Qualitative and Quantitative Evaluation of the Image Quality of MDCT Multiphasic Liver Scans in HCC Patients.

The quality of CT images obtained from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients is complex, affecting diagnostic accuracy, precision, and radiation dose assessment due to increased exposure risks. The study evaluated image quality qualitatively and quantitatively by comparing quality levels with an effective radiation dose to ensure acceptable quality accuracy. This study retrospectively reviewed 100 known HCC patients (Li-RADS-5) who underwent multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) multiphasic scans for follow-up of their health condition between January and October 2023.

Improving stabilization of α-tocopherol and α-tocopheryl acetate against oxidation, light and UV radiation by complexation with β-cyclodextrin and starch.

Unlabelled: Despite the remarkably high antioxidant activity of tocopherols, their applications in the food industry are limited because of their instability under various conditions. Complexes of α-tocopherol (α-TQ) or α-tocopheryl acetate (α-TQA) with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) or starch were prepared and characterized by UV-vis, IR and thermal analysis. Oxidative stability of α-TQ and α-TQA against HO was 74.

The comparative accuracy of handprints and footprints for stature and sex determination.

One of the main goals of forensic medicine is the successful identification of unidentified bodies. This is essential in mass disasters, criminal medicolegal investigations, and most cases of deaths with poorly preserved remains. This study aimed to assess the accuracy of anthropometric determination of handprint versus footprint dimensions for sex and stature estimation in a sample of the Egyptian population and to formulate equations for stature and sex determination using hand and footprint anthropometric measures.

Chitosan-based Schiff base polymer derived from acetyl triazolyl uracil: Synthesis, characterization, evaluation of antimicrobial and antioxidant activities, and density functional theory calculations.

This work aimed to synthesize a new acetyl triazolyl uracil (UT) compound and subsequently utilize it to obtain a new chitosan-based Schiff base polymer (CH-UT). The new derivative was characterized using elemental analysis, FTIR, HNMR, XRD, TGA, DSC, and SEM analyses. Both UT and CH-UT were evaluated for their antibacterial activities against various Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

Chronic stress and depression impact on tongue and major sublingual gland histology and the potential protective role of Thymus vulgaris: An animal study.

Objectives: Reporting the histological effects of chronic stress on certain oral tissues, as well as the capacity of Thymus vulgaris (thyme) to protect tissues from stress and link both serum cortisol and serotonin levels.

Methods: 30 rats were randomly divided into a trio of groups: normal control (no treatment), stress group (chronic stress without treatment), and treatment group (chronic stress treated with thyme at a dose of 200 mg/kg BW orally via needle gavage daily for 21 days). At the end of the experiment, tongues and major sublingual glands (SLGs) were surgically removed and processed for histological and histochemical studies.

Role of ivermectin and colchicine in the treatment of COVID-19: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

Introduction: The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of ivermectin and colchicine as treatment options for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Methodology: A three-arm randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted in the Triage Clinic of the family medicine department at Ain Shams University Hospitals on participants who had been diagnosed with moderate COVID-19. Patients aged < 18 years or > 65 years, with any co-morbidities, pregnant or lactating females, and those with mild or severe COVID-19 confirmed cases were excluded.

Scalable Manufacturing Method for Model Protein-Loaded PLGA Nanoparticles: Biocompatibility, Trafficking and Release Properties.

: Drug delivery systems (DDSs) offer efficient treatment solutions to challenging diseases such as central nervous system (CNS) diseases by bypassing biological barriers such as the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Among DDSs, polymeric nanoparticles (NPs), particularly poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) NPs, hold an outstanding position due to their biocompatible and biodegradable qualities. Despite their potential, the translation of PLGA NPs from laboratory-scale production to clinical applications remains a significant challenge.

Enhancing the Therapeutic Effect and Bioavailability of Irradiated Silver Nanoparticle-Capped Chitosan-Coated Rosuvastatin Calcium Nanovesicles for the Treatment of Liver Cancer.

Liver cancer is a prevalent form of carcinoma worldwide. A novel chitosan-coated optimized formulation capped with irradiated silver nanoparticles (INops) was fabricated to boost the anti-malignant impact of rosuvastatin calcium (RC). Using a 2-factorial design, eight formulations were produced using the solvent evaporation process.

Correction: Saber et al. BD-AcAc2 Mitigates Chronic Colitis in Rats: A Promising Multi-Pronged Approach Modulating Inflammasome Activity, Autophagy, and Pyroptosis. 2023, , 953.

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Neuroprotective Potential of L. Essential Oil Against Scopolamine-Induced Memory Deficits and Oxidative Stress in a Zebrafish Model.

L., also known as sweet marjoram, is a plant with multiple uses, both in the culinary field and traditional medicine, because of its major antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and digestive properties. In this research, we focused on the effects of essential oil (OmEO, at concentrations of 25, 150, and 300 μL/L), evaluating chemical structure as well as its impact on cognitive performance and oxidative stress, in both naive zebrafish (), as well as in a scopolamine-induced amnesic model (SCOP, 100 μM).

Antibacterial Potential of Honeybee Venom and Extracellular Metabolites Against Multidrug-Resistant Pathogenic Bacteria.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a critical global health threat, driving the search for alternative treatments to conventional antibiotics. In this study, the antibacterial properties of honeybee venom (BV) and fungal red dye (RD) were evaluated against three multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens. Extracts of BV and RD exhibited dose-dependent antibacterial activity against the three tested bacteria, with their strongest effectiveness against (minimum inhibitory concentrations [MIC] = 3.

Development and validation of a scoring system for predicting disease activity in treatment-naïve patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

Background: Relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) exhibits significant heterogeneity and different treatment responses. Up to date, there is no international consensus on defining disease activity which foretells potential prognosis. This study aims to develop and validate a "Scoring System for Disease Activity Prognosis in Treatment-Naïve RRMS Patients" (DAPS-RRMS) to help guiding treatment decisions.

A 5-year Single-center Experience on the Use of Emicizumab Prophylaxis in Children With Severe Hemophilia A With and Without Factor VIII Inhibitors.

Objective: Emicizumab promotes efficacious hemostasis in persons with hemophilia A persons with hemophilia A with and without inhibitors. Primary analyses of real-world data and clinical trials have shown emicizumab efficacy and safety; however, long-term data are limited.

Methods: This retrospective study was conducted to assess real-world long-term outcomes of pediatric patients on emicizumab in our hemophilia center between the period of February 2018 and September 2023.

Injection of hyaluronic acid versus platelet rich plasma for treatment of vulvovaginal atrophy in post-menopausal females.

Female sexual dysfunction is highly prevalent among postmenopausal females approaching 50%, with vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA) being a cardinal sign. For decades, hormone replacement therapy was the only solution to relieve symptoms associated with this atrophy. However, it was limited by its serious side effects, raising the need for new treatment strategies.

Next-Generation Potentiometric Sensors: A Review of Flexible and Wearable Technologies.

In recent years, the field of wearable sensors has undergone significant evolution, emerging as a pivotal topic of research due to the capacity of such sensors to gather physiological data during various human activities. Transitioning from basic fitness trackers, these sensors are continuously being improved, with the ultimate objective to make compact, sophisticated, highly integrated, and adaptable multi-functional devices that seamlessly connect to clothing or the body, and continuously monitor bodily signals without impeding the wearer's comfort or well-being. Potentiometric sensors, leveraging a range of different solid contact materials, have emerged as a preferred choice for wearable chemical or biological sensors.

Renal Impairment Caused by Statins in Rats Can Be Restored by Thymoquinone.

Background: Atorvastatin (ATO) is an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor used to lower blood cholesterol, but it causes renal injury in high doses. Thymoquinone (TQ), is a natural antioxidant that has been shown to protect the kidney through its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, & antiapoptotic, effects.

Objective: The current study aimed to investigate whether posttreatment TQ could reverse ATOinduced renal injury, and the possible mechanism of action by which TQ produced such an effect.

Lycopene mitigates paclitaxel-induced cognitive impairment in mice; Insights into Nrf2/HO-1, NF-κB/NLRP3, and GRP-78/ATF-6 axes.

Chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment, referred to as "chemobrain", is widely acknowledged as a significant adverse effect of cancer therapy. Paclitaxel, a chemotherapeutic drug, has been reported to cause cognitive impairment clinically and in animal models. However, the precise mechanisms are not fully understood.

Insilico and Invivo protective effect of biochanin-A mitigating doxorubicin- induced cognitive deficits and neuroinflammation: Insights to the role of p-Tau and miR-132.

Doxorubicin (DOX)-induced chemobrain has been reported in several studies. Its main culprit is the induction of massive amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS), hence triggering damage to brain tissues and thus leading to neuroinflammation. Biochanin A (BIO-A) is known to be an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective agent.

Assessment of Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus) therapeutic and prophylactic role in rats experimentally infected with Blastocystis subtype 3 (ST3).

Blastocystis, an eukaryote, inhabits the intestinal tract of humans and animals worldwide. Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus), a probiotic, has been reported to be effective against blastocystosis.

The efficiency of single-session photobiomodulation on healing of periapical bone lesions using CBCT: a randomized clinical trial.

As photobiomodulation is growing in the dental field the aim of this prospective, two-arm clinical trial was to assess the radiographic changes for chronic periapical bone lesions related to mandibular molars after primary root canal therapy with or without applying Diode laser on soft tissue. The samples were randomly divided into a Laser group and a mock laser (ML) group. Preoperative CBCT images were compared 12 months later with postoperative CBCT to gauge the changes in the volume of the bony lesion by two observers.

A cross-sectional survey of psychiatrists' experiences of using telepsychiatry during the COVID-19 pandemic and the relationship with burnout in selected high, middle, and low-income countries.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated substantial modifications in the delivery of patient care on a global scale. Telemedicine-based care services were implemented worldwide to maximize access to healthcare systems.

Aims: This study aimed to investigate the use of and satisfaction with telepsychiatry services implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic by psychiatrists across low, middle, and high income countries, and to assess levels of burnout among psychiatrists providing telepsychiatry services in different settings and countries.

Chlorogenic Acid Ameliorates CCl4-induced Liver Fibrosis by Modulating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR Autophagy Pathway.

Background: Liver fibrosis represents a serious risk to global health by impairing quality of life and elevating the chances of hepatocellular carcinoma, while the intricate role of autophagy can either alleviate or worsen fibrosis depending on its functioning.

Objective: Herein, we aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of chlorogenic acid in CCl4-induced hepatic fibrosis and explore the autophagy pathway as the possible molecular target of chlorogenic acid.

Methods: Rats were injected with carbon tetrachloride (1ml/kg) to induce liver fibrosis for 10 weeks.

Regional and institutional trends in assessment for academic promotion.

The assessment of research performance is widely seen as a vital tool in upholding the highest standards of quality, with selection and competition believed to drive progress. Academic institutions need to take critical decisions on hiring and promotion, while facing external pressure by also being subject to research assessment. Here we present an outlook on research assessment for career progression with specific focus on promotion to full professorship, based on 314 policies from 190 academic institutions and 218 policies from 58 government agencies, covering 32 countries in the Global North and 89 countries in the Global South.

Harnessing the ubiquitin proteasome system as a key player in stem cell biology.

Intracellular proteins take part in almost every body function; thus, protein homeostasis is of utmost importance. The ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) has a fundamental role in protein homeostasis. Its main role is to selectively eradicate impaired or misfolded proteins, thus halting any damage that could arise from the accumulation of these malfunctioning proteins.

Impact of folic acid supplementation on ischemia‒reperfusion-induced kidney injury in rats: folic acid prophylactic role revisited.

Folic acid (FA), with its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, may offer protection against ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury. This study investigated whether FA safeguards rat kidneys from IR by targeting high mobility group box-1 (HMGB1), a key inflammatory mediator. Fifty adult male Wistar rats were randomly allocated into four groups: control, IR, IR + FA pretreatment, and FA alone.