Genetic diversity, symbiotic efficiency, stress tolerance, and plant growth promotion traits of rhizobia nodulating Vachellia tortilis subsp. raddiana growing in dryland soils in southern Morocco.

In the present study, we analyzed the genetic diversity, phylogenetic relationships, stress tolerance, phytobeneficial traits, and symbiotic characteristics of rhizobial strains isolated from root nodules of Vachellia tortilis subsp. raddiana grown in soils collected in the extreme Southwest of the Anti-Atlas Mountains in Morocco. Subsequent to Rep-PCR fingerprinting, 16S rDNA gene sequencing of 15 representative strains showed that all of them belong to the genus Ensifer.

Role of spp. intake in improving depressive mood and well-being and its link to kynurenine blood level: an interventional study.

Objectives: Evidence for the contribution of the brain-gut-microbiota axis to the depression pathophysiology is increasing nowadays. Disturbed gut microbiota equilibrium along with bad dietary habits both lead to kynurenine pathway abnormalities contributing to the depression pathophysiology. In this respect, many studies are found but the interventional clinical trials are limited.

High success rates for the use of sofosbuvir/ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir + ribavirin and sofosbuvir/simeprevir/daclatasvir + ribavirin in retreatment of chronic hepatitis C infection after unsuccessful sofosbuvir/daclatasvir therapy: a real-life experience.

The aim of this work was assessment of the efficacy and tolerability of two different regimens for retreatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients who failed to respond to SOF/DCV-based therapy. This prospective study included 104 HCV patients who failed to respond to SOF/DCV-based therapy. Patients were randomly allocated to two groups.

Rhizobium laguerreae is the main nitrogen-fixing symbiont of cultivated lentil (Lens culinaris) in Morocco.

Genetic diversity and population structure of 268 Lens culinaris symbiotic rhizobia collected from 40 cultivated fields in the main lentil production regions in Morocco were estimated. Three chromosomal housekeeping genes (recA, glnII and atpD) and one common symbiotic gene (nodC) were sequenced and analyzed in order to identify the local symbionts of lentil. The molecular phylogeny of the concatenated housekeeping genes clustered more than 95% of the isolates in one main clade together with Rhizobium laguerreae species.

Role of fibroscan and APRI in detection of liver fibrosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background And Study Aims: Fibroscan and APRI are promising noninvasive alternatives to liver biopsy for detecting hepatic fibrosis. However, their overall test performance in various settings remains questionable. The aim of our study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic accuracy studies comparing fibroscan and APRI with liver biopsy for hepatic fibrosis.

A prospective randomized trial for postoperative vs. preoperative adjuvant radiotherapy for muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

Purpose: Although radical cystectomy is considered to be the primary treatment for muscle-invasive bladder cancer, it is associated with unfavorable outcome. Local recurrence is still a major problem. Survival rates as well as quality of live are far from being satisfactory.

A prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of zoledronic acid in bony metastatic bladder cancer.

Background: Zoledronic acid treatment reduces the incidence of skeletal-related events (SREs) in patients with bone metastases from breast, lung, and urologic cancers including prostate and renal cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of zoledronic acid on SREs in patients with bone metastases from bladder cancer.

Patients And Methods: Patients with bone metastases from bladder cancer who were receiving palliative radiotherapy were randomized to placebo or zoledronic acid (4 mg intravenous monthly) for 6 months.

AML1/ETO Fusion Gene in de novo Pediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Clinical Significance and Prognostic Implications.

The characterization of leukemia-associated chromosome translocations has contributed relevant insights into our understanding of leukemia pathogenesis and has provided new specific tumor markers essential in prognostic assessment and minimal residual disease studies. The aim of this work is to study the frequency of AML1/ETO fusion gene in a series of Egyptian childhood AML cases. The clinical significance and prognostic implications of this aberration, including CR rate, duration of first CR, extramedullary leukemia (EML), and survival are investigated as well.

[18FDG] PET-CT-based intensity-modulated radiotherapy treatment planning of head and neck cancer.

Purpose: To define the best threshold for tumor volume delineation of the (18) fluoro-2-deoxy-glucose positron emission tomography ((18)FDG-PET) signal for radiotherapy treatment planning of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) in head and neck cancer.

Methods And Materials: In 25 patients with head-and-neck cancer, CT-based gross tumor volume (GTV(CT)) was delineated. After PET-CT image fusion, window level (L) was adapted to best fit the GTV(CT), and GTV(PET) was delineated.

A panel of molecular markers in hepatitis C virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma is triggered by many factors including infection with hepatitis C virus. The molecular basis, however, of the development of HCV-related HCC remains unknown.

Objective: This work was designated to compare the circulating levels of some molecular markers between HCV-infected and HCV-free HCC patients.

Target motion variability and on-line positioning accuracy during external-beam radiation therapy of prostate cancer with an endorectal balloon device.

Purpose: To prospectively define the setup error and the interfraction prostate localization accuracy of the planning target volume (PTV) in the presence of an endorectal balloon (ERB) device.

Patients And Methods: Weekly portal images (PIs) of 15 patients undergoing external-beam radiotherapy were analyzed. Displacements of the isocenter and the center of the ERB were measured.

Hepatitis C virus and its genotypes and Helicobacter pylori in pediatric non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: could there be a possible etiologic role?

Background: It has been recently hypothe-sized that Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and Hepatitis C virus (HCV) might be involved in the pathogenesis of malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). However, most of the studies were carried out on adult patients.

A predictive model of survival after radical cystectomy for carcinoma of the bladder.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of patient and tumour characteristics on the disease-free survival after radical cystectomy for infiltrating bladder cancer, and to use these to help in constructing a meaningful prognostic index.

Methods: The disease-free survival was initially evaluated in 1026 patients (the reference series, 1969-1990). A multivariate analysis showed that the tumour P stage, grade and nodal involvement were the only factors which had an independent and significant association with survival.

Radical cystectomy for carcinoma of the bladder: critical evaluation of the results in 1,026 cases.

Purpose: We performed a critical analysis of the different prognostic factors affecting survival among patients with carcinoma of the bladder for whom cystectomy was indicated. The different patient and tumor characteristics were correlated to survival data by a univariate as well as multivariate analysis.

Materials And Methods: Between 1969 and 1990, 764 men and 262 women, average age plus or minus standard deviation 43 +/- 8 years, with invasive carcinoma of the bladder were eligible for 1-stage radical cystectomy and urinary diversion.

Combination chemotherapy for advanced bilharzial bladder carcinoma.

Background: Carcinoma of the bilharzial bladder, the most common cancer in Egyptian patients has been, until recently, largely treated by surgery. We have studied the activity of a series of single agents in phase II trials and identified a number of active agents. Here we report the results of a trial in which therapeutic combinations of the most active agents were administered in alternating cycles to patients who had never received chemotherapy.

Effect of cold storage on the haemostatic cascade systems.

This study dealt with the effect of citrate phosphate dextrose adenine (CPDA) whole blood stored at 4 degrees C for 5 weeks and fresh frozen plasma at -30 degrees C for 12 months on coagulation, fibrinolytic and kallikrein system activation. Stored whole blood showed a significant decrease in ATIII activity by the second week with a significant decrease in thrombin-antithrombin complex by the fourth week. alpha 2-antiplasmin and plasminogen decreased significantly by the first and second week, respectively, accompanied by a significant increase in D-dimer level by the fourth week.

Accelerated versus conventional fractionation in the postoperative irradiation of locally advanced head and neck cancer: influence of tumour proliferation.

Fifty-six patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma were subjected to adjuvant radiotherapy after radical surgery with randomisation to either conventional fractionation (CF), comprising 50 Gy/25 F/5 weeks, or to accelerated hyperfractionation (AHF) to a dose of 42 Gy/30 F/11 days (3 F/day), a dose/F of 1.4 Gy and an interfraction interval of 4 h. The in vitro [3H]thymidine labelling index (TLI) was determined as an indicator of tumour proliferation.

Postoperative radiotherapy of carcinoma in bilharzial bladder: improved disease free survival through improving local control.

Two hundred thirty-six patients with T3 bladder cancer who survived radical surgery and proved to have P3a, P3b, or P4a tumors were randomized in two phases into three groups: (a) no further treatment (83 patients); (b) postoperative radiotherapy multiple daily fractionation (MDF), using 3 daily fractions of 1.25 Gy each, with 3 hr between fractions, up to a total dose of 37.5 Gy in 12 days (75 patients); and (c) postoperative radiotherapy conventional fractionation (CF), for a total dose of 50 Gy/5 weeks (78 patients).