Paracentrotus lividus sea urchin gonadal extract mitigates neurotoxicity and inflammatory signaling in a rat model of Parkinson's disease.

The present study investigates the neuroprotective effects of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus gonadal extract on rotenone-induced neurotoxicity in a Parkinson's disease (PD) rat model. Parkinson's disease, characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN), is exacerbated by oxidative stress and neuroinflammation. The study involved fifty Wistar rats divided into five groups: control, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) control, Paracentrotus lividus gonadal extract-treated, rotenone-treated, and combined rotenone with Paracentrotus lividus gonadal extract-treated.

Therapeutic efficacy of praziquantel loaded-chitosan nanoparticles on juvenile Schistosoma mansoni worms in murine model.

Praziquantel (PZQ) is the standard treatment for schistosomiasis; however, it is poorly effective on immature and juvenile worms. The present study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of praziquantel loaded-chitosan nanoparticles (PZQ-CSNPs) on the 25 days old juvenile Schistosoma mansoni worms compared to PZQ and chitosan nanoparticles (CSNPs). It was conducted on 60 Swiss albino mice, including 20 control and 40 experimental mice.

Characterization and biological applications of gonadal extract of Paracentrotus lividus collected along the Mediterranean coast of Alexandria, Egypt.

Marine invertebrates represent a valuable reservoir of pharmaceutical bioactive compounds with potential relevance to various medical applications. These compounds exhibit notable advantages when compared to their terrestrial counterparts, in terms of their potency, activity, and mechanism of action. Within this context, the present work aimed to extract, chemically characterize, and investigate the bioactivity of the gonadal extract of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus (P.

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.

Predictors of major adverse events and complications after ventricular septal defects surgical closure in children less than 10 kg.

Background: Ventricular septal defect (VSD) is the most common congenital cardiac defect for which outcomes are not uniform. There is a lack of consensus on the risk factors for the unfavorable outcomes following surgical VSD closure.

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors and the predictors of major adverse events (MAEs) and complications following surgical closure of VSD in children weighing less than 10 kg.

Relation of Procollagen Type III Amino Terminal Propeptide Level to Sepsis Severity in Pediatrics.

Background: Sepsis is still the main etiology of mortality in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs). Therefore, we performed this study to evaluate the value of procollagen Type III amino-terminal propeptide (PIIINP) as a biomarker for sepsis severity diagnosis and mortality.

Method: A prospective study was carried out on 170 critically ill children admitted into the PICU and 100 controls.

The severity and atypical presentations of COVID-19 infection in pediatrics.

Background: Emergence of 2019-nCoV attracted global attention and WHO declared COVID-19 a public health emergency of international concern. Therefore we aimed to explore the severity and atypical manifestations of COVID-19 among children.

Methods: This is an observational cohort study conducted on 398 children with confirmed COVID-19 by using real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction assay for detection of 2019-nCoV nucleic acid during the period from March to November 2020.

On-admission plasma levels of BNP, MR-proADM, and cTnI in pediatric heart failure: contributions to diagnosis, prognosis, and outcome.

Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate the use of on-admission plasma levels of BNP, MR-proADM, and cTnI in diagnosing the clinical severity and progression of heart failure (HF) in children with CHD. Also, to correlate the levels of these biomarkers with the HF outcome (survival versus in-hospital mortality).

Results: A prospective cohort study conducted in period from January 2017 to March 2018.

Transcatheter device closure of ventricular septal defects in children: a retrospective study at a single cardiac center.

Background: Ventricular septal defect (VSD) is the most common congenital heart disease in the pediatric population. Nowadays, trans-catheter closure is considered a feasible method of therapy for most muscular and some perimembranous types of VSDs.

Objective: Assess the safety, efficacy and outcome of percutaneous transcatheter closure of VSDs in children.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme insertion/deletion (ACE I/D) gene polymorphism in Egyptian children with congenital heart disease.

Background: Congenital heart diseases (CHDs) are the leading cause of infant deaths worldwide. The relationship between angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene polymorphism and CHDs is not clear. The aim of this work is to assess the presence of an association between ACE I/D polymorphism and CHD in Egyptian population.

The spectrum of congenital heart diseases in down syndrome. A retrospective study from Northwest Saudi Arabia.

Objectives: To to define the frequency and patterns of congenital heart disease (CHD) among children with Down syndrome (DS) in Northwest Saudi Arabia. 

Methods: We included children with confirmed DS referred to the regional pediatric cardiology unit in Madinah Maternity and Children Hospital between January 2008 and December 2013. Children were identified from the unit's data-base and the charts were reviewed retrospectively.