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Social media facilitates banks’ interaction with consumers and provides critical information about their behaviors and preferences. Nevertheless, given the sensitive nature of financial information, maintaining stringent confidentiality is of paramount importance. This study aims to examine the impact of social media marketing (SMM) dimensions on customer knowledge management (CKM) in UAE public banks, focusing on the moderating role of banking confidentiality. The study utilized a quantitative methodology with a correlational framework; data were collected from 283 respondents, who are active customers of First Abu Dhabi Bank, Emirates NBD, and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, through a structured questionnaire. These customers were surveyed to understand their interaction with social media campaigns, the information banks request from them, their willingness to share personal data, and their perceptions of safety and legal protections. The results revealed a strong positive relationship between SMM dimensions and CKM, with SMM explaining 65.9% of the variance in CKM outcomes (R² = 0.659, p < 0.01). Among the SMM dimensions, customization had the highest impact (R² = 0.766), followed by word-of-mouth (R² = 0.697) and aesthetics (R² = 0.651). Additionally, confidentiality was found to significantly enhance the effectiveness of SMM, with a moderating effect increasing explained variance by 6.5% (ΔR² = 0.065, β = 0.25, p < 0.01). These findings suggest that public banks in the UAE should integrate personalized SMM strategies with stringent confidentiality measures to optimize CKM. This approach not only enhances customer engagement but also builds trust, fostering sustainable growth in the digital era. Acknowledgements The authors are thankful to the Deanship of Graduate Studies and Scientific Research at University of Bisha for supporting this work through the Fast-Track Research Support Program.

The management of dormant accounts and unclaimed balances is a pressing challenge in the banking sector of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), particularly given the complex regulatory landscape. This study analyzes 150 dormant accounts across five major UAE banks (Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank, Dubai Islamic Bank, Sharjah Islamic Bank, and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank) and identifies gaps in the legal framework, including the absence of clear definitions and handling of non-monetary assets.The study investigates the legal framework governing dormant accounts, specifically focusing on the Dormant Accounts System No. 1 of 2020. The results highlight critical issues, including the lack of clear timelines for transferring unclaimed balances and inconsistencies in communication protocols for notifying account holders. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the need for standardized practices across financial institutions in the UAE.To address these challenges, the study proposes legislative amendments to improve asset management and consumer protection. Key recommendations include establishing standardized definitions, implementing automated tracking systems for dormant accounts, and integrating dormant balances into social welfare programs to enhance public trust. These reforms could significantly improve operational efficiency and legal clarity in the UAE banking sector, contributing to a more transparent and effective management of dormant accounts and unclaimed balances. Acknowledgments The authors are thankful to the Deanship of Graduate Studies and Scientific Research at the University of Bisha for supporting this work through the Fast-Track Research Support Program.

In the digital age, viral marketing has emerged as a key driver in shaping brand equity, particularly in the highly competitive Egyptian home appliances sector. Traditional marketing strategies have proven insufficient in reaching consumers with the same efficacy as viral campaigns, which leverage digital platforms and consumer networks. This study examines the influence of viral marketing on brand equity dimensions – brand awareness, perceived quality, brand loyalty, and brand association – through the lens of both customer perception and legal frameworks Using a quantitative research design, data were collected from 270 respondents across 389 companies, with a response rate of approximately 70% of the total population in Egypt’s home appliances sector, with simple linear regression analysis employed to assess the relationships. The results indicate a strong positive effect of viral marketing on brand equity. Specifically, viral marketing accounts for 27.2% of the variance in brand awareness (R² = 0.272, p < 0.001), 28.1% in perceived quality (R² = 0.281, p < 0.01), 13.6% in brand loyalty (R² = 0.136, p < 0.05), and 40.9% in brand association (R² = 0.409, p < 0.001). Furthermore, the study finds that regulatory compliance plays a moderating role, ensuring that viral marketing campaigns remain within ethical and legal bounds, thereby enhancing consumer trust and the long-term impact of marketing efforts.These findings highlight the strategic value of integrating viral marketing with a firm understanding of legal frameworks to optimize brand equity in Egypt’s home appliances industry. This research provides actionable insights for brand managers and marketers looking to maximize the efficacy of their viral campaigns while maintaining brand integrity. AcknowledgmentThe authors are thankful to the Deanship of Graduate Studies and Scientific Research at University of Bisha for supporting this work through the Fast-Track Research Support Program.

Abstract Background and purpose of the study Sickle cell disease (SCD) patients are at a high risk of chronic liver disease (CLD) due to chronic viral hepatitis infection such as hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, iron overload, and sickle cell hepatopathy. Nowadays, several oral direct-acting antiviral drugs (DAAs) have been developed and approved by the FDA for hepatitis C treatment. However, the safety and efficacy of DAAs in SCD patients remain insufficiently explored. Purpose of the study To evaluate the efficacy and safety of administration of generic sofosbuvir (SOF) and daclatasvir (DCV) for 12 weeks in SCD patients infected with HCV. Methods A retrospective study included 38 SCD patients infected with HCV treated with generic SOF (400 mg) and DCV (60 mg) for 12 weeks without ribavirin. The effectiveness of the HCV treatment was assessed by the sustained virologic response (SVR) at 24 weeks after the end of the treatment (SVR24). Results The SVR24 rate was 100% (38/38).There were insignificant alterations in hemoglobin and total bilirubin levels during HCV treatment or at end of treatment (EOT). The number of anemic patients who needed blood transfusion two weeks before HCV treatment, at week 4 of treatment, and at EOT was 11 (28.9%), 3 (8%), and 1 (3%) respectively. Moreover, the reductions in serum transaminase levels from baseline were statistically significant compared to the EOT. Conclusion Generic SOF and DCV regimens appear to be safe and effective in the treatment of chronic HCV in patients with SCD.

Abstract Background Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is responsible for one-third of total deaths in people older than 35 years old. Number of prognostic models aims to estimate the future risk of mortality, or the combined risk of all-cause mortality or MI has been developed, such as GRACE score. Objective The aim of our study is to assess the utility of GA and CHA2DS2-VASc score in predicting outcomes in patients admitted with acute coronary syndromes. Patients and methods This study was conducted on 90 patients diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome who were admitted receiving PCI, CHA2DS2-VASc score was calculated on admission, and a serum sample for GA was withdrawn within 24 h from admission. Results Combined GA and CHA2DS2-VASc score could significantly predict MACCE with sensitivity 100%, specificity 79%, and diagnostic accuracy 80.9% and significantly predict hospital mortality with sensitivity 100%, specificity 75.3%, and diagnostic accuracy 76.7%; on the other hand, GRACE score can predict MACCE using cutoff point 112.5 with sensitivity 75% and specificity 66%. Conclusion It was concluded that GA and CHADSVASC score can significantly predict major adverse cardiovascular events, in-hospital mortality, and poor clinical outcomes.

IntroductionThe role of miRNAs in regulating variable molecular functions has been sought by scientists for its promising utility in regulating the immune response and, hence, in treating various diseases. In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) specifically, a reduction in the number and efficiency of circulating and intrahepatic natural killer (NK) cells has been reported. Our project aims to investigate the role of miR-216a-3p in the regulation of NK cell cytotoxicity, especially since it plays a tumor suppressor role in the context of HCC.MethodsTo achieve our aim, we isolated NK cells from the whole blood of 86 patients with HCC and 23 healthy controls. We assessed the expression profile of miR-216a-3p in NK cells of patients and controls. Furthermore, we induced the expression of miR-216a-3p in NK cells isolated from healthy controls, followed by measuring the release of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), perforins (PRF) and granzyme B (GrB) using ELISA as well as NK cells cytolytic activity against Huh7 cells using lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) cytotoxicity assay. After that, we performed an in silico analysis to understand the mechanistic regulation imposed by miR-216a-3p on NK cells to study its impact on one of its potential downstream targets.ResultsOur results have indicated that miR-216a-3p has higher expression in NK cells of patients with HCC, and simulating this elevated expression pattern via forcing miR-216a-3p expression in normal NK cells has negatively impacted the release of TNF- α, IFN- γ, GrB, and PRF. Consequently, a decrease in cell cytolysis was observed. Our in silico analysis revealed that the predicted downstream targets of miR-216a-3p are enriched in the FOXO-signaling pathway. Among those targets is FOXO-1, which has been reported to play a role in NK cell maturation. Thus, we evaluated FOXO-1 expression upon mimicking miR-216a-3p in control NK cells that showed significant downregulation of FOXO-1 on both RNA and protein levels.ConclusionIn conclusion, we report miR-216-3p as a negative regulator of NK cell cytotoxicity.

This study investigates the mechanical behavior of sandwich structures comprising a re-entrant honeycomb core structure created using wood/polylactic acid (PLA) filaments via fused deposition modeling (FDM) technology. The sandwich structures were manufactured with different face layer thicknesses (0 mm, 0.8 mm, and 1.6 mm) and various core topologies. Material characterizations included bending tests, compressive tests, and finite element analysis (FEA) to identify stress concentration areas. In-plane and out-of-plane re-entrant honeycomb core structure specimens were tested to examine the bending properties. In addition, flatwise and edgewise compressive tests were performed to investigate the structures' compressive properties. Furthermore, the modulus of elasticity for each specimen was determined using the finite element technique (FEM). The results reveal that increasing the thickness of the face layer significantly enhances the structure's resistance to bending forces. Furthermore, specimens with an in-plane orientation demonstrated better bending strength compared to those with an out-of-plane orientation due to increased material underloading. In flatwise compressive tests, specimens without a face layer exhibited the highest strength, attributed to their greater displacement. In contrast, edgewise compressive tests showed significant buckling behavior of the face sheet, the maximum stress increased proportionally with the thickness of the face layer, reaching its peak at a skin thickness of 1.6 mm. The findings are validated by ANSYS analysis, which closely mirrors the experimental results, providing insight into flexural modulus, modulus of elasticity, and stress concentration. These findings indicate that architected core structures could be efficiently utilized to improve bending/compressive characteristics and failure mechanisms, providing valuable insights into the mechanical response of sandwich structures for different industrial applications.

Background A significant limitation of mucosal healing as a treatment target in Crohn’s disease is that Ileocolonoscopy remains the gold-standard for assessing disease activity. Identifying optimal biomarkers and their cut-off values is an unmet need in the context of tight monitoring strategy. Aim To study the performance of Fecal lactoferrin (FL) in patients with Crohn’s disease in comparison to endoscopic assessment, clinical indices and fecal calprotectin (FC) to address whether it correlates with endoscopic severity of inflammation and whether it could be used as a surrogate marker of mucosal healing after therapy. Methods In this prospective study, 35 patients with active Crohn’s disease were recruited. All patients provided stool samples for FL and FC at baseline and underwent colonsocopy. 26 of these patients were followed up after 6-9 months of therapy initiation or upgrade. FL was compared with the simple endoscopic score of Crohn’s disease (SES-CD) ,Harvey-Bradshaw index (HBI) and FC. Data was analyzed to identify cut-off levels for endoscopic response/remission. Results Lactoferrin showed excellent performance in detecting remission (AUC 0.93) with a sensitivity of 85.7% and a specificity of 88.9% at a cut-off of 21.5µg/g. A drop of >26.2% from baseline values is 100% sensitive and specific in detecting endoscopic response (≥50% reduction from baseline SES-CD). Lactoferrin showed strong correlation with SES-CD (r=0.74) and calprotectin (r=0.91) Conclusion FL is a reliable marker of response to therapy and mucosal healing, making endoscopic monitoring of treatment success less necessary. Whether Lactoferrin is superior to Calprotectin or not would require further investigation.

Background: Non-invasive biomarkers have largely replaced liver biopsy in assessment of liver fibrosis in chronic HCV. Autotaxin (ATX) is a novel serum marker that may be related to liver fibrosis. Aim: to clarify the role of ATX as a biomarker for the estimation of hepatic fibrosis and to compare its sensitivity and specificity to the well-known fibrosis-4 score (FIB-4) and the AST-to-Platelet Ratio Index (APRI) before treatment with direct-acting antiviral drugs (DAAs) for chronic HCV as well as six months after the end of treatment. Methods: Plasma samples were obtained from 86 chronic HCV patients with different degrees of liver fibrosis. Routine laboratory, transient elastography (TE) and ultrasonographic assessments were done. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique was used to detect ATX. Results: ATX, FIB-4, and APRI had AUC of 0.57, 0.95, and 0.92, respectively for the detection of cirrhosis (F4). Baseline ATX was higher in cirrhotic group vs. non-cirrhotic group (250 vs. 210) pg/ml, although the difference was not significant (p= 0.3). Significant improvement of all the laboratory parameters, APRI, FIB-4 and liver stiffness occurred at sustained virological response after 24 weeks (SVR24). Non- significant increase of ATX level was noted six months after the end of treatment. Conclusion: ATX should be considered cautiously as a diagnostic marker for liver fibrosis in patients with chronic HCV.

Abstract Background and purpose of the study Hepatic steatosis (HS) is a common and important histologic finding in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. However, little is known about this finding in HCV patients co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Purpose of the study To evaluate the prevalence and predictors of HS among HIV patients with and without HCV. Methods A cross-sectional including 47 HIV mono-infected and 50 HIV/HCV patients. Detailed demographic, laboratory and clinical data were collected. A transient elastography (TE) examination with the controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) was performed for all patients. Steatosis was scored on a scale from 0 to 3 according to the percentage of steatosis involving hepatocytes. Results HS was detected in 18 /50 (36%) HIV/HCV co-infected patients and 22 /47 (46.8%) HIV mono-infected patients. In addition, HCV mono-infected patients were more likely to have grade 2 steatosis as compared with HIV/HCV co-infected individuals (25.5% vs. 12%). LSM was significantly higher among HIV/HCV co-infected patients (p = 0.003). When dividing HIV/HCV co-infected and HIV mono-infected group according to CAP values. BMI, abdominal wall thickness, and bright liver were significantly associated with SHS (CAP ≥ 238 dB/m) in both groups. Diabetes was only significantly associated with SHS in HIV/HCV co-infected group BMI was the only independent predictor of SHS among the whole group and subgroup analysis. Conclusion The prevalence of HS was lower in HIV/HCV co-infected patients compared to HIV mono-infected patients; we cannot say that HCV has a protective role against HS in co-infected patients. More fibrosis progression was common in the HIV/HCV co-infected patients.

Abstract Antimicrobials are molecules that prevent the formation of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. The necessity to detect antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) using machine learning and deep learning arises from the need for efficiency to accelerate the discovery of AMPs, and contribute to developing effective antimicrobial therapies, especially in the face of increasing antibiotic resistance. This study introduced AMP-RNNpro based on Recurrent Neural Network (RNN), an innovative model for detecting AMPs, which was designed with eight feature encoding methods that are selected according to four criteria: amino acid compositional, grouped amino acid compositional, autocorrelation, and pseudo-amino acid compositional to represent the protein sequences for efficient identification of AMPs. In our framework, two-stage predictions have been conducted. Initially, this study analyzed 33 models on these feature extractions. Then, we selected the best six models from these models using rigorous performance metrics. In the second stage, probabilistic features have been generated from the selected six models in each feature encoding and they are aggregated to be fed into our final meta-model called AMP-RNNpro. This study also introduced 20 features with SHAP, which are crucial in the drug development fields, where we discover AAC, ASDC, and CKSAAGP features are highly impactful for detection and drug discovery. Our proposed framework, AMP-RNNpro excels in the identification of novel Amps with 97.15% accuracy, 96.48% sensitivity, and 97.87% specificity. We built a user-friendly website for demonstrating the accurate prediction of AMPs based on the proposed approach which can be accessed at http://13.126.159.30/ .

Background: Research on anxiety in patients with schizophrenia of Arab origin is surprisingly scarce, particularly given that expressions of both psychotic disorders and anxiety disorders can be largely shaped by cultural factors. This study proposes to complement previous research by exploring the psychometric characteristics of an Arabic translation of the Staden Schizophrenia Anxiety Rating Scale (S-SARS) in chronic, remitted patients diagnosed with schizophrenia. As the Arabic version of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item Scale (GAD-7) has not been previously validated in Arabic in patients with schizophrenia, this study had as a secondary aim to investigate the psychometric properties of this scale before its use. Method: This cross-sectional study was performed over a period of three months (August–October 2023). A total of 177 chronic inpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia (63.3 % males) who were remitted and clinically stable participated in the study. Results: Confirmatory factor analyses showed that all 10 items loaded onto a single factor and had high factor loading values between .53 and .81. The reliability of the S-SARS in its Arabic version was excellent as attested by a McDonald's omega and a Cronbach's alpha coefficients of .90 and .89, respectively. The score of Arabic S-SARS correlated positively with the GAD-7 scores (r = .55; p

Introduction: We aimed to study whether using 30 W versus 60 W thulium enucleation of the prostate (ThuLEP) would affect postoperative outcomes in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Materials and Methods: We prospectively identified male patients with moderate or severe lower urinary tract symptoms due to BPH. We randomized patients into 30 W (Group 1) or 60 W (Group 2) thulium yag laser with a 550 μm laser fiber and a 26 Fr continuous flow resectoscope. We collected data related to prostate size, enucleation time, morcellation time, laser time, perioperative complications, and 1-year functional outcomes. Results: A total of 120 patients were included, with a mean age of 67 years and a mean prostate size of 105 g. The preoperative characteristics were similar across both groups. The mean operative time was shorter in the 60 W group, 74 ± 27 vs. 91 ± 33 min in the 30 W group (P = 0.001), and the mean laser time was 55 ± 20 in 60 W versus 71 ± 25 in 30 W (P = 0.0001). The mean hospital stay was 1 day in both groups and at 1-year follow-up; there was a similar improvement in mean Qmax and International Prostate Symptom Score symptom scores. Discussion/Conclusion: Both 30 and 60 W ThuLEP provided a safe and comparable outcome with a relatively shorter operative time for the 60 W groups. Perhaps using a 30-W setting would be beneficial in the early learning curve or cases with more bleeding capsular perforators; besides, the financial benefit of manufacturing low-cost low-power devices that may help in the widespread of AEEP.

The increasing demand for high-grade manganese ores in various industries has led to a growing necessity to enhance the quality of lower-grade manganese ores with time. A representative manganese ore was collected from Um Bogma, Sinai, Egypt, and subjected to various characterization methods including X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and ore microscopy. XRF analysis revealed a low Mn/Fe ratio of 2.81 (as elements), indicating a low ore grade. For suitability in Mn alloy production at the Sinai Manganese Company (SMC) plant in Abu Zenimah, southeast of Sinai, Egypt, this ratio should ideally exceed 5. Additionally, XRD and ore microscopy identified the mineralogical composition of the ore as pyrolusite, hematite, and manganite, with manganese patches embedded in a ferruginous groundmass at the textural scale. Three different reduction roasting techniques were evaluated, involving conventional heating in a furnace utilizing either CO – CO2 or charcoal as reducing agents, alongside reduction roasting with charcoal utilizing microwave technology. Following each technique, magnetic separation was employed, resulting in the production of high-grade manganese concentrates exhibiting high Mn/Fe ratios ranging from 19.8 to 27.45 and substantial Mn recovery rates ranging from 93.86% to 96.76%.

Nowadays, standalone microgrids that make use of renewable energy sources have gained great interest. They provide a viable solution for rural electrification and decrease the burden on the utility grid. However, because standalone microgrids are nonlinear and time-varying, controlling and managing their energy can be difficult. A fractional-order proportional integral (FOPI) controller was proposed in this study to enhance a standalone microgrid’s energy management and performance. An ultra-capacitor (UC) and a battery, called a hybrid energy storage scheme, were employed as the microgrid’s energy storage system. The microgrid was primarily powered by solar and wind power. To achieve optimal performance, the FOPI’s parameters were ideally generated using the gorilla troop optimization (GTO) technique. The FOPI controller’s performance was contrasted with a conventional PI controller in terms of variations in load power, wind speed, and solar insolation. The microgrid was modeled and simulated using MATLAB/Simulink software R2023a 23.1. The results indicate that, in comparison to the traditional PI controller, the proposed FOPI controller significantly improved the microgrid’s transient performance. The load voltage and frequency were maintained constant against the least amount of disturbance despite variations in wind speed, photovoltaic intensity, and load power. In contrast, the storage battery precisely stores and releases energy to counteract variations in wind and photovoltaic power. The outcomes validate that in the presence of the UC, the microgrid performance is improved. However, the improvement is very close to that gained when using the proposed controller without UC. Hence, the proposed controller can reduce the cost, weight, and space of the system. Moreover, a Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) emulator was implemented using a C2000™ microcontroller LaunchPad™ TMS320F28379D kit (Texas Instruments, Dallas, TX, USA) to evaluate the proposed system and validate the simulation results.

Abstract Many current statistical and machine learning methods have been used to explore Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and its associated patterns that contribute to the disease. However, there has been limited success in understanding the relationship between cognitive tests, biomarker data, and patient AD category progressions. In this work, we perform exploratory data analysis of AD health record data by analyzing various learned lower dimensional manifolds to separate early-stage AD categories further. Specifically, we used Spectral embedding, Multidimensional scaling, Isomap, t-Distributed Stochastic Neighbour Embedding, Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection, and sparse denoising autoencoder based manifolds on the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) dataset. We then determine the clustering potential of the learned embeddings and then determine if category sub-groupings or sub-categories can be found. We then used a Kruskal–sWallis H test to determine the statistical significance of the discovered AD subcategories. Our results show that the existing AD categories do exhibit sub-groupings, especially in mild cognitive impairment transitions in many of the tested manifolds, showing there may be a need for further subcategories to describe AD progression.

Background: Patients with acute leukemia [AL] may express aberrant antigens that are normally restricted to a different lineage. We evaluated the frequency of aberrancy in AL patients.Aim of the work: Evaluation and analysis of the incidence of aberrant phenotypes in mononuclear cells in AL patients and their relation to hematological parameters.Patients and Methods: This observational descriptive study was conducted on 150 newly diagnosed cases of AL over the period from August 2017 to March 2021. Flow cytometry was performed by Becton Dickinson [BD] FACS Calibur/BD FACS Canto flow cytometers using monoclonal antibodies against cell markers.Results: The overall frequency of aberrancy was 38.7% [58/150] in all AL patients. Aberrant antigenic expression was more frequent in acute lymphoblastic leukemia [ALL] than acute myeloid leukemia [AML], T-ALL with aberrant expression was 66.6% of all T-ALL patients, while B-ALL with aberrant expression was 45.8% of all B-ALL patients, and AML with aberrant expression was 31.1% of all AML patients.Conclusion: Aberrant phenotypes were found with considerable frequency in AL patients, and the implication of aberrant markers can help in disease monitoring, detecting measurable residual disease, and determining risk stratification and treatment intensity.

SARS-CoV-2, responsible for the global COVID-19 pandemic, has manifested significant cardiovascular implications for the infected population. These cardiovascular repercussions not only linger beyond the initial phase of illness but have also been observed in individuals who remain asymptomatic. This extended and pervasive impact is often called the post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (PACS) or “Long COVID”. With the number of confirmed global cases approaching an alarming 756 million, the multifaceted challenges of Long COVID are undeniable. These challenges span from individual health complications to considerable burdens on worldwide healthcare systems. Our review comprehensively examines the complications of the persistent cardiovascular complications associated with COVID-19. Furthermore, we shed light on emerging therapeutic strategies that promise to manage and possibly mitigate these complications. We also introduce and discuss the profound concerns regarding the potential transgenerational repercussions of SARS-CoV-2, emphasizing the need for a proactive and informed approach to future research and clinical practice.

Background: Several industrial products [such as paints, cosmetics, and petrol] contained metals like lead [Pb], which are harmful to people. The reproductive organs are the primary organs affected by heavy metal toxicity through the production of oxidative stress. Selenium and curcumin could help to counteract this toxicity.Aim of the work: We investigated the possible role of Selenium or curcumin in improving the testicular toxicity caused by the intake of Lead orally in albino rats.Materials and Methods: 40 adult male albino rats were selected and unsystematically separated into 4 groups [10 rats/each] included: Group 1: control group; Group 2: Pb-exposed group; Group 3: Pb plus Selenium and Group 4: Pb plus Curcumin. Blood samples were collected for examination of serum biochemical parameters, serum Testosterone, LH, FSH levels, Total Anti-oxidant Capacity [TAC], testicular tissue oxidative stress parameters and testicular histology were evaluated.Results: Oral administration of Pb to rats for 4 weeks disturbs the testicular structure and function with a significant increase in the oxidative stress enzymes, deposition of collagen fibers and anticaspase-3 in the testis. While, administration of either Selenium or Curcumin with Pb-exposure induced significant improvement of all the testicular changes.Conclusion: Chronic lead exposure causes deteriorating changes in the testicular structures and functions which could be improved by oral intake of either Selenium or Curcumin by their antioxidant, antifibrotic, and antiapoptotic properties.

Background Reflex tachycardia that occurs during nitroglycerin-induced hypotensive anesthesia in functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) increases both the risk of intraoperative bleeding and the duration of surgery. Our clinical trial aimed to compare the effect of oral ivabradine versus oral propranolol as a premedication before nitroglycerin-induced hypotensive anesthesia on the reduction of reflex tachycardia in FESS.Methods In this clinical, comparative, prospective, randomized, controlled, double-blinded study, 40 patients were divided into two equal groups (20 each); group P received oral propranolol (10 mg tablet) and group I received oral ivabradine (5 mg tablet) in the evening before the surgery and 1 hour before the induction of anesthesia.Results The reduction in heart rate (HR) was statistically significantly higher in group I than in group P. Conversely, the reduction in mean blood pressure (MAP) was statistically significantly higher in group P than in group I at baseline (pre-induction). However, after that, MAP reduction was statistically non-significant between both groups. Meanwhile, there was no statistically significant difference between both groups as regards duration of surgery, duration of deliberate hypotension, intraoperative NTG infusion doses, and the amount of bleeding.Conclusion Premedication with oral propranolol 10 mg or oral ivabradine 5 mg before FESS proved to be safe and effective in the reduction of reflex tachycardia that occurs during controlled nitroglycerin induced hypotensive anesthesia in FESS. However, ivabradine was more effective with higher safety profile than propranolol.

Purpose Diabetes mellitus (DM) increases the risk of morbidity and mortality after liver resection. Albuminuria is associated with a higher risk for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. This study evaluated albuminuria as a predictor of the outcome of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) in patients with pre-existing DM.Methods This retrospective study involved 103 type II diabetic patients with end-stage liver disease who received LDLT. Preoperative spot urine albumin: creatinine ratio was used to determine the degree of albuminuria. The primary outcome measure was the impact of urinary albumin excretion on the 3-year mortality rate after LDLT in this diabetic cohort.Results Hepatitis C virus infection was the main cause of cirrhosis. Albuminuria was detected in 41 patients (39.8%); 15 had macroalbuminuria, while 26 had microalbuminuria. Patients with microalbuminuria were significantly older than those with macroalbuminuria and normal albumin in urine. After 3 years, twenty-four patients (23.3%) died within 3 years after LT. Myocardial infarction was the leading cause of death (25%). Albuminuria was an independent factor affecting 3-year mortality with an odds ratio of 5.17 (95% CI: 1.86–14.35).Conclusion Preoperative albuminuria is an independent factor affecting mortality within 3 years after LDLT in type II diabetic patients. Myocardial infarction was the leading cause of death in 25% of cases, followed by hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence, sepsis, and graft failure.KEY MESSAGESDiabetes mellitus (DM) increases the risk of morbidity and mortality after liver resection.Albuminuria is associated with a higher risk for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.Preoperative albuminuria is a significant predictor of mortality within 3 years after LDLT in diabetic patients.