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Vol.10 No.1 – 2: Physiological responses (Hsp70, Mt), Oxidative stress, toxicity impacts, and risk assessment of the biomarker (Enochrus tenuicosta) to heavy metals contamination along the Red Sea coasts- Egypt.

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Eman H. Hassan1*, Eman H. Radwan2, Gaber A. Saad3, Nessrin Kheirallah3

1Biological and Geological Science Department, Faculty of Education, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt

2Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Damanhour University, Damanhour, Egypt

3Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to investigate the effect of heavy metals accumulation in midgut tissues of Enochrus tenuicosta beetles in the Red Sea also in water and sediments of the selected locations. Also to analyze the biochemical response and HSP70 expression. Our results demonstrated that the heavy metals and oxidative stress (MDA) concentrations in the polluted location were higher than the reference one. The response of the antioxidant defense system is significantly higher in the beetles of the reference ones. MT expression and HSP70 were much higher in the polluted beetles than in the reference ones.

Physiological responses (HSP70, Mt), Oxidative stress, toxicity impacts, and risk assessment of the biomarker (Enochrus tenuicosta) to heavy metals contamination along the Re

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Vol.7 No.4 – 7:Characteristics of peripheral Leukocyte in moderate infection of COVID-19

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By: Ahmed Abdelhalim Yameny

Society of Pathological Biochemistry and Hematology, Egypt

Abstract

Background: Blood leukocytes are an important part of the body’s defense system, and infection status can be predicted by measuring WBC levels. COVID-19 may involve many organ systems in its host. Studies suggest that hematological profiles change during SARS-CoV-2 illness. Patients and methods: This study included 504 mild infected patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection, these study subjects were randomly selected irrespective of the age group and both genders were included, EDTA blood sample was collected for performing total and differential white blood cells (Diagon D-cell 60 hematology analyzer Europe-Diagon Ltd. Hungary). Results: The present study included patients aged from14 years to 75 years mean age was 44.5 ±30.5 who were confirmed to have Covid-19 based on real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, female gender was more frequent (n=280, 55.6%) than Male gender (n=224, 44.4%). This study reveals normal total WBCs count in 320 patients (63.5%), neutrophilia with a sensitivity of 77.8%, and lymphopenia with a sensitivity of 73%. Conclusion: Neutrophilia has a sensitivity of 77.8% and lymphopenia has a sensitivity of 73% for diagnosis or prognosis of mild infection of COVID-19 patients (Outpatients and patients under home observation).

Characteristics-of-peripheral-Leukocyte-in-mild-infection-of-COVID-19

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Vol.4 No.4 – 8 : Procalcitonin as a diagnostic marker for neonatal sepsis

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By : Omar A. K. Al-azaowi1, Samir A. Abd El-kaream2, Gihan Hosny1*

1Environmental Health Division, Dept. of Environmental Studies, Institute of Graduate Studies & Research, Alexandria University, Egypt.

2Dept. of Applied Medical Chemistry, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University, Egypt.

Abstract

Background : Sepsis is the most common cause of neonatal mortality. Isolation of bacteria from blood is the most specific and standard method used to diagnose neonatal sepsis. The drawback of culture-based diagnosis is the 24–48 hour assay time. Procalcitonin (PCT) has high specificity and positive predictive values. Thus, the current study was undertaken to investigate the released serum-procalcitonin as a biomarker for predicting neonatal sepsis among newly born infants.  Subjects and Methods: A case-control study design was set in order to perform the underlying work. Forty five neonates were included in this study. Blood samples were collected and processed for laboratory investigations and culture.  Laboratory investigations included complete blood picture, blood culture and PCT. Results: Positive blood cultures were detected in all cases of confirmed sepsis group (100%) and in 66.66% of cases of suspected sepsis group. The ROC curve analysis, used to evaluate the diagnostic value of serum procalcitonin depending on the area under the curves (AUC), showed very high AUC (91.7%) corresponds to a better diagnostic test. The optimum cut off value of PCT (<0.05 ng/ml) was with a corresponding sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 83.33%, a positive predictive value (100%), and a negative predictive value (74.99%). Conclusion: The current findings showed high sensitivity and specificity of PCT test for diagnosis of neonatal sepsis. The results so far are very encouraging and may suggest that in the near future the PCT may be used routinely for diagnosis of neonatal sepsis and can provide a life-saving approach for newborns.

Procalcitonin as a diagnostic marker for neonatal sepsis-converted (1)

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Vol.3 No.4 – 2: miRNA-122 from Laboratory biomarker to the treatment of HCV

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By : Ahmed Abdelhalim Yameny

Abstract

     Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an important human pathogen that infects as many as 185 million persons worldwide, In the long-term, this can lead to advanced liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma HCC, there is currently no vaccine for hepatitis C. About 15–45% of infected persons spontaneously clear the virus within 6 months of infection without any treatment, miRNAs are endogenous short single-stranded noncoding RNAs and they are post-transcriptional negative regulators of gene expression, about18-22 nucleotides long, and play a crucial role in the regulation of gene expression. Now there are over 2500  mature potential human microRNAs recorded in miRBase (version 20, accessed January 2014), 84 miRNAs in serum and plasma of HCV-infected patients to identify miRNAs that correlated with different stages histologically assessed liver disease severity and during HCV infection, miRNA-122 is the most abundant in the liver,miRNA-122 is responsible, for liver homeostasis, several studies showed that miRNA-122 is required for HCV replication in infected cells, it can use as a serum biomarker over alanine leucine transaminase(ALT) in predicting the presence of chronic HCV infection, miR-122 also plays a crucial role in the regulation of cholesterol and fatty acid metabolism in the adult liver, and was identified as a regulator for systematic iron homeostasis, therapies that target it could present an effective approach for the development of new HCV antiviral drugs, Recently, the development of the anti-miR122 therapeutic miravirsen. Miravirsen (formerly SPC3649) is a 15-base oligonucleotide that is complementary to part of miR-122 and is the first miRNA-targeting agent administered to patients. Miravirsen has demonstrated in vitro antiviral activity against all HCV genotypes, Miravirsen interferes with the functions of miR-122 both in viral proliferation and in cholesterol homeostasis, miravirsen has demonstrated broad antiviral activity and a relatively high genetic barrier to resistance.

miRNA-122-from-Laboratory-diagnosis-to-treatment-of-HCV-converted

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