-year observational study.

Aim: To assess the maternal and fetal outcome in women with de novo preeclampsia (PE) in comparison to superimposed PE.

Study Design: This was a prospective 2-year observational study carried out at Menoufia University Hospital, Egypt, in which 164 patients out of 6472 pregnant women were diagnosed with PE (78 with de novo PE and 86 with superimposed PE). Enrolled patients were followed to assess the maternal and fetal outcome.

How to best define patients with moderate chronic kidney disease.

Background: The objective of this study was to identify which formula may best identify moderate chronic kidney disease (CKD) (glomerular filtration rate (GFR) cut-off of 60 ml/min/1.73 m(2)).

Methods: We compared the performances of 14 serum creatinine (S(cr)) and 11 cystatin C (Cys C) estimated GFR equations using inulin clearance (Cl(in)) as the reference test in a stable CKD population of 101 patients.

Comparing measures of cystatin C in human sera by three methods.

Background: Cystatin C (Cys C) is measured by particle-enhanced nephelometric immunoassay (PENIA), particle-enhanced turbidimetric immunoassay (PETIA) and ELISA.

Aim: To determine differences among these methods.

Method: 80 normal human sera and 20 from patients with renal and/or heart disease were simultaneously assayed.

Impact of Schistosoma mansoni co-infection on serum profile of interferon-gamma, interleukin-4 and interleukin-10 in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection.

T cell immunoregulatory cytokines may play a crucial role in the host response to hepatitis C virus infection. While T-helper type 1 (Th1) cytokines are required for host antiviral immune responses, T-helper type 2 (Th2) cytokines can inhibit the development of these effector mechanisms. The aim of this study was to investigate the serum levels of IFN-gamma, IL-4 and IL-10 and their roles in the pathogenesis of chronic HCV infection.

Evidence for a need to mandate kidney transplant living donor registries.

Kidney disease is a global public health problem of growing proportions. Currently the best treatment for end-stage renal failure is transplantation. Living organ donation remains a complex ethical, moral and medical issue.

Accuracy to estimate rates of decline in glomerular filtration rate in renal transplant patients.

Background: We examined the use of the Cockroft Gault (C-G) test, Modified Diet in Renal Disease 2 (MDRD2) test, and inverse serum creatinine (Delta1/Scr) to estimate rates of decline in renal transplant function using isotope glomerular filtration rate (GFR) as a reference test.

Methods: Percent changes in estimated GFR (DeltaeGFR) were compared to simultaneous changes in isotope GFR (DeltaiGFR) in 72 patients.

Results: The number of iGFR was 508 with a mean of 7.