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Copyright of Fayoum Journal of Agricultural Research & Development / Maǧallaẗ Al-Fayūm lil Buḥūṯ wa Al-Tanmiyyaẗ Al-Zirāʿiyyaẗ is the property of Egyptian National Agricultural Library (ENAL) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background and Objectives: Malachite green (MG) is a triarylaminmethane dye used in the fish industry as an anti- fungal agent. Concern over MG is due to the potential for consumer exposure, suggestive evidence of tumor promotion in rodent liver, and suspicion of carcinogenicity based on structure-activity relationships. In order to evaluate the risks associated with exposure to MG, we examined the mutagenicity and biochemical effect of MG. Materials and Methods: For genotoxic effect we use the doses 27, 91, 272 and 543 mg/kg b.wt. for different period of time (7, 14, 21 and 28 days) to evaluate chromosomal aberrations in mouse somatic and germ cells as well as sister chromatid exchanges in bone marrow cells. For DNA fragmentation assay from mouse liver the same doses of MG were used for 28 days. For measuring biochemical parameters such as glycolysis and gluconeogenesis enzyme pathways, antioxidant indices, hepatic marker enzymes, total protein, glucose, glycogen levels and liver function enzyme activities were evaluated. Mice were treated orally up to 28 days with the two high doses of MG 272 and 543 mg/kg b.wt. Results and Conclusions: Our results show that MG induce elevation in the percentage of SCE's and chromosomal aberrations (p < 0.01) after treatment with the high doses for long period of time. MG also induces DNA damage in mice liver in a dose dependent manner. Beside, MG treatment either in low or high doses causes biochemical disturbances in the major glucolytic- gluconeogenic pathways, hepatic marker enzymes, depleted glutathione and increased free radical as determined by increasing lipid peroxide. Histopathological observations revealed that MG induced sinusoidal, congestion, focal necrosis and degenerating in hepatic cells, hypertrophy and vacuolization followed by necrosis and cirrhosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present research was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of pumpkin seed oils (PSOs) of an Egyptian and European variety, in a rat model of adjuvant arthritis. Edema thickness, plasma tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were determined as inflammatory biomarkers while malondialdehyde (MDA) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were assessed as indicative of oxidative stress. Chromosomal aberration, sperm shape abnormalities, and DNA fragmentations are cytogenetic parameters which aid in tracing inflammatory and oxidative activity. Phenolic contents and β-carotene were determined in PSOs. The results showed elevated ESR, plasma TNF-α, plasma MDA, liver cellular DNA fragmentation, bone marrow chromosomal aberration, sperm shape abnormalities with a reduction in plasma TAC and body weight gain in an adjuvant arthritis control compared to a healthy control. Administration of low and high doses of either Egyptian or European PSO improved all the aforementioned parameters with variable degrees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sarecycline, a narrow-spectrum antibacterial drug approved by the FDA in 2018, targets Cutibacterium acnes while potentially minimizing disruption to the gut microbiota. The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy and safety of sarecycline compared to placebo in treating moderate to severe facial acne. A comprehensive search of PubMed, MEDLINE, and Cochrane databases was performed, with data extraction and screening conducted independently by two authors. Statistical analysis used RevMan, and the risk of bias was evaluated using RoB 2. Three RCTs (n = 2287 patients, mean age 19.6-20.8 years) met the inclusion criteria. Sarecycline (1.5 mg/kg) administered daily for 12 weeks significantly reduced inflammatory and non-inflammatory lesion counts compared to placebo (p < 0.00001). Other outcomes were not statistically significant. Sarecycline 1.5 mg/kg daily is an effective and well-tolerated treatment for moderate to severe acne with minimal side effects., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: Cataract surgery is a common operation, typically carried out on older adults who have many comorbid medical conditions. Many of these patients may be undergoing aspirin therapy for diverse cardiovascular causes. Nevertheless, there is ongoing controversy regarding the administration of aspirin therapy during the perioperative period, as there are concerns regarding the risk of bleeding problems compared to thromboembolic events. Although aspirin is commonly used, there is no agreement on whether to continue or stop taking it before cataract surgery. This systematic review and meta-analysis attempt to assess the safety of continuing or discontinuing aspirin in the setting of cataract surgery., Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis following PRISMA guidelines. Four databases were searched until January 25, 2024, for studies assessing the safety and efficacy of aspirin continuation or discontinuation before cataract surgery. The risk ratios (RR) of the extracted data and their 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were pooled using RevMan 5.4 software. We registered our protocol in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) (registration number: CRD42024529986)., Results: We included nine studies with a total of 65,196 patients comprising various study designs and global populations. The analysis revealed a significant increase in subconjunctival hemorrhage risk with aspirin continuation (RR: 1.74, 95% CI: 1.22, 2.50, p  = .002). However, the risk of hyphema, retrobulbar hemorrhage, vitreous hemorrhage, intraocular pressure spike, corneal edema, posterior capsule rupture, and visual acuity changes did not significantly differ between aspirin continuation and discontinuation or aspirin and placebo groups., Conclusion: Although the use of aspirin before cataract surgery raises the likelihood of subconjunctival bleeding, it does not increase the risk of potentially sight-threatening bleeding events. We recommend continuation of aspirin in patients undergoing cataract surgery.

Background: Rett syndrome (RTT) is an uncommon inherited neurodevelopmental disorder that affects brain development, mostly in females. It results from mutation in MECP2 gene in the long arm (q) of the X chromosome., Objective: Trofinetide is a recently developed drug that has a neuroprotective effect on neurons, and it is our aim in this meta-analysis to evaluate its efficacy and safety in treating Rett syndrome patients., Methods: We searched 5 databases (PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases) to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing Trofinetide and placebo in patients with Rett syndrome until August 13, 2023.Our primary outcomes were the Clinical Global Impression-Improvement (CGI) and the Rett syndrome Behavior Questionnaire (RSBQ). We used Risk of Bias Assessment tool-2 (ROB2) to assess the methodological quality of the included randomized controlled trials., Results: Three RCTs with a total of 325 patients were included with a follow-up duration ranging from one month to three months. 186 patients received the intervention drug (Trofinetide) and 138 received the placebo. Trofinetide was found to reduce CGI and RSBQ significantly more than placebo (MD = -0.35, 95% CI [-0.52 to -0.18], P 0.0001), (MD = -3.40, 95% CI [-3.69 to -3.12], P 0.00001) respectively. Most adverse events did not show any statistical difference between Trofinetide and the placebo., Conclusion: Trofinetide offers promise as a potential effective and safe therapeutic opportunity for a population without many available treatments, with improvements seen on both CGI and RSBQ assessments and no severe adverse effects reported., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: As a therapeutic intervention for several musculoskeletal illnesses, the benefits and effectiveness of Kinesio taping (KT) are currently unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis's (MA) goal is to evaluate the effectiveness of KT for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction and its impact on clinical outcomes., Methods: A comprehensive search of online databases was done to discover relevant studies. Inclusion criteria included controlled or randomized clinical trials that were published in English. Changes in pain, flexion strength, and extension strength were among the outcomes of interest. RevMan 5.4 was used to extract and analyze data., Results: After satisfying the inclusion requirements, five studies were included in the MA. Pooled analysis showed that, in comparison with the intervention group, the control group had a statistically significant improvement in flexion strength (Standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.44, 95% Confidence interval (CI) [0.01, 0.87], p = 0.04). Extension strength and pain, however, did not significantly differ between the intervention and control groups (SMD = 30, 95% CI [- 0.12, 0.72], p = 0.16), (SMD = 0.26, 95% CI [- 0.14, 0.66], p = 0.20), respectively., Conclusions: This analysis suggests limited to no benefits of KA post-ACL reconstruction. While the control group surprisingly showed better improvement in flexion strength, no significant differences were found in extension strength and pain. Further rigorous trials are needed to confirm its utility in rehabilitation., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag France SAS, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of Lotilaner ophthalmic solution 0.25% in the treatment of demodex blepharitis., Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Embase databases were searched. RCTs comparing lotilaner with placebo or any other standard treatments were included. Outcomes of mean collarette grade (MCG), mite density (Md), meaningful collarette reduction (MCR), mite eradication (ME), were pooled as mean difference (MD), and the outcomes of erythema cure (EC), collarette cure (CC) adverse events (AE) as risk ratio (RR) with their 95% confidence interval (CI) between the two groups from baseline to the endpoint. Review Manager (Version 5.4.1) software was used to conduct all statistical analyses., Results: Four RCTs (947 patients) were included in this study. The overall effect favored the lotilaner group in terms of mean collarette grade upper lid (MD -0.99, 95% CI [-1.26, -0.72]), MCG lower lid (MD -0.57, 95% CI [-1.03, -0.11]), Md (MD -1.13, 95% CI [-1.47, -0.79]), MCR (MD 2.07, 95% CI [2.27, 3.21]), ME (MD 3.46, 95% CI [2.96, 4.04]). EC (RR 3.16, 95% CI [2.18 to 4.59]) and CC (RR 4.17, 95% CI [2.97 to 5.85]). No significant difference between the two groups in terms of AE (RR 1.25, 95% CI [0.75 to 2.06]). However, these findings are limited by significant heterogeneity in some of the reported outcomes., Conclusions: Our findings show that lotilaner might effectively treat Demodex blepharitis. However, further RCTs with larger and more diverse populations are needed to confirm these findings as some outcomes show significant heterogeneity.

Objective: Intravenous ibuprofen is used to control fever and pain. This study aimed to assess the analgesic effects of the addition of intravenous ibuprofen to a multimodal analgesia regimen for pain management after pediatric cardiac surgery., Design: A randomized, controlled, double-blinded, superiority study., Setting: University hospital., Participants: Seventy-eight pediatric patients who underwent open cardiac surgery using midline sternotomy incision were screened for eligibility; 10 patients were excluded, leaving 68 patients (34 patients in the ibuprofen group and 34 patients in the control group) for final data analysis., Interventions: Patients were randomly allocated to either the ibuprofen group, in which the patient received intravenous ibuprofen infusion of 10 mg/kg/6 hours for 24 hours, or the control group, in which the patient received a placebo 0.9% saline., Measurements and Main Results: The primary endpoint was the 24-hour postoperative fentanyl consumption, and the secondary endpoints were postoperative modified objective pain score and the incidence of ibuprofen-related side effects (eg, vomiting, epigastric pain, bleeding, and renal dysfunction). The mean total fentanyl consumption (μg/kg) during the first postoperative 24 hours after extubation was significantly lower (p<0.001) in the ibuprofen group (3.5 ± 1.3) than the control group (5.1 ± 1.4). The median postoperative modified objective pain score was significantly lower (p < 0.05) in the ibuprofen group than the control group at 0 hours, 2 hours, 12 hours, 16 hours, 20 hours, and 24 hours postoperatively. Ibuprofen did not cause significant increases in the incidences of bleeding, epigastric pain, and vomiting. Postoperative renal dysfunction was not reported in any patient., Conclusions: The addition of intravenous ibuprofen to a multimodal analgesia regimen for pain management after pediatric cardiac surgery improved postoperative analgesia in terms of reduction of opioid consumption and pain scores., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest None., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Nucleic acid amplification-based methods are used for confirmation of viremia in antibody to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV)-positive patients. However, this technology is labor intensive, time consuming, requires complex laboratory conditions, and expensive. The aim of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the HCV core antigen (HCVcAg) assay as an alternative approach for confirmation of viremia in HCV-infected subjects with HCV genotype 1-4. Two hundred forty-six asymptomatic HCV RNA- positive donors were enrolled in this study, consisting of 122 blood donors from Egypt (116 with genotype 4, 4 with genotype 1, and 2 with 1 + 4 genotypes), 109 from Japan (85 with genotype 1, and 24 with genotype 2), and 15 from Uzbekistan (all with genotype 3). A total of 234 (95.1%) of 246 RNA-positive specimens were detected by the HCVcAg assay; the sensitivity of HCVcAg assay consisted 93.4, 100, 100, and 94.8% for genotypes 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively in comparison with RT-PCR assay. The specificity of the assay was confirmed in the absence of the false-positive results among 53 anti-HCV-negative, but anti-Schistosoma mansoni (anti-Sm) positive donors from Egypt. A positive correlation between HCVcAg and HCV RNA concentration levels (r = 0.671, P < 0.05) was observed among specimens with HCV genotype 4. The mean HCVcAg level was significantly lower in specimens with genotype 4 (2,935 fmol/L) comparing to genotypes 1, 2, and 3 (5,034, 4,962, and 4,740 fmol/L, respectively). No specific mutation was found in the core-encoding region of the studied specimens. In conclusion, HCVcAg is shown to be specific, sensitive, and informative qualitative index for HCV viremia in asymptomatic carriers., (Copyright 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infects >10% of the general population in Egypt, in which intravenous injection with an antimony compound for endemic schistosomiasis in the past has been implicated. To simulate the epidemic history of HCV in Egypt, sera were obtained from 3608 blood donors at 13 governorates in or surrounding the Nile valley during 1999. The prevalence of antibody to HCV (anti-HCV) and genotypes was determined in them, and the molecular evolutionary analysis based on the neutral theory was applied to HCV isolates of genotype 4a, which is outstandingly prevalent in Egypt and indigenous there. Of 3608 sera, 317 (8.8%) were positive for anti-HCV. The molecular evolutionary analysis on 47 HCV genotype 4a isolates of carriers from various districts in Egypt indicated that the spread of HCV-4a would have increased exponentially during the 1940s through 1980 when oral medications became available. In conclusion, the estimated spread time is consistent with the duration of intravenous antimony campaigns in Egypt.

Background/aims: Hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhotic patients generally carries a poor prognosis either due to recurrence or to postoperative morbidity or both. Several factors affect the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma resection as presence of cirrhosis of the liver, tumor diameter and tumor capsulation., Methodology: Thirty-eight patients with large hepatocellular carcinoma greater than 5 cm with a background of cirrhotic liver were divided into two groups according to tumor diameter. Group A (n = 20) with tumors less than 10 cm in diameter, and group B (n = 18) with tumors larger than 10 cm. All patients underwent preoperative investigations including clinical laboratory tests, sonography, computed tomography, selective angiography and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. All patients were subjected to different types of hepatic resection., Results: A significant difference in tumor size, capsulation, and operation time were recorded between the two groups, of patients. No significant difference was detected between both groups regarding sex, age, viral markers, pathologic features, and Child classification. Hospital mortality occurred in 5% versus 11.1% of both groups, respectively. Postoperative jaundice and ascitis occurred in 30%, 35% versus 44.4%, 72.0%, respectively (P < 0.005, P < 0.04). Late mortality occurred in 65% of patients in group A and in 77% of group B. Recurrence was detected in 42% of group A and 62% in group B. Recurrence after resection in capsulated tumors was significantly lower than in noncapsulated tumors in group A (P < 0.01), but not significant in group B. Also, survival rate in patients with capsulated tumors was significantly better in both groups (P < 0.01) than that with noncapsulated tumors., Conclusions: Resection of hepatocellular carcinoma with diameter larger than 10 cm recorded bad prognosis regarding recurrence and mortality rates than tumors less than 10 cm. However, capsulated tumors gave better postoperative prognosis than noncapsulated ones.

Safrole was determined using gas-liquid chromatography in some common spices as star anise, cumin, black pepper and ginger. Safrole concentration in these spices was 9,325, 3,432, 955 and 500 mg.kg-1, respectively. Black pepper was chosen to use in the following experiments. Using Ames-test with Salmonella TA 98 and TA 100 proved high cytotoxic effects due to pure safrole and black pepper volatile oil in both of them. The degradation of safrole was obvious after drying of the washed seeds of black pepper especially at 70 degrees C for 30 min or with sun-drying. Also, high irradiation doses (20 and 30 kGy) caused high degradation of more than 90% of the initial toxic concentration in black pepper. Whereas, microwave caused same effects at 75 s, but unfortunately, the powder was burned due to moisture absence. Boiling whole seeds or powder of black pepper during cooking for few minutes (1-5 min) were more efficient in decreasing safrole content. Finally, these results proved that the mutagenicity of some spices due to presence of safrole can be destructed during drying of the washed seeds or during cooking either with or without any additional treatment as irradiation. But irradiation of these species became more necessary for using in some food industries as milk products to get more safe for human consumption.