Vol.2 No.08 -1 : Comparative Study between Polymerase Chain Reaction and Different Rapid Tests for Detection of Mycobacterium Infection.

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By : Elarabany N. F1, Abdallah, A. E.1, Abdallah, G. A.2, and Salah A.2.

Abstract

The objective of this work is to reach a sensitive and rapid method for the laboratory diagnosis of active tuberculosis disease in patients and latent TB infection in household contacts and healthy community controls. We recruited 86 subjects divided into 3 groups: Thirty six patients with suspected active TB (Twenty four suspected pulmonary TB cased and 12 suspected extrapulmonary TB cases). 28 household contacts of confirmed pulmonary TB patients and 22 healthy community controls. Methods: For diagnosis of active tuberculosis the following tests were evaluated: Ziehl-Neelsen (Z-N) staining and culture on Lownestein-Jensen (L-j), tuberculin skin test (TST), nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay on separated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), antibody detection by Immunchromatographic test (ICT), and JFN assay by QuantiFERON TB Gold In-Tube method for diagnosis of latent tuberculosic the following tests were evaluated: TST and Quantiferon TB Gold (In-tube method). The results showed that in pulmonary TB group, TST was the most sensitive test (92.3%), while QFT-Gold IT plus ZN was the most sensitive combined test (100%). In extrapulmonary TB group, TST, nested PCR and QFT-Gold IT were the most sensitive single tests (75%) while QFT-Gold IT plus ZN was the most sensitive combines test (100%). For diagnosis of LTBI: QFT-Gold IT was as sensitive as the TST. TST was 54.5% specific, while QFT Gold-IT was 94.5% specific TST showed that the exposure in the contacts group increased the risk of infection in the contacts group 0.9 times more than the control group (OR, 0,9m 95% Cl, 0.25-3.22; P=0.85). by QFT-Gold IT, exposure increased the risk of infection in the contacts group 8.4 times more than the control group (OR, 8.4; 95% Cl, 0.9-195.63; P=0.028). In household contacts group the concordance between TST and QFT-Gold IT was poor (64.3%, with a k value of 0.230.18). In conclusion, using QFT-Gold IT plus ZN staining is very helpful in the diagnosis of active TB disease. For diagnosis of LTBl. QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube method is more helpful than Tuberculin skin test.

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Vol.2 No.08 -2 : Preventive effect of wheat germ oil on methotrexate – induced liver injury and oxidative intestinal damage in mice.

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By : Hanan Saleh *,

Abstract

Methotrexate (MTX) is an anti-neoplastic drug that is widely used in the treatment of several diseases such as lymphoblastic leukemia, lymphoma, and autoimmune diseases, and has been concomitant with mild or severe liver and intestinal toxicity. One of the most attractive approaches to prevent toxicity of different organs involves the use of natural antioxidants. Thus, the present investigation was undertaken to study the possible protective effect of wheat germ oil (WGO) against single dose of methotrexate induced oxidative stress in hepatic and intestinal tissue. The oxidative stress was induced using single intraperitoneal injection of methotrexate (20 mg/kg body weight), while the protecting effect was investigated by oral administration of WGO (1400 mg/kg body weight), for six and three consecutive days before and after MTX injection respectively. MTX has revealed significant depletion of some oxidative biomarkers and an elevation in the activities of liver enzymes, Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), intestinal malondialdehyde (MDA), lipid profile, and remarkable intestinal DNA damage, as well as abnormal architecture of mucosa. The present findings confirmed that WGO has significant preventive effect against liver injury and intestinal oxidative stress induced by MTX through improving the liver enzymes levels, enhancing the intestinal antioxidant defense status, reduction of lipid peroxidation level, and protection against different pathological changes. Taken together, it’s then recommended to give WGO to individuals who are treated with MTX, although more pharmacological and molecular assays are necessary to elucidate its protective mechanisms.

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Vol.2 No.08 -3 : Ameliorative effect of olive leaves extract on hepatotoxicity and oxidative stress in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

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By : Saber A. Sakr1 , Karoline K. Abdel-Aziz2, , Attalla F. El-kott2, Heba S. Khalifa2

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disease. Olive leaves consists of phenolic compounds, flavonoids and volatile oil. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-diabetic and the curative effect of olive leaves extract on streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Forty male rats were divided into 4 groups, Group I; Animals were served as control. Group II; Animals were received oral Olive leaves extract (OLE) 0.5 mg/kg of body weight/day. Group III; Animals were injected intraperitoneally with a single dose of streptozotocin (STZ) (45mg /kg of body weight) to induce diabetes. Group IV, Animals were received a single dose of streptozotocin and after 7 days received Olive leaves extract for four weeks. The results indicatet that injection of STZ provoked a significant increase (P<0.005) in serum ALT, AST and lipids. Moreover, Serum malondialdehyde was increased and the antioxidant enzymes SOD and CAT decreased. Histopathologically, the OLE group didn't show any histopathological changes. Diabetic animals showed many histopathological changes in liver e.g. destruction of liver architecture, congestion of blood vessels, Leucocytic infiltration, and cytoplasmic vacuolization of hepatocytes. The pancreas showed severe damages in the pancreas architecture and atrophy of β-cells. When animals treated with OLE, an improvement was observed in the biochemical parameters and liver and pancreas histology of these animals. It is concluded that OLE exhibited a pronounced hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic and ameliorative effects in diabetic rats and this is may be attributed to the presence of its phenolic compounds.

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Vol.2 No.08 -4 : Bioaccumulation of heavy metals in freshwater snails in relation to lining of water courses in Egypt.

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By : 1Ahmed Abdel Kader, 2Gamalat Y. Osman, 2Azza H. Mohamed, 3Mohamed M. Gharieb, 1Nahed M.M. Ismail and 1Asmaa Abdel-motleb

Abstract

The present study was aimed to determine the heavy metal concentrations in whole body of fresh water snails in relation to lining of water courses in two governorates (Behaira (Nubaria) and Giza) Through four successive seasons from Septemper 2013, to October 2014. The obtained results indicated that the electrical conductivity (EC) and iron metal (Fe) showed the highest values and generally the physicochemical measurements indicated that no significant difference between the two tested habitats, however, the conductivity of water in lined water bodies was lower than those of unlined ones. The present study recorded 14 species of snails belonging to class Gastropoda; these species belonged to Pulmonate and Prosobranch snails. The density of all recorded Pulmonate snails in lined sites were lower than those in unlined ones. On the other hand, the abundance of Prosobranch snails was higher in numbers in the lined sites than those in the unlined. In Nubaria the most abundant snails were Melanoides tuberculata and Theodoxus niloticus and exhibited their maximum percentages in the lined (82.15%) and unlined (72.34%) sites during summer, respectively. While, in Giza Governorate Physa acuta snails had the highest percentages among collected snails approximately at all seasons, and exhibited its maximum percentages during spring in lined (90.22%) and unlined sites (85.38%). Correlations between physicochemical parameters and the collected snails, revealed that there were different negative or positive correlations depending on the sites of investigation. The bioconcentration factor of heavy metals in snail’s soft tissues at the investigated in lined and unlined sites compared to the content of the metals (Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb and Zinc) in the water showed high variation in BCF values depending on the type of metal and the snail. Generally P. acuta (7626.95μg.g-1 DW for Fe) and H. duryi (8787.10 μg.g-1 DW for Cu) were the highest snails of accumulated metal contents in the tested sites of the two surveyed governorates, respectively.

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Vol.2 No.08 -5 : Specific learning disorders in epileptic children.

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By : Shewikar T. El-Bakry, Shaza M. Eltaher*, Abo Zaid A. Khodair, Khaled S. Meselhey

Abstract

Specific learning disorders are more common in epileptic children even with normal IQ, The Epilepsy related factors such as (duration of illness , type and severity of epilepsy and medications used ) are strongly related to increase risk of learning disorders. The present study is aimed to shed the light on the specific learning disorders in epileptic children and to study the relation between learning disorders and the epilepsy related factors such as duration , medications , type and severity of epilepsy. Also to study the relation between the learning disorders and the intelligence quotient.
The study was conducted on 60 children between the age group of 9and 12 years old.All were subjected to a Semi structured interview, Learning & Developmental Disorders Rating Scales ( LDDRS ) Battery (El-Zyat , 2007), Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales (SB5), Fifth Edition translated by (Farag,2010).
The results showed that Seizures was not the only problem that children with epilepsy are suffering from but also they are at greater risk for developing learning Disabilities. From the developmental disorders attention disorder was the most common detected followed by memory then auditory processing disorder followed by visual processing disorder then motor skills disorders. While regarding the academic learning disorders reading disorder was the most prevalent followed by the writing and mathematics being the least detected among the studied group. It is concluded that the most leading causes for learning disability in epileptic children ,as verified in the studied

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Vol.2 No.08 -6 : Biochemical effects of some insect growth regulators and bioinsecticides against cotton leafworm, Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd.)(Lepidoptera Noctuidae).

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By : Assar,A.A.1; Abo El-Mahasen,M.M.1; Dahi,H.F.2; Amin,H.S.2

Abstract

The current work was carried out to evaluate the biochemical effects of LC50 of four compounds; emamectin and spinetoram as bioinsecticides, hexaflumuron and teflubenzuron as Insect growth regulators (IGR’s) against the 4th instar larvae of Spodoptera littoralis to determine the effects of these compounds on total carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, acetylcholinesterase, chitinase, phenoloxidase, carbohydrates hydrolyzing enzymes, non-specific esterases, phosphatases and transaminase enzymes.
The obtained results indicated that total proteins and lipids content were significantly decreased with all tested insecticides, except slightly increase in total protein with spinetoram, in contrast, all tested insecticides led to an increase in total carbohydrates. The tested insecticides significantly increased the invertase activity except emamectin decreased the enzyme activity. A significant decrease in the activity of trehalase and amylase activity was induced by the tested insecticides, except with emamectin and teflubenzuron in case of amylase. The tested insecticides significantly decreased the activity of acid (AcP) and alkaline (AlP) phosphates. It is clearly noticed that teflubenzuron and spinetoram significantly increased alpha esterases in contrast, decreased with hexaflumuron and emamectin. A highly significant decreased in beta esterases was induced by teflubenzuron and hexaflumuron and increased with spinetoram and emamectin. All tested insecticides induced a significant inhibitory effect on aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity except with teflubenzuron.
Acelylcolinesterase (AchE) activity significantly increased with emamectin and teflubenzuron while decreased with hexaflumuron and spinetoram. Phenoloxidase and Chitinase activity significantly increased with all tested insecticides.

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Vol.2 No.08 -7 : Potential role of probiotic bacteria as antioxidants agent.

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By : Mostafa El-Sheekh1, Nanis G. Allam1, Naglaa Ibrahim Sarhan2 and Ghada Alfakharany1

Abstract

Oxidants are free radicals that find in the environment, but they are also produced naturally in our body. Antioxidants have an important role in the body health and protected from many diseases caused by free radicals. The unique characters of probiotic bacteria make it used extensively in the field of medicine antioxidant, anticancer, anti-microbial, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory properties and hepatoprotective agent. This study was designed to explore the influence of lactic acid bacteria as antioxidative agents. Antioxidative properties for all tested stains were investigated through determination scavenging activity of α,α-Diphenyl-β-Picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), hydroxyl radicals (OHˉ) and inhibition of lipid peroxidation in rat liver homogenate in vitro. The present findings revealed that, Lactobacillus plantarum subsp. plantarum DSMZ 20174 and Lactobacillus acidophilus DSMZ 20079 T possessed the highest antioxidant properties, tolerated acidity up to 4 and revealed viability under bile salt concentration up to 0.5%. The results of this study provide new insights into the lactic acid bacteria with antioxidative properties as they tolerated acidity up

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