Background: Determining a genetic contribution to the development of complicated community-acquired pneumonia in children may help understand underlying pathogenesis. We aimed to investigate the association between two vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms, FokI and TaqI, and susceptibility to complicated pneumonia in Egyptian children compared to uncomplicated pneumonia. Associations with 25 hydroxy-vitamin D serum level were studied.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFImmune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is one of the most common hematologic disorders with poorly predictable clinical course and outcome. We studied the distribution of interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) gene polymorphism (intron-2) among children and adolescents with ITP and correlated IL-1Ra gene polymorphism to disease susceptibility, response to therapy, and outcome. Sixty children with ITP (mean age: 9.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRationale: Pulse glucocorticoid therapy is used in hyperinflammation related to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We evaluated the efficacy and safety of pulse intravenous methylprednisolone in addition to standard treatment in COVID-19 pneumonia.
Methods: In this multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 304 hospitalised patients with COVID-19 pneumonia were randomised to receive 1 g of methylprednisolone intravenously for three consecutive days or placebo in addition to standard dexamethasone.
Background: /aims: The role of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene polymorphism in the development of obesity and hypertension in children has not been widely studied. We aimed to screen Egyptian obese children and adolescents for insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism in the ACE gene.
Methods: One hundred forty-two children and adolescents were included (70 with simple obesity and 72 controls).
Exposure to heavy metals contributes to most of the unexplained male infertility. Lead (Pb) is a well- known heavy metal, which disrupt the male reproductive system. This study was conducted to investigate the therapeutic and protective effects of green tea active principle, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), on the lead toxicity-induced infertility in male rats.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAims: The present study aimed to investigate the potential therapeutic effect of diallyl sulfide (DAS), a natural component of garlic (Allium sativum), in the improvement of lead (Pb)-induced testicular toxicity and its underlying mechanisms.
Materials And Methods: Thirty-two male albino rats were randomly divided into control, PbAc (20 mg lead acetate/kg bwt, orally), DAS (200 mg/kg bwt, orally), and PbAc + DAS groups for 49 successive days. The investigation based on the following criteria: Paired testes and epididymides weights, epididymal sperm analysis, level of serum sex hormones (Testosterone and17β-estradiol (E2)), aromatase (CYP19) expression, Malondialdehyde (MDA), Nitric oxide (NO), Superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme, reduced glutathione (GSH), testicular histopathology, spermatogenesis score and apoptosis detection (Caspase-3 immunoexpression).
J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis
February 2019
Background: Cerebrovascular stroke is a common critical complication of sickle cell disease (SCD). Angiotensinogen (AGT) M235T gene polymorphism is associated with risk of ischemic stroke and cardiovascular disease.
Aim: We investigated the potential association between angiotensinogen M235T gene polymorphism and susceptibility to cerebrovascular and cardiopulmonary complications in adolescents with SCD.
Background: Autism is currently known as "a behaviorally defined syndrome" manifested as impairment in social communication, repetitive routines and restricted interests. There is an increased risk of ASDs associated with common mutations affecting the folate/methylation cycle.
Aim: The aim of this study was to identify C677T and 1298AC polymorphic genotypes of MTHFR gene among a sample of Egyptian children with autism and to make a phenotype-genotype correlation for the autistic patients.
Background: The klf10 gene could indirectly modify γ-globin chain production and hence the level of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) ameliorating the phenotype of β-hemoglobinopathies and the response to hydroxycarbamide (hydroxyurea [HU]) therapy. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the frequency of different genotypes for the klf10 gene in β-thalassemia major (B-TM), β-thalassemia intermedia (B-TI), and sickle cell disease (SCD) patients by polymerase chain reaction and to assess its relation to disease phenotypes and HU response.
Methods: This cross-sectional study included 75 patients: 50 B-TM, 12 SCD, and 13 B-TI patients (on stable HU dose).
This study aimed to detect DRD4 receptor gene polymorphisms in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) children and to correlate their phenotype-genotype. Fifty children with ADHD were diagnosed by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, criteria and were subjected to Conners Parent Rating Scale. All cases and controls were subjected to history taking, physical examination, IQ assessment, and dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4) exon 3 genotyping.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTo evaluate the association between development, progression, and response to therapy among patients with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) and different cytokine gene polymorphisms known to be related to autoimmunity [tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-10, IL-6, IL-17, IL-1Ra]. A total of 50 pediatric patients with ITP (20 newly diagnosed, 30 chronic) and 50 healthy controls were investigated via PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis for cytokine gene polymorphism. Compared with controls, all patients showed a higher frequency of IL-6-174 CC [P = 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAim of this study was to compare the analgesic effect of tramadol and a combination of tramadol-lidocaine with that produced by lidocaine administration in the epidural space in buffalo calves. In a prospective randomized crossover study, ten male buffalo calves were used to compare the epidural analgesic effect of tramadol (1 mg/kg) and tramadol-lidocaine combination (0.5 mg/kg and 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFis an Egyptian desert plant that contains polyphenol antioxidants. The present study examined the chemopreventive effect of an extract of in a rat model of hepatocarcinogenesis. Male Wistar rats (n=40) were administered 100 mg/kg diethylnitrosamine (DEN) by intraperitoneal (i.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To investigate the efficacy of topical applied aloe vera (AV) and to facilitate the repair of the standardized alkaline corneal ulcer in normal and diabetic rats.
Materials And Methods: The corneal alkali-burn injury model was established unilaterally in Wistar rats by filter paper saturated with 0.01 M NaOH contacting the eyes for 45 seconds.
Activators of both adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP)-sensitive K(+) (KATP) channel and cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) Cl(-) channel have significant in vivo and in vitro neuroprotection against glutamate-induced death of some neuronal cells. Here, the effect of the KATP channel activator, pinacidil, and the CFTR Cl(-) channel opener, levamisole, against glutamate-induced oxidative stress were investigated in mouse hippocampal cells, HT22. The results from cell viability assay (WST-1) showed that pinacidil and levamisole weakly protected cells against glutamate-induced toxicity at 10 μM and their effect increased in a dose-dependent manner till reach maximum protection at 300 μM.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe Objective: This study was undertaken to detect characterization of the different gene polymorphisms in Human killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR2) gene and multi-drug resistance (MDR1) gene, among childhood ITP Egyptian patients. In addition to assess the potential role of these polymorphisms in relation to types of ITP and response to different treatment modalities.
Patients And Methods: A total of 48 pediatric patients with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP; 24 newly diagnosed and 24 chronic) and 35 healthy controls were investigated via polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis for multidrug resistance (MDR) 1 and killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) 2 genes.
Diabetic angiopathy including micro- and macroangiopathy is concerned with high rate of morbidity and mortality in patients with long-standing diabetes. Receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) and its ligands have been considered as important pathogenic triggers for the progression of the vascular injuries in diabetes. The deleterious link between RAGE and diabetic angiopathy has been demonstrated in animal studies.
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