Vol.4 No.4 – 4 : TM6SF2 and NCAN polymorphism impact on HCV in North African Egyptian patients

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By : Samar Samir Youssef1, Eman Abd El Razek1, Reem Ezzat Mahdy2, Sameh Seif3,Mohamed El Kassas4

1.Department of Microbial Biotechnology, National Research Centre, Dokki, Egypt

2.Assuit university hospital, Assuit, Egypt.

3.National Hepatology and Tropical Medicine Research Institute, Cairo, Egypt.

4.Endemic Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Helwan University.

Abstract

Background: TM6SF2 and NCAN are genes known to be related to fibrosis and steatosis but are not thoroughly investigated in case of chronic Hepatitis C (HCV) in Egyptians.  Aim: this study is carried to investigate the role of TM6SF2 and NCAN in chronic HCV Egyptian patients. Methods: this retrospective study was carried on 165 patients with chronic HCV who received treatment for it. Results: TM6SF2 showed statistical significance with viral load with p value of 0.02 but no statistical significance with fibrosis or activity. NCAN showed statistical significance with activity with p value of 0.011. Conclusion: this is the first work recording the prevalence of TM6SF2 (rs58542926) and NCAN (rs2228603) polymorphism in upper African HCV patients. TM6SF2 is not associated with fibrosis or activity in Egyptian patients infected with chronic hepatitis C but associated with high viral load. On the other side, NCAN is associated with severity of activity in the same studied group but no relation with the viral load. These results explain their additive effect exerted during HCV infection which should be further extensively studied.

TM6SF2 and NCAN polymorphism impact on HCV course in North African Egyptian patients f-converted
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Vol.4 No.4 – 3 :The Chemical Constituents and Pharmacological Effects of Nigella sativa

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By : Alyaa Majid*
Department of Chemistry, College of Science, University of Thi-Qar, Iraq

Abstract

This review provides a brief account on the various properties and medicinal usage of the black cumin seed (Nigella sativa). The literature information indicated that seed was extensively used in ancient and recent history as an effective herbal remedy against a wide spectrum of ailments and disease conditions particularly in rural communities in the Asia, Middle East and some other parts of the world. The seed was reported to have numerous biological and pharmacological properties including antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, immunomodulatory and so many other beneficial medicinal effects. The therapeutic potential of the black cumin seed is mostly related to the presence of a number of pharmacologically active constituents such as thymoquinone, thymohydroquinone, dithymoquinone, thymol, nigellone and many other phytochemicals. The seed was also found to have a beneficial role in some aspects of poultry production such as improvement of body weight performance, feed conversion rate, carcass characteristics, egg production and egg quality when given as a feed additive.

The Chemical Constituents and Pharmacological Effects of Nigella sativa 2

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Vol.4 No.4 – 2 : Estimation of Serum Interlukin-18 and Hs-CRP in Chronic Hepatitis C Infected Patients at Assuit Governorate, Egypt

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By : A.M. El-Adly 1*, A.A. Shalaby2, M. H. Hussein1, N.F. Abo Dahab 1, U.M. Abdul-Raouf 1

1 Botany & Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, 71524 Assiut, Egypt

2Medical Microbiology and Immunology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, 71524 Assiut, Egypt

Abstract

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a global health problem. Egypt has the highest prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the world. Interlukin-18 (IL-18) as a critical multipotent inducer of innate and acquired immune responses. This study aimed to estimate IL-18 and hs-CRP levels in patients at different stages of chronic HCV infection and to evaluate IL-18 as non-invasive marker of the severity of liver damage in chronic hepatitis C patients, and to investigate the characteristics of hs-CRP and its correlation to chronic HCV infection. This study included 50 chronic HCV patients and 20 healthy. They were subjected to history taking, liver function tests, real-time PCR test and other laboratory tests. Serum IL-18 levels were assayed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Our study was conducted on 70 subjects with their ages ranging between 9-70 years. 50 HCV chronically infected patients, they were 42 (84.0%) males and 8 (16.0%) female. Twenty apparent healthy individuals without HCV infection used as control, they were 18 (90%) males and 2 (10%) females. Serum IL-18 and Hs-CRP levels were higher in chronic HCV patients compared to healthy. Responders to interferon treatment had higher interleukin-18 levels than non-responders. However, Serum Hs-CRP were higher in non-responders than Responders to interferon treatment. Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma had higher interleukin-18 and Hs-CRP levels than those without heaptocellular carcinoma. Serum IL-18 could be a significant predictor for severity of HCV infection and monitoring of therapy response in chronic HCV patients with other tests.

Estimation of Serum Interlukin-18 and Hs-CRP in Chronic Hepatitis C Infected Patients at Assuit Governorate, Egypt-converted

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Vol.4 No.4 – 1 : Effect of Ginger tea on Dysmenorrhea among nursing students in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India

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By :  Jinu K Rajan
Department of Nursing, College of Applied Medical Sciences
Majmaah University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background: Adolescence is a time of moving from childhood to adulthood maturity. These transitions involve a lot of changes as biological, cognitive, and emotional. However, menstruation is a normal physiological phenomenon indicating woman capability for procreation. It is often associated with some degree of suffering and embarrassment. As usual every woman may experiences one or more types of menstrual problems during her lifetime as dysmenorrhoea. It is a medical term of menstrual cramps, caused by uterine contractions. However, primary one refers to common menstrual cramps, while secondary results from reproductive organs disorder. Thus, the current study aimed to assess the effect of ginger tea on dysmenorrhoea level; among nursing students. Materials and Methods: Study objectives included compare dysmenorrhoea level among nursing students in experimental and control group after posttest and find out the association between pre-test dysmenorrhoea levels with selected demographic variables as age, education, family history of dysmenorrhea. A quasi experimental approach was utilized. Study conducted in Index Nursing College, MP, and India. Sample included 60 nursing students with dysmenorrhea. They selected by purposive sampling method, GNM students with dysmenorrhea were considered as control group and BSc Nursing students with dysmenorrhea as experimental. Data collection tool was consisted of demographic variables, and McCaffery numerical pain intensity scale to assess dysmenorrhoea level. Results: Independent “t” test was used for testing the significance of difference between experimental and control group. Computed t value (t = 5.987, P<0.05) was greater than table value, “t” = 2.00, concluded that, post test dysmenorrhea scale of experimental group students was significantly lower than control group. Chi-square showed no significant association between selected demographic variables as age, course of study/education and dysmenorrhoea family history for pre-test level. Conclusion: It can concluded that, 3 times ginger tea consumption per day was effective in reducing dysmenorrhea

EFFECT OF GINGER TEA ON DYSMENORRHEA AMONG NURSING STUDENTS IN INDORE, MADHYA PRADESH, INDIA-converted

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