Traditional female cervical cauterization and risk of preterm birth in Somalia: a single-center prospective observational study.

Numerous traditional practices are both beneficial and harmful. Traditional harmful practices, such as female genital mutilation and traditional cervical cauterization, are carried out for a number of reasons but can have negative health and social effects. In addition to deeply held beliefs, a lack of knowledge and awareness of the consequences of these practices contributes to the persistence of these issues.

The Outcome of Congenital Cardiac Surgery in Patients with Down Syndrome: Single-Center Experience.

Objectives: This study aimed to describe the outcomes of Down syndrome patients who underwent cardiac surgery for congenital heart defects and to develop risk prediction models for in-hospital mortality, recurrent hospital admission, and the need for catheter intervention among a cohort of patients.

Methods: This single-centre retrospective cohort study included consecutive Down syndrome patients who underwent cardiac surgery for congenital heart defects between January 2018 and December 2021. We reviewed the electronic medical records.

TCR T cells overexpressing c-Jun have better functionality with improved tumor infiltration and persistence in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: The overall 5-year survival rate of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a major form of liver cancer, is merely 20%, underscoring the need for more effective therapies. We recently identified T cell receptors (TCR) specific for the HLA-A2/alpha fetoprotein amino acids 158-166 (AFP) and showed that these TCR engineered T cells could control HCC xenografts in NSG mice. However, their efficacy was limited by poor expansion, loss of function, and short persistence of the TCR T cells.

Assessment of Serum Hypoxia Biomarkers Pre- and Post-radiotherapy in Patients with Brain Tumors.

Hypoxia is a prevalent hallmark of many malignant neoplasms. The aim was to assess the serum hypoxia biomarkers HIF-1α, VEGF, osteopontin, erythropoietin, caveolin-1, GLUT-1, and LDH pre- and post-radiotherapy in patients with brain tumors. The study was conducted on 120 subjects were divided into two groups: group I: 40 healthy volunteers as control group.

Compression following treatment of superficial venous incompetence: systematic review.

Background: International guidelines recommend postprocedural compression when treating symptomatic superficial venous incompetence (SVI). This updated review of RCTs investigated the requirement for postprocedural compression and how it can be applied optimally.

Methods: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence's Healthcare Databases Advanced Search engine was used to identify all English-language RCTs of compression following treatment for SVI.

Chimeric antigen receptor engineered T cells and their application in the immunotherapy of solid tumours.

In this article, we reviewed the current literature studies and our understanding of the parameters that affect the chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T's) activation, effector function, in vivo persistence, and antitumour effects. These factors include T cell subsets and their differentiation stages, the components of chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) design, the expression promoters and delivery vectors, and the CAR-T production process. The CAR signalling and CAR-T activation were also studied in comparison to TCR.

Novel low-avidity glypican-3 specific CARTs resist exhaustion and mediate durable antitumor effects against HCC.

Background And Aims: Chimeric antigen receptor engineered T cells (CARTs) for HCC and other solid tumors are not as effective as they are for blood cancers. CARTs may lose function inside tumors due to persistent antigen engagement. The aims of this study are to develop low-affinity monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and low-avidity CARTs for HCC and to test the hypothesis that low-avidity CARTs can resist exhaustion and maintain functions in solid tumors, generating durable antitumor effects.

Cardiac Preconditioning Effect of Ketamine-Dexmedetomidine versus Fentanyl-Propofol during Arrested Heart Revascularization.

Background: Myocardial damage due to ischemia and reperfusion is still unavoidable during coronary surgery. Anesthetic agents have myocardial preconditioning effect. Ketamine has sympathomimetic effect, while dexmedetomidine has a sympatholytic effect in addition to anesthetic, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory properties of both the drugs.

The Wnt-β-Catenin-IL-10 Signaling Axis in Intestinal APCs Protects Mice from Colitis-Associated Colon Cancer in Response to Gut Microbiota.

Loss of immune tolerance to gut microflora is inextricably linked to chronic intestinal inflammation and colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC). The LRP5/6 signaling cascade in APCs contributes to immune homeostasis in the gut, but whether this pathway in APCs protects against CAC is not known. In the current study, using a mouse model of CAC, we show that the LRP5/6-β-catenin-IL-10 signaling axis in intestinal CD11c APCs protects mice from CAC by regulating the expression of tumor-promoting inflammatory factors in response to commensal flora.

Factors affecting vitiligo response to treatment: do MiRNA 196a2C/T gene polymorphism and serum tyrosinase levels have any role?

Background: Factors contributing to the pathogenesis of vitiligo and factors affecting its response to treatment are still a major area of debate.

Aim Of The Work: The study aimed to assess the serum levels of tyrosinase and Micro-RNAs (miRNAs) gene polymorphism in a sample of Egyptian vitiligo patients, and to determine factors affecting the response of vitiligo to treatment.

Subjects And Methods: This prospective case-control interventional study included 212 non-segmental vitiligo patients and 96 control subjects.

Wnt Signaling Cascade in Dendritic Cells and Regulation of Anti-tumor Immunity.

Dendritic cells (DCs) control the strength and quality of antigen-specific adaptive immune responses. This is critical for launching a robust immunity against invading pathogens while maintaining a state of tolerance to self-antigens. However, this also represents a fundamental barrier to anti-tumor immune responses and cancer immunotherapy.

Are Patients with Vitiligo More Prone to Myocardial Infarction?: A Case-control Study.

Vitiligo is a multifactorial polygenic disorder commonly associated with other autoimmune diseases. The reported link between vitiligo and abnormalities of serum interleukin (IL)-17, zinc, calcium, and vitamin D is not fully understood. We sought to assess the serum levels of vitamin D, calcium, zinc, and IL-17 in patients with vitiligo and to answer the question of whether patients with vitiligo are more prone to experience myocardial infarction.

Nd:YAG laser vs IPL in inflammatory and noninflammatory acne lesion treatment.

Background: Several topical and systemic therapies are available for the treatment of acne vulgaris but are associated with several limitations, and recently, intense pulse light (IPL) and long-pulsed 1064 nm Nd: YAG laser have shown efficacy.

Aims: The current study aimed to compare the efficacy of Nd:YAG laser and IPL in inflammatory and noninflammatory acne lesions.

Patients And Methods: Thirty patients with inflammatory and noninflammatory facial acne were assigned randomly and equally into two groups, the Nd:YAG and IPL groups.

Safety of Trypan Blue Capsule Staining to Corneal Endothelium in Patients with Diabetic Retinopathy.

Purpose: To study the potential corneal endothelial cell toxicity of trypan blue (TB) when used for phacoemulsification to stain the anterior capsule in patients with diabetic retinopathy.

Methods: This was a single-center, prospective, randomized, individual cohort study. One eye in each patient with diabetic retinopathy underwent phacoemulsification without trypan blue capsule staining (control eye), while the other eye underwent phacoemulsification with trypan blue capsule staining (study eye).

Comparison of Laser In Situ Keratomileusis Flap Morphology and Predictability by WaveLight FS200 Femtosecond Laser and Moria Microkeratome: An Anterior Segment Optical Coherence Tomography Study.

Purpose: To evaluate laser keratomileusis (LASIK) flap thickness predictability and morphology by femtosecond (FS) laser and microkeratome (MK) using anterior segment optical coherence tomography.

Methods: Fifty-two candidates for the LASIK procedure were stratified into two groups: FS laser-assisted (Allegretto FS-200) and MK flap creation (Moria 2). Flap thickness was determined at five points.

The Efficacy of Combining Fractional Carbon Dioxide Laser With Verapamil Hydrochloride or 5-Fluorouracil in the Treatment of Hypertrophic Scars and Keloids: A Clinical and Immunohistochemical Study.

Background: Ablative fractional laser-assisted therapy is increasingly used to facilitate drug delivery and intensify clinical efficacy of topically applied drugs.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of combined ablative fractional CO2 laser and topically applied 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) or verapamil hydrochloride in the treatment of hypertrophic scars (HTSs) and keloids and to examine their possible effects on TGF-β1 expression.

Patients And Methods: Thirty patients with HTSs and keloids were randomly treated with combined CO2 laser followed by topical verapamil or 5-FU application or CO2 laser monotherapy.

Serum biotin and zinc in male androgenetic alopecia.

Background: Male androgenetic alopecia (MAGA) is caused by the conversion of the terminal to vellus hair. Zinc is one of the most studied trace elements in hair disorders and biotin is one of the most prescribed supplement for its treatment.

Objectives: The study aimed to evaluate serum zinc and biotin levels in MAGA patients to answer the question if there is a value to add zinc or biotin as a supplements in the MAGA treatment.

The relation between androgenetic thin hair diagnosed by trichoscope and benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Background: Androgenetic alopecia carries a major cosmetic disfigurement and benign prostatic hyperplasia is associated with many urinary tract symptoms and both diseases are mediated by dihydrotestosterone.

Objectives: The study aimed to determine the relationship between hair diameter in androgenetic alopecia diagnosed, by trichoscope, to benign prostatic hyperplasia symptoms and signs.

Methods: Fifty androgenetic alopecia males and 50 normal males as control were included.

Intradermal injection of Fluorouracil versus triamcinolone in localized vitiligo treatment.

Background: Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease with a prevalence of 1.22% in Egypt. Intralesional steroids use in localized vitiligo treatment still a matter of debate.

Canonical Wnt Signaling in CD11c APCs Regulates Microbiota-Induced Inflammation and Immune Cell Homeostasis in the Colon.

Aberrant Wnt/β-catenin signaling occurs in several inflammatory diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease and inflammatory bowel disease-associated colon carcinogenesis. However, its role in shaping mucosal immune responses to commensals in the gut remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the importance of canonical Wnt signaling in CD11c APCs in controlling intestinal inflammation.

GPR81, a Cell-Surface Receptor for Lactate, Regulates Intestinal Homeostasis and Protects Mice from Experimental Colitis.

At mucosal sites such as the intestine, the immune system launches robust immunity against invading pathogens while maintaining a state of tolerance to commensal flora and ingested food Ags. The molecular mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain poorly understood. In this study, we report that signaling by GPR81, a receptor for lactate, in colonic dendritic cells and macrophages plays an important role in suppressing colonic inflammation and restoring colonic homeostasis.

Synthesis and Characterization of Novel BMI1 Inhibitors Targeting Cellular Self-Renewal in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents one of the most lethal cancers worldwide due to therapy resistance and disease recurrence. Tumor relapse following treatment could be driven by the persistence of liver cancer stem-like cells (CSCs). The protein BMI1 is a member of the polycomb epigenetic factors governing cellular self-renewal, proliferation, and stemness maintenance.