Value of Thrombomodulin as a Marker for Sepsis in Critically Ill Children.

Objective: Pediatric sepsis is altered organ function in critically ill children and a main etiology of mortality for children. Therefore, the authors aimed to assess the role of serum thrombomodulin as valuable biomarker in the diagnosis and prognosis of sepsis in acutely ill pediatrics in the intensive unit.

Methods: This prospective clinical study conducted on 140 acutely ill patients admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) of Menoufia University Hospital and 50 apparently healthy controls from October 2018 through September 2019.

Validation of the Lebanese Medication Adherence Scale among Lebanese diabetic patients.

Background Adherence to oral antidiabetics plays a pivotal role in controlling diabetes. Healthcare workers evaluate this adherence when visited by patients. Objectives The primary objective of this study was to validate the existing LMAS-14 (Lebanese Medication Adherence Scale) in Lebanese diabetic adults.

Role of Electrostatics in the Heterogeneous Interaction of Two-Dimensional Engineered MoS Nanosheets and Natural Clay Colloids: Influence of pH and Natural Organic Matter.

Few-layered molybdenum disulfide (MoS) nanosheets are poised to be at the core of low-voltage electronic device development. Upon environmental release, these two-dimensional (2D) structures can interact with abundant natural geocolloids. This study probes the role of dimensionality in modulating the aggregation behavior of 2D MoS nanosheets with plate-like geocolloids (i.

Evaluation of the NG-Test CARBA 5 Kit for Rapid Detection of Carbapenemase Resistant Enterobacteriaceae.

Objective: We evaluated NG-Test CARBA 5, a new phenotypic carbapenemase detection assay, and compared it to the routine Xpert CARBA-R polymerase chain reaction assay. Furthermore, we tested the kit's performance after bacterial growth on 4 different solid media.

Methods: Seventy carbapenem resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) isolates (60 were carbapenemase producers) were collected at the Poriya Baruch Padeh Medical Center.

Trichomonas vaginalis serostatus and prostate cancer risk in Egypt: a case-control study.

Trichomonas vaginalis is one of the most common non-viral sexually transmitted infections (STIs) that has been associated with prostate cancer in some countries. This study aims to investigate if T. vaginalis infection can be a risk factor for prostate cancer in Egypt and its possible relationship with cancer prognostic factors and overall survival.

Catheter-Directed Therapy: Outcomes Versus Standard of Care and Evaluation of Current Practice.

Background: Small studies have noted benefit with the use of catheter-directed therapy (CDT) versus standard of care in treatment of pulmonary embolism, but none have focused on the variability of clinical practice with this modality.

Methods: International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes were used to retrospectively identify consecutive adult patients admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) with pulmonary embolism over a 2-year period. We evaluated inpatient mortality and major bleeding and assessed treatment variation.

Design, green synthesis, molecular docking and anticancer evaluations of diazepam bearing sulfonamide moieties as VEGFR-2 inhibitors.

Novel series of diazepam bearing sulfonamide moieties 5 and 7 were designed, synthesized and evaluated for anticancer activity against HepG2, HCT-116 and MCF-7 cell lines. MCF-7 was the most sensitive cell line to the influence of the new derivatives. In particular, compound 5 was found to be the most potent derivative overall the tested compounds against the three HepG2, HCT116 and MCF-7 cancer cell lines with IC = 8.

Photocatalytic activity of micron-scale brass on emerging pollutant degradation in water: mechanism elucidation and removal efficacy assessment.

Alloys or smelted metal mixtures have served as cornerstones of human civilization. The advent of smelted copper and tin, , bronze, in the 4 millennium B.C.

Ticagrelor Does Not Protect Against Endothelial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease.

Background: Ticagrelor is a recommended P2Y receptor inhibitor after acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Its superiority has been suggested to rely on pleiotropic effects beyond platelet inhibition. Experimental studies indicate that ticagrelor may protect from ischemia-reperfusion injury but no data are available from such studies on patients.

Newt: a comprehensive web-based tool for viewing, constructing and analyzing biological maps.

Motivation: Visualization of cellular processes and pathways is a key recurring requirement for effective biological data analysis. There is a considerable need for sophisticated web-based pathway viewers and editors operating with widely accepted standard formats, using the latest visualization techniques and libraries.

Results: We developed a web-based tool named Newt for viewing, constructing and analyzing biological maps in standard formats such as SBGN, SBML and SIF.

Dinuclear Rhenium Complexes with a Bridging Helicene-bis-bipyridine Ligand: Synthesis, Structure, and Photophysical and Chiroptical Properties.

By attaching pyridine groups to a diaza[6]helicene, a helical, bis-ditopic, bis-N N-coordinating ligand can be accessed. Dinuclear rhenium complexes featuring this bridging ligand, of the form [{Re(CO) Cl} (N N-N N)], have been prepared and resolved to give enantiopure complexes. These complexes are phosphorescent in solution at room temperature under one- and two-photon excitation.

Access to Chiral Rigid Hemicyanine Fluorophores from Tröger Bases and α-Imino Carbenes.

Chiral hemicyanine fluorophores are afforded in three steps only from Tröger bases via α-imino carbene additions, an original aminal deprotection and Cu(II)-mediated oxidation. The stable benzodiazepinoindolium salts are readily isolated and present (chir)optical properties that can be fine-tuned by late-stage cross-coupling functionalization. The hemicyanine character of dyes was rationalized using first principles.

Egyptian Propolis-Loaded Nanoparticles as a Root Canal Nanosealer: Sealing Ability and in vivo Biocompatibility.

Background: Successful endodontic therapy is mainly governed by the satisfactory sealing ability of the applied root canal sealer. Also, tolerability of root canal structure to accommodate the presence of a sealer participates in the efficiency of the treatment. Hence, this study was aimed to extrapolate our previous one that was concerned with the preparation and evaluation of novel nature-based root canal sealers.

Encapsulation of Cinnamic Acid by Cucurbit[7]uril for Enhancing Photoisomerization.

- or -configuration is required for the plant growth-promoting activity of cinnamic acid (CA), whereas the -form is inactive. Herein, we describe the encapsulation of -CA by cucurbit[7]uril (CB7) and show that photoisomerization reactions can be more efficiently controlled in aqueous solutions by utilizing this supramolecular approach. Measurements of UV-visible absorption and proton NMR spectra at different pH values confirm that -CA and its methyl ester, methyl--cinnamate (MC), form stronger 1:1 host-guest complexes with CB7 compared to cucurbit[8]uril (CB8) or three cyclodextrins (α-, β-, and γ-CD).

Black esophagus: a syndrome of acute esophageal necrosis associated with active alcohol drinking.

Black esophagus, also known as acute esophageal necrosis (AEN) syndrome, is a rare entity characterized by patchy or diffuse circumferential black pigmentation of the esophageal mucosa from ischemic necrosis. It may present with life-threatening upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage resulting in high mortality in immunocompromised patients. Advanced age with multiple comorbidities compounded with compromised hemodynamic states are poor prognostic factors.

An exploratory randomised controlled trial evaluating text prompts in Lebanon to encourage health-seeking behaviour for hypertension.

Aims Of The Study: The current study evaluates the effectiveness of an opportunistic mobile screening on the percentage of people who are aware of whether they may be hypertensive (in an observational study) and the effectiveness of reminder prompts on the percentage of people who seek further medical attention (in a randomised controlled trial).

Methods Used To Conduct The Study: The screening of 1227 participants (529 female) was conducted during the registration period of the 2018 Beirut International Marathon in Lebanon. Next, 266 participants whose screening indicated hypertension (64 Female) were randomly allocated to a treatment group or a control group in a 1:1 fashion.

Hydroxyl functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes modulate immune responses without increasing 2009 pandemic influenza A/H1N1 virus titers in infected mice.

Growing use of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have garnered concerns regarding their association with adverse health effects. Few studies have probed how CNTs affect a host's susceptibility to pathogens, particularly respiratory viruses. We reported that exposure of lung cells and mice to pristine single-walled CNTs (SWCNTs) leads to significantly increased influenza virus H1N1 strain A/Mexico/4108/2009 (IAV) titers in concert with repressed antiviral immune responses.

Suspended multiwalled, acid-functionalized carbon nanotubes promote aggregation of the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The increasing prevalence of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as components of new functional materials has the unintended consequence of causing increases in CNT concentrations in aqueous environments. Aqueous systems are reservoirs for bacteria, including human and animal pathogens, that can form biofilms. At high concentrations, CNTs have been shown to display biocidal effects; however, at low concentrations, the interaction between CNTs and bacteria is more complicated, and antimicrobial action is highly dependent upon the properties of the CNTs in suspension.

The Antimicrobial Activity of Ciprofloxacin-Loaded Niosomes against Ciprofloxacin-Resistant and Biofilm-Forming .

Purpose: The threat of antimicrobial resistance is increasing worldwide. Niosomes are a new drug delivery system that enhances the antimicrobial potential of antibiotics. We hereby aim to evaluate the antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity of ciprofloxacin-loaded niosomes.

An integrated assessment system for the accreditation of medical laboratories.

Medical laboratory accreditation becomes a trend to be trustable for diagnosis of diseases. It is always performed at regular intervals to assure competence of quality management systems (QMS) based on pre-defined standards. However, few attempts were carried out to assess the quality level of medical laboratory services.

Seasonal contamination of well-water in flood-prone colonias and other unincorporated U.S. communities.

Many of the six million residents of unincorporated communities in the United States depend on well-water to meet their needs. One group of unincorporated communities is the colonias, located primarily in several southwestern U.S.

pH-controlled preferential binding of cucurbit[7]uril-coated iron-oxide nanoparticles to 6-mercaptonicotinic acid for fluorescent detection of cadmium ions in the solid state.

A host-guest complex of 6-mercaptonicotinic acid (MNA) and cucurbit[7]uril (CB7) was prepared and conjugated to γ-FeO nanoparticles (NPs) to detect toxic cadmium ions in water as a solid-state sensor. The formation of an inclusion host-guest complex with CB7 was confirmed by UV-vis absorption and proton NMR spectroscopy. CB7 preferentially binds the protonated MNA form compared to the neutral form, demonstrated by a binding constant for the protonated form that is four orders of magnitude higher than that of the neutral form.

In vivo studies of the effect of PPQ-6, a quinoline-based agent against Schistosoma mansoni in mice.

Schistosomiasis is still a public health problem. Praziquantel is the only drug available for treatment of all forms of human schistosomiasis. Although praziquantel is an effective drug against all species of human schistosomes, concerns about resistance have been raised, especially in endemic areas.

Microplastic particle versus fiber generation during photo-transformation in simulated seawater.

Microplastic particles and fibers are increasingly being detected in our surface and ground waters as well as within a wide range of aquatic species. Their presence in the environment is largely due to in situ generation from physical and chemical weathering of larger plastics, and thus has left environmental community concerned in the post-banned era of microbead use in personal care products through the passage of Microbead-Free Waters Act in the United States. To improve understanding of secondary microplastic formation, accelerated weathering has been conducted on four materials (high-density polyethylene, high impact polystyrene, nylon 6, and polypropylene) under ultraviolet radiation (equivalent to 44 days in full sun) in simulated seawater.