Background:Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most prevalent liver cancer with a high incidence and mortality, mainly when discovered in its advanced stages. Periodic screening is necessary for high risk populations for the detection of the disease in the early curable stage. The most commonly used tumor marker for screening and diagnosis of HCC is AFP. Various studies have investigated the function of miRNAs as diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers in human cancers, including HCC, where they serve both as oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, depending on the cellular affection of their targets. This study aims to evaluate the expression of miRNA-130b in the plasma of patients with HCC, HCV, and LC and its relation to BCLC staging. Evaluate the diagnostic performance of miRNA-130b, AFP and their combination for the diagnosis of HCC, especially in early stages and high-risk cirrhotic patients.

Methods:The study included four groups: 39 patients with HCC, 15 patients with HCV without any other pathology, 15 patients with LC on top of HCV and 10 healthy control individuals. AFP was measured by chemiluminescence using ADVIA Centaur Auto-Analyzer. The expression level of miRNA-130b was assessed by a real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Results: Patients with HCC had significantly higher level of micro-RNA-130b and AFP in comparison to other groups. LC patients had significantly higher levels of AFP in comparison to those with HCV. Levels of miRNA-130b and AFP were higher in late stages of HCC and large size of HFL. By ROC curve analysis miRN-130b had better diagnostic performance in detection of high risk cirrhotic patients than AFP or on combination of both markers. For diagnosis of early HCC and differentiation between HCC and LC it was found that combination of both markers had higher AUC than each marker alone.

Conclusion:Plasma miRNA-130b level can be used as a good marker for distinguishing HCC patients from non-malignant groups (HCV, LC, and normal healthy controls) with better diagnostic performance than AFP. It showed higher levels in late stages of HCC. Combination of both markers was better in diagnosis of early stages of HCC and distinguishing LC from HCC.

Aim

This study aims to assess the prevalence of anemia among pneumonic children aged 2 months up to 2 years and identify the associated factors in those children.

Pregnancy of unknown location (PUL) is a term used to describe failure of visualization of intrauterine or extrauterine gestational sac in a woman with a positive pregnancy test.

Body of the abstract

Ectopic pregnancy (EP) accounts for 1–2 % of all pregnancies. EP contributes to maternal mortality of a known cause by 4% in developed countries. However, case fatality rate may be 10 times higher in low-resource countries. This may be attributed to delayed diagnosis and lack of resources. PUL is a temporary term that may eventually lead to diagnosis of viable intrauterine pregnancy, pregnancy loss, or more seriously, EP.

Abstract
Background/Aims: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common malignancy and
most frequently develops in patients with cirrhosis. Surveillance strategies are recommended
in high-risk groups because early detection of small lesions improves the likelihood of
curative treatment. This study investigated the prospective clinical significance of serum levels
of anti-Ku86 and plasma levels of lamin B1and vimentin as early markers of HCC. Methods:
We recruited 74 patients at Assiut University Hospital—37 with HCC and 37 with chronic
liver disease (liver cirrhosis patients)—and 36 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Lamin
B1 and vimentin mRNA expression levels were evaluated by reverse transcription-PCR and
serum levels of anti-Ku86 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results:
Compared with liver disease patients and controls, HCC patients showed higher levels of lamin
B1 mRNA (sensitivity, 96%; specificity, 65%), vimentin mRNA (sensitivity, 94%; specificity, 92%),
and anti-Ku86 (sensitivity, 94%; specificity, 80%). LaminB1 levels were significantly higher in
patients with a tumor size < 2 cm than in patients with tumors 2–5 cm and >5cm in size. Lamin
B1 had significant positive correlations with alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) (P=0.034) and anti-Ku86
(P=0.002). Receiver operating characteristic curves for differentiating HCCfrom liver cirrhosis
revealed a higher area under the curve(AUC).for vimentin than for AFP, lamin B1, and anti-Ku86
for the diagnosis of HCC (P<0.001). Conclusion: Circulating levels of anti-Ku86, lamin B1,and
vimentin might be potential surrogate markers of HCC, either alone or in combination with
AFP. However, independent and discriminative serological biomarkers with higher sensitivity
and specificity are still needed for the early detection of HCC.

Purpose: To highlight the anterior chamber parameters changes after pars plana vitrectomy with silicone oil tamponade by Scheimpflug imaging. Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted on 20 patients (20 eyes) who had PPV for various indications. Using Scheimpflug imaging, all participants were assessed before PPV with Silicone oil tamponade and 1 week after the surgery to demonstrate the changes in AC parameters. The primary outcome measure was the change in central AC depth, while the secondary outcome measures were the changes in peripheral AC depth, AC volume, and anterior chamber angle. Results: There was a statistically significant reduction in CACD and Average PACD compared with the preoperative values (P=0.013 and <0.001, respectively). Moreover, there was a significant moderate positive correlation between AvPACD difference and preoperative AvPACD (r=0.512, P-value<0.001). There was a significant reduction in mean ACV compared with the preoperative value (P=0.010). There was a significant, strong positive correlation between ACV difference and preoperative ACV (r=0.742, p value <0.001). The mean ACA was 36.96°±12.89° preoperatively and decreased to 33.90°±8.44° one week postoperatively. However, this change was not statistically significant (P=0.293). There was a statistically significant strong positive correlation between ACA difference and preo perative ACA (r=0.781, p-value<0.001). Conclusion: Silicone oil tamponade with PPV induces significant short-term alterations in anterior chamber parameters, particularly a reduction in anterior chamber depth and volume. A comprehensive understanding of these parameter variations is essential for effective postoperative management.

Assessment and quantification of ipsilateral and contralateral ankle joint alignment changes after unilateral total knee arthroplasty for knee osteoarthritis with varus 

Objective: To investigate the association between plasma free amino acids (PFAAs) profile changes, vitamin D concentration and hypertension and evaluate the clinical utility of this association for nascent hypertension before the development of complications. Methods: 70 subjects were enrolled in this study; 50 of them were hypertensive (25 were with uncontrolled hypertensive and 25 were with controlled hypertensive), the other 20 subjects were healthy controls.

Results: Circulating levels of Branched chain amino acids (BCAAs);(valine, leucine, and isoleucine), Aromatic amino acids (AAAs);(phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan), homocysteine, aspartic, ornithine, asparagine and lysine were elevated significantly in both uncontrolled and controlled hypertensive subgroups in comparison with control group. On the

Background

Quercetin (QR) is one of the major constituents of the methanolic extract of the leaves of Psidium guajava (Guava leaves).

Objectives

The work’s aim is to understand the Quercetin’s mechanism in improving insulin resistance, use the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) to determine the influence of quercetin on glycemic control, Look at how quercetin affects diabetes-related lipid metabolism and lipid profile measures. Analyze the impact of QR on oxidative stress in diabetic rats and contrast its antidiabetic effects whether administered as a nutrient or supplement.

Materials and methods

Sixty adult male Wister rats that were matched in age and had starting body weights between 150 and 200 g were used in this study. One normoglycemic control group and 3 diabetic control groups (15 rats per group) were used. The diabetic control rats received the vehicle orally as saline daily, the normoglycemic control group received quercetin orally in a dose of 50 mg/kg per day, and the diabetic rats received quercetin orally in a dose of 100 mg/kg per day.

Results

After six weeks of therapy, the rats with diabetes receiving isolated quercetin at doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg had reduced blood glucose levels, and their triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein, and total cholesterol profiles all significantly improved. Also, there was significant decrease homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance, serum transaminases, hepatic malondialdehyde, and HMG CoA expression in liver and a substantial rise in levels of insulin, hepatic GSH, and insulin receptor substrate (IRS2) expression & Phosphoinositide 3-kinases in liver as …

Background

The prevalence of obesity is increasing. It is regarded to be among of the world's biggest health issues and the primary factor in metabolic syndrome, a group of illnesses including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia. Many studies proved the efficacy of dietary polyphenols ascurcuminand green tea extractin ameliorating obesity and its correlated disorders.

Methods

Our work was the first to explore the impact of green tea extract and curcumin on the insulin-sensitizing anti-inflammatory adipokine C1q/ TNF-related protein-12 (CTRP-12)serum level measured by ELISA and expression of caspase-2 in white adipose tissue invivo measured by qRT-PCR.

Results

We found that both green tea extract and curcumin elevated serum CTRP-12 level. Moreover, they stimulated adipocytes apoptosis via increasing the expression of caspase-2 decreasing adiposity.

Conclusion

The current study concludes that green tea extract and curcumin have prophylactic effect against obesity and obesity-related disorders.Keywords: high-fat diet, caspase-2, CTRP-12, green tea extract, curcumin.