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We aimed to compare antioxidant versus interaction properties of grapefruit (GP) in reversal of prolonged metronidazole (MTZ)- induced hepatic and renal alterations at both biochemical and histopathological levels. A total 60 male albino Wister rats were included and were divided randomly into 4 groups (n=15 each). The first group (control) received 1% DMSO, the second group (GP) received grapefruit juice, the third group (MTZ) received MTZ and the last group (MTZ+ GP) received MTZ combined with grapefruit juice for 60 days. Biochemical analysis of serum liver enzymes (ALP, AST and ALT), urea and creatinine using colorimetric methods were performed. For both colorimetric assays of oxidative stress markers and for histopathological analyses, tissue samples including the liver and kidneys were used. Significantly higher serum liver enzymes in MTZ group and MTZ+GP groups compared to control and GP groups with higher levels in MTZ+GP, p0.05.Significantly higher serum levels of urea and creatinine among MTZ+GP group compared to other groups. Significantly higher oxidative stress index of liver and kidney tissue homogenates in both MTZ group and MTZ+GP groups compared to control and GP groups with higher levels in MTZ+GP, with significantly lower values in GP group compared to other groups, p0.05. Regressive histological changes in the liver and kidneys of MTZ have shown these effects and more significant in MTZ+GP group, with histological similarities between control and GP groups. Although GP has potent antioxidant effect but its interaction properties deteriorate MTZ- induced adverse liver and kidney changes at both biochemical and histological levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: We examined the relationship among vit.D3, AMH, FT3, FT4, and TSH, in addition to the serum levels of reproductive hormones (FSH, LH, prolactin, and free testosterone), in oligoasthenoteratozoospermia and azoospermia patients in a cohort of infertile men from Egypt to establish a clinical marker/cause-effect relationship.Methods: This cross-sectional cohort study was carried out on 301 men (105 males with oligoasthenoteratozoospermia and 96 males with azoospermia), in addition to 100 controls. Measurements of serum vit.D3, AMH, FT3, FT4, and TSH levels, in addition to reproductive hormone assays, were performed on all included subjects, using ELISA kits.Results: Overall, results showed significantly lower serum levels of vit.D3 in infertile men than in the controls, with a greater decrease observed in men with azoospermia than in oligoasthenoteratozoospermia patients, (p < .05 for all). Significantly higher serum TSH and FSH levels and significantly lower serum free testosterone levels were observed in males with azoospermia than in males with oligoasthenoteratozoospermia and the controls (p < .05 for both). There were no significant differences between the studied groups in terms of AMH, FT3 or FT4 levels. LH levels were negatively correlated with TSH levels and positively correlated with AMH levels among men with oligoasthenoteratozoospermia, while among men with azoospermia, LH levels were positively correlated with vit.D3 levels (p < .05 for all).Conclusion: Decreased Vit.D3 could play a role in male infertility, in addition to abnormal thyroid function, which needs further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Byline: Mohammed H. Hassan A filling production system is that characterised by two contradicting nonconforming cost components. The first component is that incurred when the product specification exceeds the upper tolerance limit, called an overfill cost, whereas the second cost component is contributed when the product specification falls below the lower tolerance limit, called an underfill cost. The ratio of the two cost components affects to a high extent the choice of the process parameters, especially the process location parameter that minimises the overall costs. The work in this research is devoted to finding the filling process's optimum parameters; namely the process's mean and variance, considering a Gaussian-distributed process. Firstly, the process's variance is considered constant; and searching for the optimal process mean parameter takes place. An analytical, closed form, solution model is developed that realises such target. The developed model is ended up with a graph that can simply be used by concerned engineers and practitioners. The assumption of a constant process variance is then relaxed; and the developed model is extended to involve the variance reduction cost. An algorithm is introduced to solve the extended model that optimises the filling process' mean and variance.

Summary: Objectives: The immunological aspects of inflammatory acne are still incompletely understood, so this study aimed to investigate the possible role of IL‐17 and 25 hydroxycholecalciferol (25(OH)D3) in the disease pathogenesis and progression. Materials and Methods: Across‐sectional study has been conducted on 135 patients with active acne vulgaris of various severities and 150 matched controls. ELISA assays of serum and tissue levels of IL‐17 and 25(OH)D3, also immunohistochemical and Western blotting demonstration of the expression patterns of lesional IL‐17 in comparison with control group, were performed. Results: The mean serum levels of IL‐17 were 544.2 pg/mL ± 477.4 SD and 42.2 pg/mL ± 8.1 SD for acne patients and controls, respectively, with significantly higher levels among the patient group (P < 0.05). Higher IL‐17 expression levels in active acne lesions when compared with its level in healthy skin of the controls. The mean serum levels of 25(OH)D3 among patients and controls were 33.3 ng/mL ± 9.7 SD and 51.7 ng/mL ± 2.7 SD, respectively, with significantly lower levels among the patient group (P < 0.05). There were significantly negative correlations between IL‐17 and 25(OH)D3 levels (P < 0.001 for both). Conclusions: Deficiency of vitamin D3 accompanied with higher IL‐17 in an inverse pattern may have a possible role in active acne vulgaris. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present cross-sectional, hospital-based study was carried out on 146 Egyptian male children, 73 males with autism who were comparable with another 73 healthy age- and sex-matched children, recruited from the outpatients' psychiatric clinics of the Neuropsychiatric and Pediatric Departments of South Valley and Assiut University Hospitals, Egypt. Neuropsychological assessments of autistic males were done using CARS, short sensory profile and intelligent quotients. Serum markers of mitochondrial dysfunction (lactate, pyruvate, and lactate to pyruvate ratio, creatine kinase (CK), L-carnitine, ammonia, lactate dehydrogenase, pyruvate kinase, alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase), oxidative stress and blood levels of heavy metals (mercury, lead and aluminium) were measured. Serum cholesterol, cortisol, free testosterone, estradiol, dehydroepiandrostenedione, adenosine deaminase and Helicobacter pylori antigen in stool were also performed. There was evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction among autistic children. Additionally, there were significantly lower serum total cholesterol, cortisol and estradiol as well as significantly higher dehydroepiandrostenedione (DHEA) and free testosterone (p < 0.05 for all markers). Twenty-eight (38%) cases were positive for H. pylori antigen in their stool with significant higher serum ammonia and lower adenosine deaminase than in H. pylori-negative autistic children. Mitochondrial dysfunction, H. pylori infection and low cholesterol were prevalent among autistic male children, which should be targeted during autism management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In the present study, 45 children in Upper Egypt (less than 16 years old) were admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit for scorpion envenomation (SE). They were compared with 30 apparently healthy children of matching age and sex as controls. Out of the studied victims, 35 children (78%) showed signs of severe envenomation, while 10 victims (22%) showed signs of mild envenomation. The case fatality was 33%. The serum levels of cardiac markers, cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and I (cTnI), as well as the enzymatic activities of creatine kinase-MB (CPK-MB) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were determined for both victims and controls. In addition, the serum levels of oxidative stress markers, nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH) and zinc (Zn) were measured. Electrocardiography and echocardiography were done. All the envenomed victims showed significantly higher mean values of cTnT, cTnI, CPK-MB and LDH than control group. These cardiac markers were elevated in severe cases and in non survivors in comparison with mild cases and survivors respectively. Furthermore, the serum levels of NO and MDA were significantly higher while the serum levels of SOD, GSH and Zn were significantly lower in all envenomed victims than the controls (p < 0.05 for all). There were no significant differences in the serum levels of oxidative stress markers among severe and mild cases or between survivors and non survivors victims. There were no significant correlations between the serum levels of cardiac markers and the oxidative stress markers in envenomed victims. In conclusions, oxidative stress occurs in scorpion envenomed children, but does not determine prognosis. Cardiac markers, but not the oxidative stress, remain the most important determining factor for the severity and the outcome of SE. Highlights • Oxidative stress occurs in scorpion envenomed children. • Cardiac markers are essential determining factor for envenomation severity and the outcome. • Oxidative stress not correlated to cardiac markers in scorpion envenomed children. • Oxidative stress not related to the envenomation severity and the outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Febrile seizures (FS) are frequent convulsive disorders, occurring in infants and young children. The present study aims to assess and compare the serum levels of oxidative stress markers and some essential trace minerals in FS with normal or abnormal EEG and evaluate the effect of antioxidant therapy on the clinical outcome. This study has been carried out on 80 children with FS (40 with simple FS and 40 with complex FS) and 40 febrile children without seizures. Clinical and EEG findings were recorded for the included patients. Biochemical assays of serum nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and selenium (Se), using colorimetric methods, were measured in the studied groups. The overall results showed an increased values of NO, MDA and Cu with decreased values of SOD, Zn and Se in patients with FS (simple and complex) in comparison with febrile children without seizures (p < 0.05 for all). Additionally, NO and MDA was increased in complex FS patients with EEG abnormalities in comparison with complex FS with normal EEG findings (p < 0.05); NO and MDA were also significantly decreased after valproate therapy in complex FS patients (p < 0.05 for all). In conclusions, oxidative stress, decreased Zn and Se with increased Cu may play a role in FS. Valproate improves the oxidative stress status in complex FS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]