Unleash Multifunctional Role of miRNA Biogenesis Gene Variants ( and ) with Susceptibility to Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Numerous reports have explored the roles of different genetic variants in miRNA biogenesis mechanisms and the progression of various types of carcinomas. The goal of this study is to explore the association between and gene variants and susceptibility to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In a cohort of 234 participants (107 HCC patients and 127 unrelated cancer-free controls) from the same geographic region, we characterized allelic discrimination using PCR-RFLP and performed subgroup analysis and multivariate regression.

The role of hepatic expression of STAT1, SOCS3 and PIAS1 in the response of chronic hepatitis C patients to therapy.

Background: The underlying mechanisms of hepatitis C virus (HCV) resistance to treatment are unknown. Signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) proteins play a critical role in antiviral defense.

Objective: To explore some of the mechanisms of HCV resistance to interferon, the expression of STAT1 and its negative regulators, protein inhibitor of activated STAT (PIAS1) and suppressor of cytokine signalling (SOCS3), in liver tissues of both inteferon responders and nonresponders in chronic HCV patients.

The interaction between insulin resistance, liver fibrosis and early virological response in Egyptian patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection may induce insulin resistance (IR) irrespective of the severity of liver disease, and there is evidence of a central role for IR in failure to achieve sustained virological response (SVR) in HCV patients.

Objective: To assess IR as a predictor of the severity of hepatic fibrosis in Egyptian HCV patients, and its effect on early viral kinetics and virological response to HCV therapy.

Methods: A total of 140 chronic HCV patients were divided into two groups according to the homeostasis model assessment-IR (HOMA-IR).

Tissue Doppler and strain rate imaging detect improvement of myocardial function in iron deficient patients with congestive heart failure after iron replacement therapy.

Background: Iron deficiency may contribute to diminished exercise tolerance in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) even in absence of anemia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of correction of iron deficiency on functional capacity and myocardial function in patients with CHF.

Methods: We studied 40 patients with ejection fraction <40%, hemoglobin% >12 g/dL, serum ferritin <100 ug/L, and transferrin saturation <20%.

Serum pentraxin 3 and interleukin-6 are associated with subclinical atherosclerosis in recent-onset rheumatoid arthritis.

Subclinical atherosclerosis is increased in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), as chronic systemic inflammation leads to accelerate atherosclerosis and increase arterial stiffness in theses patients. This study aimed to evaluate the association of serum interleukin-6 (sIL-6) and serum pentraxin 3(sPTX3) with subclinical atherosclerotic in patients with recent-onset rheumatoid arthritis. Sixty patients with recent onset RA (12-24 months) and 20 controls were investigated.