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Background Beta-thalassemia major patients are at increased risk of complications including endocrinopathies and bone disease due to iron overload. So, this study aimed to assess the growth parameters, serum levels of 25-OH-vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorous in children with beta-thalassemia major. This was a case-control study that included 55 children with beta-thalassemia major compared with 30 sex- and age-matched healthy children that served as a control group. All enrolled children were subjected to full history taking, clinical examination including anthropometric measurements, and laboratory investigations including complete blood count, serum ferritin, levels of serum calcium, phosphorus, and 25-OH-vitamin D. Results Body mass index was statistically significantly lower in the thalassemic group (P < 0.001). It was observed that vitamin D levels were significantly lower in thalassemic patients than in controls (P value < .0001). The mean serum 25-OH-vitamin D levels were 19.84 ± 5.79 ng/ml and 44.98 ± 5.77 ng/ml, respectively; 22 cases (40%) had insufficient vitamin D, and 5 cases (9%) had deficient vitamin D. Regarding serum calcium and phosphorous, there was no significant difference between the thalassemic and control groups. Conclusion Children with beta-thalassemia major had low body mass index and metabolic abnormality in the form of lower serum levels of vitamin D that signify the importance of therapeutic interventions.

Background: Polymorphisms of genes encoding the pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines can affect the clinical presentation of the infection. We aimed to assess the role of EGF gene single-nucleotide polymorphism in the outcome of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in children. Methods: One hundred HBV-infected children and 75 healthy matched controls were enrolled in this prospective study. Patients included 18 chronic inactive and 82 chronic active carriers. EGF rs4444903 A>G genotypes were determined using allele-specific amplification. Results: Significant differences regarding EGF genotypic frequency (p=0.001) in patients compared to controls (p=0.001). Eighteen percent were inactive, and 82% were active carriers. AA, AG and GG genotypic frequency were 66.7%, 33.3%, 0% and were 3.7%, 37.8% and 58.5% in the inactive and active carriers, respectively, with significant differences regarding AA, AG, GG genotypic frequency (p=0.001 for all). EGF AA, AG, GG genotypes frequency were 1.9%, 33.3%, and 64.8%, respectively, with significant differences between cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic patients regarding AA, AG, GG genotypic frequency (p=0.001 for all). Conclusion: Increased G allele frequency in EGF rs4444903 A > G polymorphism in HBV- Egyptian children is associated with worse outcomes.

Novel Corona Virus 2019 (COVID-19) is a new virus spread rapidly all over the world. It has specific respiratory or gastrointestinal tract symptoms. Its reported complications include respiratory distress, systemic inflammatory response syndrome, and septic shock. Due to heavy cytokines released by the virus; corticosteroids (40-120 mg / day) were given to severe cases to reduce pneumonia. It’s a difficult task to control the spread of SARS-CoV-2, and to invent proper vaccines and treatments. In this review, the existing understanding of fatal, pandemic human coronavirus SARS-Cov2 (COVID-19), with special reference to its diagnosis, origin, transmission, and different approaches to develop its therapeutics, will be discussed.

Background:MircoRNAs are endogenous, small non-coding RNA molecules that have been recognized as important modulators of gene expression. MicroRNA is considered one of the potential biomarkers of infection and inflammation. Our study aims to identify the potential role of miRNA-155, miRNA-146b, and Procalcitonin (PCT) in the early detection of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in cirrhotic liver patients. miRNA-155 and 146b are molecular biomarkers , while procalcitonin is a serum marker in ascites patients complicated with Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis (SBP) .Methods:This study was conducted on 199 patients, 101 of them have ascites complicated with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, and 98 patients without spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (control group). Ascitic fluid samples were collected from patients with SBP undergoing paracentesis at National Hepatology Institute in Egypt. MicroRNAs were determined in the serum using qPCR (quantitative polymerase chain reaction), while procalcitonin has been assessed in serum samples using ELISA (Enzyme-linked immune assay) technique.Results:Serum levels of miRNA-146b & miRNA-155 were significantly higher (pConclusion:miRNA-155, miRNA-146b and procalcitonin can be used as early markers for the detection of SBP in hepatic patients with ascites.

Background/objectives The pathophysiology of obesity is multifactorial, including genetic and environmental factors. Previous studies had highlighted the association of the leptin gene/receptor with obesity. We aimed to study the leptin gene rs7799039 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in children, and its association with the children’s characteristics. Methods A cross-sectional analytic study that included 143 children with obesity (cases) and a comparable group of 86 lean children as controls. The anthropometric measures, blood pressure, and biochemical testing were done for all participants. The real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to detect rs7799039 SNP variant alleles and ELISA for leptin level assessment. Results The distribution of rs7799039 SNPs genotypes GG/GA/AA was comparable between both groups. Testing children regardless of their body mass index showed that the abnormalities in blood pressure, lipids values, insulin resistance, and hepatic insulin sensitivity were significantly associated with increased leptin levels. Among cases, the abnormal metabolic status was associated with higher leptin levels. Conclusions The genotype’ distribution of leptin gene rs7799039 SNP was similar in both children with obesity and those with normal-weight. The high blood pressure, abnormal lipid profile, and metabolic disturbances, were significantly associated with higher leptin levels and not with leptin gene rs7799039 SNP.

Psoriasis is an autoimmune skin disease characterized by hyperproliferation of keratinocytes due to interplay between keratinocytes and immune cells. Iron status plays an important role in modifying the function of the immune system. Heme oxygenase (HO), heme-degrading enzyme, plays important role in protective response to oxidative cellular stress. We aimed in this study to map the iron status and HO levels and declare the role HO enzyme in iron homeostasis and immune-modulation in psoriasis. Fifty-one patients with psoriasis and 50 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were enrolled in this study. 5 mL blood sample was withdrawn from each subject. Hepcidin, iron soluble transferring receptor (sTfR), and total iron binding capacity (TIBC) were estimated using ELISA technique and, HO-1 gene level was detected using RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction). Iron levels, TIBC, and hepcidin were significantly lower in cases compared to controls. On the contrary, sTfR and HO-1 were significantly over-expressed in cases compared to controls (p 0.05 in all). HO-1 expression negatively correlated with PASI score and disease extent (%) (r = - 0.614-, p = 0.001; r = - 0.807-, p = 0.001 respectively). There were no significant associations between HO-1 expression and iron, TIBC, hepcidin, sTfR levels (p 0.05 in all). Iron supplements for the patients with psoriasis are important to maintain haematopoiesis. The induction of HO-1 might have be a promising approach for the treatment of psoriasis through antioxidant ability, immunomodulatory role as well as its role in heme synthesis.

Objectives Evaluation of the frequency of X-ray Cross Complementing group 1 (XRCC1) Arg399Gln polymorphism among patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients and to determine if a possible association was present. Subjects & methods Blood samples were obtained from 70 ESRD patients and 30 healthy volunteers as control group for routine laboratory investigations and genomic DNA was extracted using GeneJET Whole Blood DNA Purification Kit to detect XRCC1 codon 399 genotype Arg/Gln in exon 10. BCNL digestion resulted in two fragments of 389 and 121 bp for wild-type homozygous (Arg/Arg); one fragment of 510 bp for variant homozygous (Gln/Gln); and three fragments of 510, 389 and 121 bp for variant heterozygous (Arg/Gln). Results Compared to control subjects, ESRD patients showed significantly higher frequency of Arg/Gln genotype, but had significantly lower frequency of Arg/Arg genotype. Moreover, patients had significantly lower frequency of Arg allele in comparison to controls (57.1% vs. 83.3%, respectively). Furthermore, the frequency of recessive models; Gln/Gln + Arg/Gln was significantly higher, while the frequency of dominant models; Arg/Arg + Arg/Gln was non-significantly lower among patients than controls. Development of ESRD was positively correlated with the presence of XRCC1 Arg/Gln genotype, while was negatively correlated with the presence of XRCC1 Arg/Arg genotype. ROC curve analysis showed that presence of XRCC1 Arg/Arg genotype is a negative sensitive predictor, while XRCC1 Arg/Gln genotype is a positive significant predictor for development of ESRD and Regression analysis defined presence of XRCC1 Arg/Arg genotype as significant negative predictor for development of ESRD. Conclusion The results of the current study indicated an intimate relation between XRCC1 gene polymorphism and development of ESRD and the predictive value of its presence for the possibility of progression of chronic kidney disease to ESRD stage.

Background and study aim: Egypt unfortunately has the highest worldwide prevalence of chronic hepatitis C (CHC). Patients with CHC are advised to be vaccinated against hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Response to hepatitis B vaccination and risk factors for a weak response are not clearly defined.. The aim of this study is to assess the response to hepatitis B vaccination in CHC patients and identify predictors of a weak response. Patients and Methods: This prospective study included 112 consecutive adult, treatment- naive, CHC patients (cases group) and 54 non-hepatitis C virus (HCV) subjects (control group). Demographic and laboratory variables including HCV-viral load, schistosomal antibody (Ab) titre, and histopathological examination of liver biopsy were assessed. Three intramuscular 20 µg doses (given at 0, 1 & 6 months) of HBV-vaccine (Euvax-B, Korea) were administered, and hepatitis B surface antibody (HBsAb) titres were evaluated 6 – 8 weeks after the 3rd dose. Results: Out of 112 CHC patients, five (4.5%) had HBsAb titres of 1000. In comparison, out of 54 controls, one (1.9%) had a titre of 1000 (P= 0.001). CHC patients had highly significant lower mean Ab titres than controls (P

Background: Intrauterine adhesions (IUA) remain a major cause of infertility. The prevalence of IUA varies geographically and keeps increasing over the last few decades due to increased hysteroscopic surgeries. Therefore, IUA management has received considerable attention. However, the management of IUAs still presents a big challenge: the recurrence rate could be up to 62.5% in severe IUAs. Intrauterine adhesion (IUA) occurs as a result of endometrial destruction by surgical interventions or infection causing obliteration of uterine cavity by the adhesions which interfere with embryonic implantation. Sub endometrial fibrosis may occurs, which causes narrowing of uterine cavity so no enough space for fetal growth. This leads to recurrent abortion. Aim: We aim in this experiment to apply a method for two models of IUA and or fibrosis by intrauterine injections of two different doses of trichloroacetic acid. Method: This experimental study was performed on 30 albino adult rats which were divided into three groups (n=10 rats/group) as follows, group 1: normal control rats, group 2: induced IUA and/or fibrosis that received low dose trichloroacetic acid, group 3: induced fibrosis that received high dose trichloroacetic acid, the extent of fibrosis, vascularization and inflammation were evaluated by; qRTPCR for IL-6, TNF, VEGF and TG-β immunohistochemistry examination for VEGF and TGF-β and histological assessment. Results: We found significant increase in IL-6, TNF and TGF in high dose group and significant decrease in VEGF in high dose group compared to normal group and low dose group (p

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) releases in culture extracellular vesicles called microvesicles (MVs). MVs have beneficial cytokines that prevent progression of the disease and help in the regeneration process. This study is aimed to evaluate the effect of MSCs derived MVs in repair of induced chondral defect in a dog model. Methods: Chondral defects were created surgically ([Formula: see text][Formula: see text]mm) in both femoral condyles of nine dogs, autologous MSCs were isolated and MVs were prepared and injected intraarticularly in the right joint. The left joint was injected with normal saline as control negative. Evaluation of the treatment after first injection was carried out by physical examination and histopathology at different time periods ([Formula: see text]½, 3 and 6 months). Results: Treated joints showed marked degree of cartilage regeneration and restoration of chondral histomorphological picture on the contrary of the control joints that showed deterioration over time and defect filling with only fibrous tissue forming a fibrocartilage at the end of six months period. Conclusion: We demonstrated in this study that administration of MVs was effective on the functional and morphological recovery of the injured cartilage and could be exploited as a cell free therapeutic approach in regenerative medicine.