Bacterial cellulose/phytochemical's extracts biocomposites for potential active wound dressings.

The present study describes the impregnation of coffee extract (CE) into bacterial cellulose synthesized from kombucha tea fungus (KBC) of different cellulose content, incubated for different incubation periods (2, 4, and 10 days), to prepare biocomposites having the potential for wound healing applications. Total polyphenols in hydroalcoholic extracts from ground roasted coffee and its release from the prepared biocomposites were determined as gallic acid equivalent. The polyphenols content was found to be 13.

Clinical association of vitamin D and serotonin levels among patients with fibromyalgia syndrome.

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a chronic disorder associated with severe pain. According to the National Fibromyalgia Association, the prevalence of FMS is between 3% and 6% in the general population, with about 90% of the patients being women. The primary goal of this study was to evaluate the relationship between vitamin D and serotonin levels and FMS severity.

Isolated adult congenital uni-leaflet severe mitral valve stenosis, a case report, and review of literature.

Unlabelled: Reported cases of uni-leaflet mitral valve (MV) were related to the absence or dysplasia of the posterior mitral leaflet with ample anterior mitral leaflet. We present here a new entity of uni-leaflet MV where the MV appears as a membrane-like structure with a single slit-like orifice at its lateral part with no commissures.

Case Report: Continuous Doppler flow revealed a mean pressure gradient of 19 mmHg across the mitral valve indicating severe mitral stenosis.

Management of dyslipidaemia in patients with coronary heart disease: Results from the ESC-EORP EUROASPIRE V survey in 27 countries.

Background And Aims: One of the objectives of the ESC-EORP EUROASPIRE V survey is to determine how well European guidelines on the management of dyslipidaemias are implemented in coronary patients.

Methods: Standardized methods were used by trained technicians to collect information on 7824 patients from 130 centers in 27 countries, from the medical records and at a visit at least 6 months after hospitalization for a coronary event. All lipid measurements were performed in one central laboratory.

The pattern of risk-factor profile in Egyptian patients with acute coronary syndrome: phase II of the Egyptian cross-sectional CardioRisk project.

Background: Egypt is the most populous country in the Middle East and North Africa and has more than 15% of the cardiovascular deaths in the region, but little is known about the prevalence of traditional risk factors and treatment strategies in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients across Egypt.

Methods: From November 2015 to August 2017, data were collected from 1 681 patients with ACS in 30 coronary care centres, covering 11 governorates across Egypt, spanning the Mediterranean coast, Nile Delta and Upper Egypt, with a focus on risk factors and management strategies.

Results: Women constituted 25% of the patients.

Brain magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) as a diagnostic tool for detecting early neurological changes in children with Wilson's disease.

Purpose: Although brain magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) imaging findings in adult Wilson disease (WD) have been explained in extensive details, a paucity of information currently exists regarding brain MRS imaging findings in pediatric WD. The purpose of this study was to clarify the role of brain MRS in detecting early metabolite abnormalities in children with WD.

Patient And Methods: A case-controlled prospective study included 26 children with WD and 26 healthy controls.

Interleukin-4 -590C/T gene polymorphism in Egyptian children with acute lower respiratory infection: A multicenter study.

Background: Acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) is the leading cause of child mortality, especially in the developing world. Polymorphisms in the interleukin 4 (IL-4) gene have been linked to a variety of human diseases.

Objectives: To investigate whether the IL-4 -590C/T (rs2243250) polymorphism could be a genetic marker for susceptibility to ALRIs in young Egyptian children.

The reproducibility of the novel utilization of five-dimensional ultrasound and power Doppler in the prediction of endometrial receptivity in intracytoplasmic sperm-injected women: a pilot prospective clinical study.

Objective: The ultimate goal of this study is to reassess the five-dimensional implantation markers and pregnancy predictors on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin injection in the intracytoplasmic sperm injection and embryo transfer programs.

Design: A pilot prospective clinical trial.

Setting: The Assisted Reproductive Technology Unit of Ain Shams Maternity Teaching Hospital during the period from April 2014 to December 2017.

Analysis of the Outcomes of Combined Cross-Linking with Intracorneal Ring Segment Implantation for the Treatment of Pediatric Keratoconus.

Purpose: To analyze the visual and refractive outcomes of combined accelerated cross-linking with femtosecond laser intracorneal ring segment implantation for the treatment of pediatric keratoconus.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective multicenter noncomparative clinical study included 63 eyes of 37 patients (age, 9-17 years) who underwent between August and September 2016 combined cross-linking with intracorneal ring segment implantation for keratoconus. Preoperative and postoperative (6, 12, and 18 months) uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) and corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), subjective refractions, keratometry (K), and pachymetry measurements were compared.

Temporary CBD Stenting with a Nelaton Tube Is a More Practical and Safer Option Than T-Tube Drainage after Conventional CBD Exploration for Choledocholithiasis.

Objective: We are trying to investigate the possibility, safety, and benefits of replacing the role of T-tube by another more safe and effective procedure for biliary decompression in the case of common bile duct (CBD) exploration.

Methods: Our present study includes fifty consecutive patients who underwent a traditional CBD exploration due to choledocholithiasis. Patients were divided into 2 equal groups.

Gender differences in Egyptian patients hospitalized with heart failure: insights from the European Society of Cardiology Heart Failure Long-Term Registry.

Aims: This analysis evaluates gender differences in the Egyptian cohort of patients hospitalized for acute heart failure (AHF) in the European Society of Cardiology Heart Failure Long-Term Registry.

Methods And Results: From April 2011 to September 2014, 1634 patients hospitalized with AHF were enrolled by 20 hospitals all over Egypt. Of these patients, 1112 (68%) patients were male and 522 (32%) were female.

Removal of large impacted foreign body from the base of the skull through submandibular access: A multidisciplinary approach.

Introduction: This report describes the removal of a missed impacted large piece of a glass that reaches the infra-temporal region after a traumatic injury at the submandibular area.

Case Presentation: A nine year-old patient presented with a limited mouth opening (0.5 cm).

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Cross-Linking Combined With Photorefractive Keratectomy for Treatment of Keratoconus.

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of combined epithelium-off cross-linking (CXL) with photorefractive keratectomy (CXL Plus) for correction of the myopic and astigmatic components of keratoconus.

Methods: Seventy-nine eyes of 46 patients who underwent CXL Plus were enrolled in this retrospective, multicenter, noncomparative clinical study. Uncorrected distance visual acuity, corrected distance visual acuity, refraction, keratometry, and pachymetry measurements were recorded preoperatively and at 3, 6, 12, and 18 months during follow-up.

Characterization of strains from ruminants in a host-based model.

is a small Gram-negative intracellular bacterium and is the causative agent of Q fever, which is a zoonotic disease with a worldwide distribution. Domesticated ruminants are the main reservoir of the disease, but the bacterium is able to infect a wide range of hosts, including humans, arthropods and invertebrates. Virulence studies of strains usually require a suitable animal model.

Obesity paradox in heart failure patients - Female gender characteristics-KAMC-single center experience.

Background/introduction: The correlation between low body mass index (BMI) and congestive heart failure (obesity paradox) has been described in the literature; However, the association between BMI and clinical outcome measures is not well characterized. Little is known about CHF in the Middle Eastern female population; most of the gender-specific information on heart failure comes from higher income "Western" countries.

Objectives: We aimed to identify the correlation between heart failure patients especially those with low BMI and clinical/safety outcome measures with focusing on female patients subgroup characteristics.

Skin Endometriosis at the Caesarean Section Scar: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Cutaneous endometriosis is one of the rare gynecological conditions. Endometriosis is defined as the presence of endometrial glands and stroma outside the endometrial cavity. It commonly occurs in pelvic sites, such as the ovaries, cul-de-sac, bowel, or pelvic peritoneum.

Pregnancy Outcomes in Women With Rheumatic Mitral Valve Disease: Results From the Registry of Pregnancy and Cardiac Disease.

Background: Cardiac disease is 1 of the major causes of maternal mortality. We studied pregnancy outcomes in women with rheumatic mitral valve disease.

Methods: The Registry of Pregnancy and Cardiac Disease is an international prospective registry, and consecutive pregnant women with cardiac disease were included.

Cardiovascular risk factors profile in patients with acute coronary syndrome with particular reference to left ventricular ejection fraction.

Background: Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) remains a leading cause of death in the United States. Numerous studies have shown that the degree of LV systolic dysfunction is a major if not the most important determinant of long-term outcome in ACS.

Objectives: To identify the most important risk factors and other clinical predictors which might have impact on left ventricular ejection fraction in patients with ACS.

Impact of High Altitude on Maternal Serum Leptin Level and its Correlation With Oxidative Stress and Endothelial Inflammatory Markers in Preeclamptic Women.

Involvement of leptin in the pathogensis of preeclampsia (PE) is still a controversy subject. Several researches reported the changes in serum leptin in high altitude (HA) residents. The aim of the present work was to investigate the impact of oxidative stress (OS) induced by HA residence on maternal serum leptin in PE and if there was a significant correlation between the serum leptin with either OS or endothelial inflammatory markers.

Does vitamin C have the ability to augment the therapeutic effect of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells on spinal cord injury?

Methylprednisolone (MP) is currently the only drug confirmed to exhibit a neuroprotective effect on acute spinal cord injury (SCI). Vitamin C (VC) is a natural water-soluble antioxidant that exerts neuroprotective effects through eliminating free radical damage to nerve cells. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs), as multipotent stem cells, are promising candidates in SCI repair.

Transurethral bipolar plasmakinetic vapo-enucleation of the prostate: Is it safe for patients on chronic oral anticoagulants and/or platelet aggregation inhibitors?

Objectives: To assess the safety and efficacy of bipolar plasmakinetic enucleation and resection of the prostate (PKERP) for the management of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in patients on oral anticoagulant (OAC) therapy and/or platelet aggregation inhibitors (PAIs).

Patients And Methods: In all, 91 patients were recruited and underwent PKERP whilst they were receiving PAIs (aspirin, 56 patients; clopidogrel, three; aspirin and clopidogrel, 11). In all, 15 patients were receiving an OAC drug perioperatively, whilst another six patients were on dual PAIs and OACs.

Bilateral bidirectional Glenn: outcome of off-pump technique.

Objectives: Off-pump bilateral bidirectional Glenn (b-BDG) poses a surgical challenge and may add complexity to the postoperative outcome especially regarding uniformity of the anastomosis and central pulmonary artery growth. Herein, we report early- and mid-term outcomes after off-pump b-BDG without using superior vena cava decompression techniques.

Methods: Ninety-seven consecutive patients, between 2009 and 2014, were included in this prospective study.

On-X versus St Jude Medical Mechanical Prosthesis in mitral position: are we moving forward in design technology?

Background: Continuous effort is still provided in designing optimal artificial heart valves with better hemodynamic function and reduced thromboembolic potential. The question is do we have moved forward toward this goal or not.

Methods: A prospective, randomized comparative study was done on 360 patients scheduled for elective mitral valve replacement.