Biomarker array for prediction of acute kidney injury after percutaneous coronary intervention for patients who had acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) for ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and is associated with poor outcomes. AKI is diagnosed by the dynamic change of serum Cr, but it could not predict AKI. This study aimed to evaluate a biomarker array that may fulfill this shortage.

The Role of Mycotoxins in Interactions between and Growing in Saprophytic Cultures and Co-Infecting Maize Plants.

() and () co-occur in infected plants and plant residues. In maize ears, the growth of is stimulated while is suppressed. To elucidate the role of mycotoxins in these effects, we used mutants with disrupted synthesis of nivalenol (NIV) and deoxynivalenol (DON) and a mutant with disrupted synthesis of fumonisins to monitor fungal growth in mixed cultures in vitro and in co-infected plants by real-time PCR.

Biofilm Formation and Aspartyl Proteinase Activity and Their Association with Azole Resistance Among Causing Vulvovaginal Candidiasis, Egypt.

Background: () is a major cause of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), a condition that is commonly treated with azole agents. Biofilm formation and aspartyl proteinase production are important virulence factors that could be linked to azole resistance in impeding therapy.

Aim: To find out the association of both factors with azole resistance among isolated from VVC cases in Egyptian nonpregnant women of childbearing age.

Performance & clinical utility of oropharyngeal versus nasopharyngeal swabs in COVID-19.

Background & Objectives: The oropharyngeal (OP) and nasopharyngeal (NP) swab samples are the most recommended clinical specimens for detecting SARS-CoV-2 in an individual through the quantitative real-time reverse-transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) method. The primary objective of this study was to compare the performance of NP and OP swabs for the diagnosis of COVID-19 among 2250 concomitant samples (1125 NP + 1125 OP) using rRT-PCR test.

Methods: This study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in southern India.

The relationship between exacerbated diabetic peripheral neuropathy and metformin treatment in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Metformin-treated diabetics (MTD) showed a decrease in cobalamin, a rise in homocysteine, and methylmalonic acid, leading to accentuated diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). This study aimed to determine whether or not metformin is a risk factor for DPN. We compared MTD to non-metformin-treated diabetics (NMTD) clinically using the Toronto Clinical Scoring System (TCSS), laboratory (methylmalonic acid, cobalamin, and homocysteine), and electrophysiological studies.

Traditional medicines and alternative practice in the management of prostate diseases in southern Ghana.

Objective: This study was aimed at identifying Ghanaian traditional medicines used for the management of prostate diseases and their constituents. Reviews of studies conducted on them are also presented.

Methodology: This was a prospective study.

Volatiles Emitted from Maize Ears Simultaneously Infected with Two Species Mirror the Most Competitive Fungal Pathogen.

Along with barley and rice, maize provides staple food for more than half of the world population. Maize ears are regularly infected with fungal pathogens of the genus, which, besides reducing yield, also taint grains with toxic metabolites. In an earlier work, we have shown that maize ears infection with single strains was detectable through volatile sensing.

Biochemical studies of the multicopper oxidase (small laccase) from Streptomyces coelicolor using bioactive phytochemicals and site-directed mutagenesis.

Multicopper oxidases can act on a broad spectrum of phenolic and non-phenolic compounds. These enzymes include laccases, which are widely distributed in plants and fungi, and were more recently identified in bacteria. Here, we present the results of biochemical and mutational studies of small laccase (SLAC), a multicopper oxidase from Streptomyces coelicolor (SCO6712).

Spot urinary sodium for assessing dietary sodium restriction in cirrhotic ascites.

Aim: To evaluate the accuracy of spot urinary Na/K and Na/creatinine (Cr) ratios as an alternative to 24-h urinary sodium in monitoring dietary compliance in patients with liver cirrhosis and ascites treated with diuretics.

Methods: The study was carried on 40 patients with liver cirrhosis and ascites treated with diuretic therapy. Patients were divided into two groups according to 24-h urinary sodium.

Assessment of epidermal growth factor receptor mutation by endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration.

Background: The presence of somatic mutations in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) predicts the effectiveness of EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). It would be ideal if an EGFR mutation could be detected in biopsy samples, since the majority of non-small cell lung cancer patients are inoperable at the time of presentation. We have reported the usefulness of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) for the lymph node staging of lung cancer.