The clinical outcomes of dapagliflozin in patients with acute heart failure: A randomized controlled trial (DAPA-RESPONSE-AHF).

Aims: Dapagliflozin may confer additional decongestive and natriuretic benefits to patients with acute heart failure (AHF). Nonetheless, this hypothesis was not clinically examined. This study aimed primarily to investigate the effect of dapagliflozin on symptomatic relief in those patients.

Effect of cilostazol on preventing paclitaxel-induced neuropathy in patients with breast cancer: A randomized controlled trial.

Study Objective: Paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy is a significant clinical problem can markedly deteriorate patient's quality of life (QoL). Preclinical evidence exists about the preventive capacity of cilostazol against peripheral neuropathy. However, this hypothesis has not yet been clinically investigated.

Efficacy of Nondiuretic Pharmacotherapy for Improving the Treatment of Congestion in Patients with Acute Heart Failure: A Systematic Review of Randomised Controlled Trials.

Diuretic therapy is the mainstay during episodes of acute heart failure (AHF). Diuretic resistance is often encountered and poses a substantial challenge for clinicians. There is a lack of evidence on the optimal strategies to tackle this problem.

Prognostic factors in the decision-making process for sigmoid volvulus: results of a single-centre retrospective cohort study.

Background: Sigmoid volvulus is a common cause of emergency surgical admission. Those patients are often treated conservatively with a high rate of recurrence. We wondered if a more aggressive management might be indicated.

Remediation of Cd and Cu contaminated water and soil using novel nanomaterials derived from sugar beet processing- and clay brick factory-solid wastes.

Producing nanomaterials from hazardous wastes for water and soil treatment is of great concern. Here, we produced and fully characterized two novel nanomaterials from sugar beet processing (SBR)- and brick factory-residuals (BFR) and assed their ability for Cd and Cu sorption in water and reducing metal availability in a contaminated soil. The SBR removed up to 99% of Cu and 91% of Cd in water, and exhibited a significantly faster and higher sorption capacity (q (g kg) = 1111.

Investigation of Er Ions Reinforced Zinc-Phosphate Glasses for Ionizing Radiation Shielding Applications.

Melt quenching technique is used for preparing glasses with chemical formula (70PO)-(16 - x)CdO-(14ZnO)-(xErO), (x = 1-6 mol%). These glasses were named Er1, Er2, Er3, Er4, Er5, and Er6, respectively. Photon buildup factors, fast neutron absorption, and electron stopping of the prepared glasses were examined.

COVID-19 infection risk by open and laparoscopic surgical smoke: A systematic review of the literature.

Background: The current COVID-19 pandemic has greatly changed the way surgery is delivered. In particular, current guidelines and policies have highlighted the need to use high level Personal Protective Equipment to reduce the risk of viral infection during open and laparoscopic surgical procedures. In particular, it was felt that the laparoscopic approach was at higher risk of viral transmission due to the chimney effect of the smoke escape from the trocars during and after the procedure.

Author Correction: Thymoquinone therapy remediates elevated brain tissue inflammatory mediators induced by chronic administration of food preservatives.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Predictive factors for gangrene complication in acute calculous cholecystitis.

Backgrounds/aims: Gallbladder gangrene is a grave complication of acute calculous cholecystitis that is difficult to detect preoperatively. Ultrasound could show a gallbladder wall that is more thickened. In addition, other clinical measures were reported to be possible predictive factors.

Metabolomics of Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes.

Type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) are chronic diseases that affect nearly 425 million people worldwide, leading to poor health outcomes and high health care costs. High-throughput metabolomics screening can provide vital insight into the pathophysiological pathways of DM and help in managing its effects. The primary aim of this study was to contribute to the understanding and management of DM by providing reliable evidence of the relationships between metabolites and type 1 diabetes (T1D) and metabolites and type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Thymoquinone therapy remediates elevated brain tissue inflammatory mediators induced by chronic administration of food preservatives.

Continuous exposure to preservatives such as nitrite salts has deleterious effects on different organs. Meanwhile, Nigella sativa oil can remediate such organ dysfunction. Here, we studied the effect of consumption of thymoquinone (TQ); the main component of Nigella sativa oil on the brain damage induced by sodium nitrite.

Various soil amendments and environmental wastes affect the (im)mobilization and phytoavailability of potentially toxic elements in a sewage effluent irrigated sandy soil.

Contamination of long-term sewage effluent irrigated soils by potentially toxic elements (PTEs) is a serious concern due to its high environmental and health risk. Our scientific hypothesis is that soil amendments can cause contradictory effects on the element mobilization and phytoavailability depending on the type of element and amendment. Therefore, we aimed to assess the impact of the application (1%) of several low cost amendments and environmental wastes on the (im)mobilization, availability, and uptake of Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Zn by sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) in a long term sewage effluent irrigated sandy soils collected from Egypt.

Inflammation and psychotropic drugs: the relationship between C-reactive protein and antipsychotic drug levels.

Rationale: In psychiatric clinical practice, there is a need to identify psychotropic drugs whose metabolisms are prone to be altered with increased inflammatory activity in an individual patient.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to find out whether elevated serum levels (≥5 mg/l) of C-reactive protein (CRP), an established laboratory marker of infection and inflammation, are associated with increased serum concentrations of the atypical antipsychotic drugs clozapine, quetiapine, and risperidone.

Methods: Therapeutic drug monitoring request forms of patients whose antipsychotic drug concentrations had been measured under conditions of normal (<5 mg/l) and pathological (>5 mg/l) levels of C-reactive protein were retrospectively screened.

Melperone but not bisoprolol or metoprolol is a clinically relevant inhibitor of CYP2D6: evidence from a therapeutic drug monitoring survey.

Cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYP) can be inhibited or induced by drugs, resulting in clinically significant drug-drug interactions that can cause unanticipated adverse reactions or therapeutic failures. The objective of the study was to analyze the in vivo inhibitory potential of the beta-blockers bisoprolol and metoprolol as well as the low-potency antipsychotic melperone on CYP2D6. By utilizing a large therapeutic drug monitoring database of 2874 samples, data from patients who had been treated with venlafaxine (VEN) either without (control group) or with a concomitant medication with bisoprolol, metoprolol or melperone were evaluated retrospectively to study the CYP2D6-catalyzed O-demethylation to O-desmethylvenlafaxine (ODVEN).

Adherence to medication among outpatient adolescents with epilepsy.

Background And Objective: The promotion of medication adherence is considered as an integral component of pharmaceutical care practice and patient healthcare. An approach which focuses on the choice and dose of antiepileptic drug will have limited success without medication adherence. This study sought to assess medication adherence for improvement among adolescents who are suffering from epilepsy.

Protective effects of arjunolic acid against cardiac toxicity induced by oral sodium nitrite: effects on cytokine balance and apoptosis.

Aims: Sodium nitrite, a preservative used in meat products, helps in the production of free radicals, leading to increased lipid peroxidation, which plays a vital role in posing toxic effects in different body organs. On the other hand, arjunolic acid possesses antioxidant properties and plays protective roles against chemically induced organ pathophysiology. We investigated the effect of sodium nitrite on cardiac tissue in rats on the inflammatory cytokine balance and the type of induced apoptosis, and we analyzed the protective role of arjunolic acid.

Phenotyping and genotyping of drug metabolism to guide pharmacotherapy in psychiatry.

In psychiatry, around 130 drugs are available which have been detected and developed during the last 60 years. These drugs are effective and essential for the treatment of many psychiatric disorders and symptoms. Therapeutic outcomes, however, are still far from satisfactory for many patients.

Incidence, patterns, and factors predicting mortality of abdominal injuries in trauma patients.

Background: Abdominal trauma is a major public health problem for all nations and all socioeconomic strata.

Aim: This study was designed to determine the incidence and patterns of abdominal injuries in trauma patients.

Materials And Methods: We classified and identified the incidence and subtype of abdominal injuries and associated trauma, and identified variables related to morbidity and mortality.

Fish oil improves lipid metabolism and ameliorates inflammation in patients with metabolic syndrome: impact of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Context: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is increasingly prevalent in Egypt, in parallel with increasing obesity. NAFLD can lead to liver inflammation, fibrosis and cirrhosis. NAFLD appears tightly linked with metabolic syndrome (MetS).

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus-Induced Hyperglycemia in Patients with NAFLD and Normal LFTs: Relationship to Lipid Profile, Oxidative Stress and Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is associated with dyslipdemia, insulin resistance and non alcoholic fatty liver disease. The purpose of the current study was to assess whether type 2 diabetes mellitus-induced hyperglycemia has an effect on the lipid profile and release of oxidative stress markers and inflammatory mediators in patients with non alcoholic fatty liver disease and normal liver function tests which may in turn lead to enhancing the pathogenicity of this liver disease. For this purpose, one hundred and five outpatients, matched in age and weight, were classified into two groups: the first group consisted of patients with non alcoholic fatty liver disease and the second group consisted of patients with non alcoholic fatty liver disease in conjunction with hyperglycemia due to the presence of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The use of topical phenytoin for healing of chronic venous ulcerations.

Background: Many topical agents have been used for promotion of healing of chronic venous ulcers. One such agent that has been tried is phenytoin. The effect of phenytoin on cutaneous healing has been suggested.

Evaluation of the surgical factor in postoperative pain control.

Background: Postoperative pain control has been studied extensively, including many perioperative pain control procedures. Unfortunately, the impact of the surgical technique was not objectively studied.

Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate if the type of surgical dissection needed for extensive abdominal wall dissection actually has an effect in the reduction of postoperative pain or not.

Measuring the rate of therapeutic adherence among outpatients with T2DM in Egypt.

Background And Objective: The promotion of therapeutic adherence is considered as an integral component of pharmaceutical care practice and patient healthcare. It has been shown that despite effective methods of treatment, 50% of diabetic patients fail to achieve satisfactory glycemic control, which leads to accelerated development of complications and increased mortality. Clinical experience indicates that no improvement of metabolic control is possible without patients' adherence to medications.

Collection, storage and use of blood samples for future research: views of Egyptian patients expressed in a cross-sectional survey.

Objective: To determine the attitudes of Egyptian patients regarding their participation in research and with the collection, storage and future use of blood samples for research purposes.

Design: Cross-sectional survey.

Study Population: Adult Egyptian patients (n=600) at rural and urban hospitals and clinics.