This study examined the effect of phloretamide, a metabolite of phloretin, on liver damage and steatosis in streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus (DM) in rats. Adult male rats were divided into ...two groups: control (nondiabetic) and STZ-treated rats, each of which was further treated orally with the vehicle phloretamide 100 mg or 200 mg. Treatments were conducted for 12 weeks. Phloretamide, at both doses, significantly attenuated STZ-mediated pancreatic β-cell damage, reduced fasting glucose, and stimulated fasting insulin levels in STZ-treated rats. It also increased the levels of hexokinase, which coincided with a significant reduction in glucose-6 phosphatase (G-6-Pase), and fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase 1 (PBP1) in the livers of these diabetic rats. Concomitantly, both doses of phloretamide reduced hepatic and serum levels of triglycerides (TGs) and cholesterol (CHOL), serum levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), and hepatic ballooning. Furthermore, they reduced levels of lipid peroxidation, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), mRNA, and total and nuclear levels of NF-κB p65, but increased mRNA levels, total and nuclear levels of Nrf2, as well as levels of reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD-1), catalase (CAT), and heme-oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in the livers of diabetic rats. All of these effects were dose-dependent. In conclusion, phloretamide is a novel drug that could ameliorate DM-associated hepatic steatosis via its powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Mechanisms of protection involve improving the β-cell structure and hepatic insulin action, suppressing hepatic NF-κB, and stimulating hepatic Nrf2.
•This paper present using saline water as a cooling agent for solar panels.•Six different salinities were tested at two different solar radiation intensities.•New internal and external configuration ...evaporation-based systems were tested.•Results indicated the feasibility of using saline water up to 35 ppt as a cooling agent.•More enhancements were achieved using the new proposed configurations.
This paper is one of the first to propose seawater for cooling PV panels. It presents and describes a novel experimental investigation for cooling solar panels using saturated activated alumina with saline water. Six different water salinities of (0, 5, 10, 35, 80, and 337) particles per thousands (PPT) saltwater were used at different radiation intensities. Additionally, new internal and external configuration of materials’ containers are suggested. Two radiation intensities of 800 W/m2 and 1000 W/m2 were selected and applied for the complete test period of 6 h. Experiments were repeated for a periodic cycle of four months to monitor the salt effect on the activated alumina tablets; This was done by using an optical microscope to look at the microscopical state. Results showed that saturated activated alumina tablets with saline water gives the same cooling performance as using pure water. At salinities higher than 35 PPT, the tablets depreciation rate and porosity increase, hence limiting the usability to systems with salinities less than 35 PPT. The proposed modifications for the internal and external configuration enhanced the cooling effect of the system by (3–4) °C, compared with the old configurations.
Tobacco use among university students remains the most alarming problem worldwide. This study aims to systematically review the previous literature for determining the prevalence of smoking ...(cigarette and waterpipe) among university students in some Arab countries.
We electronically searched articles from MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, Google Scholar and Google for the period from April 2018 to June 2019. We conducted a systematic review of eligible studies published in English between 2006 and 2019, for assessing cigarette and waterpipe smoking among university students. The studies were all cross-sectional according to eligibility criteria and contained 469 studies19 meet the inclusion criteria from 12 countries of (Yemen, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon, Tunisia, Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Libya and United Arab Emirates (UAE).
the study included a total of participants (N=45,306) (33,450 Males vs 11,856 Females). The overall highest rate of current smoking among students was in Egypt (46.7%), Kuwait (46%) and KSA (42.3%). The smoking prevalence among males was significantly higher than females in Yemen (36.3% vs 28.0%,p<0.001), Bahrain (27.0%vs 4.2%, p<0.001), Tunisia (38.4% vs 3.4%, P<0.001), Egypt (61.2% vs 18.9%, P<0.001), Palestine (52.7% vs 16.5%, p<0.001), Syria (26.1% vs 9.5%, p<0.001), KSA (32.7%vs5.9%,P<0.001), and Jordan (54.3%vs11.1%, P<0.005) and (56.9%vs11.4%, P<0.005). Another study in Yemen was significantly higher among women than man (15.7% vs 10.3%, p<0.001). The highest waterpipe smoking rates among gender was in KSA (36.4%-36.3%). For cigarette smoking, the highest rates were in Libya (80.2%), Jordan (80%) and KSA (70.7%). The highest smoking rates among males were in Egypt (61.2%), Jordan (56.9%-54.3%) and Palestine (52.7%), for females the highest rate was in Yemen (28.0%).
The prevalence of smoking cigarette and waterpipe appears to be alarmingly high among university students in Arab countries. The results were different among students, due to the nature of the region and the different customs, traditions, lineage and multicultural from country to another.
The potential applications of multiferroics render them a prominent research topic as well as attractive material for many applications especially for spintronics. In this context trials to enhance ...the properties of these multiferroic are running either by size miniaturization or doping. Herein, flash combustion technique was employed to prepare Bi
1-
x
Pb
x
FeO
3
; (0.0 ≤
x
≤ 0.08) (BPbFO) nanomultiferroic in single phase. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results illustrated a rhombohedral distorted hexagonal perovskite adopting the space group R3c. The microstructure was observed using transmission electron microscope which confirmed the platelet shape nature of the samples. Magnetic studies were carried out and the results revealed improved coercivity with increasing the Pb content. Electrical hysteresis loops (P-E) indicated the ferroelectric features of the Pb
2+
substituted BFO multiferroic at room temperature. Thermal behaviour of the dielectric constant, dielectric loss and ac conductivity measurements shows peak around 750 K that corresponds to the transition from antiferromagnetic to paramagnetic phase at the Neel temperature. The multiferroic, Bi
0
.
96
Pb
0.04
FeO
3
, introduce the highest dielectric constant, lowest loss and moderate conductivity confirming the substitution of Pb can tailor the properties of the pristine BiFeO
3
multiferroic and be a suitable candidate for diverse applications.
Abstract
Introduction/Objective
Myeloid sarcoma is an extramedullary solid neoplasm composed of myeloid precursors with or without maturation. This tumor usually occurs simultaneously or following ...the onset of acute leukemia. Rarely, it can be the first manifestation of acute myeloid leukemia. We report a case of this rare tumor presenting histologically as a bone sarcoma with features of extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma and myoepithelial carcinoma
Methods/Case Report
A 76-year-old female was referred to our institution for evaluation of a right foot mass associated with pain and swelling. MRI showed a 2.4 x 1.5x 1.2 cm soft tissue mass along the lateral margin of proximal and mid diaphysis of first metatarsal. The clinical and radiologic differential diagnosis was primary bone-soft tissue malignancy, or infection. Histologically, the biopsies showed sheets and cords of cells in a myxoid background. Cytologically the cells were plasmacytoid, mononuclear, mitotically active with immature chromatin, prominent nucleoli, and moderate to abundant cytoplasm. This morphologic appearance elicited the differential diagnosis of extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma, myoepithelial carcinoma, and plasmacytoma. An initial panel of immunohistochemical stains showed the lesional cells to be negative for S-100, SOX-10, pancytokeratin, desmin, p63, EMA, CAM5.2, and CD138 but positive for CD43. Additional immunohistochemistry showed diffuse reactivity for CD33, and lysozyme; CD163 was focally positive, and the cells were negative for CD20, CD3, CD30, CD99, MUM1, CD138, and CD34. A diagnosis of extramedullary acute myeloid leukemia with monocytic differentiation (myeloid sarcoma) was rendered. Subsequently, patient underwent bone marrow biopsy which showed involvement by acute myeloid leukemia with monocytic differentiation.
Results (if a Case Study enter NA)
NA
Conclusion
Myeloid sarcoma is a rare tumor and presentation as an isolated metatarsal mass is highly unusual and exceedingly rare. This can mislead clinicians, radiologists, and pathologists. Pathologists need to keep hematopoietic tumors in their differential diagnosis even when the anatomic sites as well as the morphology are not typical of hematopoietic malignancies.
Abstract
Introduction/Objective
Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a rare and aggressive soft tissue sarcoma that primarily affects children and adolescents. It arises from primitive mesenchymal cells ...committed to skeletal muscle differentiation.
Understanding the molecular drivers and genetic alterations underlying RMS is crucial for developing targeted therapies and improving patient outcomes. Recently, a novel fusion event involving the transcription factor CP2-like protein 2 (TFCP2) and fused in sarcoma (FUS) has emerged as a potential oncogenic driver in a subset of RMS cases. This fusion event represents a novel genetic alteration with implications for RMS pathogenesis, diagnosis, and therapeutic strategies.
Methods/Case Report
A 58-year-old female presented with a tender fullness along the right mandibular body. A biopsy performed at an outside institution was notable for a spindle cell neoplasm. She underwent resection of the lesion with pathology demonstrating a predominantly monomorphic spindle cell sarcoma with focal areas of pleomorphism. The lesion was diffusely positive for MyoD1. SOX10, S100, H-caldesmon, SMA, and pan-cytokeratin were negative. H3K27me3 was retained, arguing against malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor with extensive rhabdomyoblastic differentiation. Break-apart FISH studies for FUS gene were positive. Overall, the findings were those of a recently described RMS variant with rearranged TFCP2 gene with FUS or EWSR1 as the partner gene. The patient later received adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Despite that, her restaging scan 12 months later showed rapid progression with involvement of lungs, bone, and local recurrence in the jaw bilaterally.
Results (if a Case Study enter NA)
NA
Conclusion
TFCP2-FUS gene fusion drives an emerging family of RMS with a predilection for the jaws. Recognition of this rare entity can guide personalized therapeutic approaches and improve the prognostic stratification of RMS patients
The present study aimed to investigate the effect of low phosphorus diet with or without different levels of phytase enzyme supplementation on growth performance, body composition, nutrient retention ...efficiency, gene expression, and health status of A. hydrophila challenged fish. A total of 240 monosex males of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) with an average body weight of 23.19 ± 0.15 g/fish were used. Fish were randomly chosen and divided into 4 equal groups (60 fish per group), with 3 subgroups containing 20 fish as a replicate. Group 1, was fed on a diet containing 100% P, group 2, was fed on a diet containing 50% P, group 3 and 4, were fed on low P with 500 or 1000 units of phytase/Kg respectively. It was observed that the 50% phosphorus diet significantly reduced body weight, feed intake, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and protein efficiency ratio (PER) compared to Nile tilapia fish fed on the diet containing 100% phosphorus. In contrast, fish fed on the diet containing 50% phosphorus supplemented by 500 or 1000 phytase units/kg significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased final body weight (FBW), total body gain (TBG), average daily gain (ADG), and weight gain compared to Nile tilapia fed on the same diet or fed on the diet containing normal phosphorus without phytase supplementation. Different phosphorus and phytase supplementation levels had no significant effect on serum total protein, albumin, and globulin concentrations, meanwhile, phytase supplementation increased serum calcium and phosphorus levels. Nile tilapia fed on phytase supplementation had an increase in body protein, lipid content, and nutrient utilization efficiency compared to Nile tilapia fed on the diet containing 100% phosphorus. Nile tilapia fed on low dietary phosphorus showed an increase in mortality after infection and a decrease in phagocytosis and neutrophil compared to fish fed on normal phosphorus. Phytase supplementation, made immune response parameters return to its normal values and the pathological lesions of liver, spleen, stomach, and intestine were reduced. Moreover, normal phosphorus significantly up-regulated lipoprotein lipase (LPL) mRNA expression and down-regulated fatty acid synthase (FAS) mRNA in Nile tilapia's liver while low phosphorus with or without phytase supplementation reduced LPL expression and relatively up-regulated FAS.
Display omitted
•Decrease phosphorus in the fish diet.•A. hydrophila infection in Nile tilapia.•The positive effect of phytase enzyme.
BACKGROUND–Donation after circulatory death (DCD) is a procedure in which after planned withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment (WLST) the dying process is monitored. A DCD procedure can only be ...continued if the potential organ donor dies shortly after WLST. This study performed an external validation of 2 existing prediction models to identify potentially DCD candidates, using one of the largest cohorts.
METHODS–This multicenter retrospective study analyzed all patients eligible for DCD donation from 2010-2015. The first model (DCD N-score) assigned points for absence of neurological reflexes and oxygenation index (OI). The second model, a linear prediction model (LPDCD), yielded the probability of death within 60 min. This study determined discrimination (c-statistic) and calibration (HL test) for both models.
RESULTS–This study included 394 patients, 283 (72%) died within 60 min after WLST. The DCD-N score had a c-statistic of 0.77 (95% CI 0.71 – 0.83) and the LPDCD model 0.75 (95% CI 0.68 – 0.81). Calibration of the LPDCD 60 min model proved to be poor (HL-test p<0.001).
CONCLUSIONS–The DCD-N score and the LPDCD model showed good discrimination, but poor calibration for prediction the probability of death within 60 min. Construction of a new prediction model on a large data set is needed to obtain better calibration.
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