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Purpose: Male fertility is multifaceted and its integrity is as well multifactorial. Normal spermatogenesis is dependent on competent testicular function; namely normal anatomy, histology, physiology and hormonal regulation. Lifestyle stressors, including sleep interruption and even deprivation, have been shown to seriously impact male fertility. We studied here both the effects and the possible underlying mechanisms of vitamin C on male fertility in sleep deprived rats. Methods: Thirty male Wistar albino rats were used in the present study. Rats were divided (10/group) into: control (remained in their cages with free access to food and water), sleep deprivation (SD) group (subjected to paradoxical sleep deprivation for 5 consequent days, rats received intra-peritoneal injections of vehicle daily throughout the sleep deprivation), and sleep deprivation vitamin C-treated (SDC) group (subjected to sleep deprivation for 5 consequent days with concomitant intra-peritoneal injections of 100 mg/kg/day vitamin C). Sperm analysis, hormonal assay, and measurement of serum oxidative stress and inflammatory markers were performed. Testicular gene expression of Nrf2 and NF-κβ was assessed. Structural changes were evaluated by testicular histopathology, while PCNA immunostaining was conducted to assess spermatogenesis. Results: Sleep deprivation had significantly altered sperm motility, viability, morphology and count. Serum levels of cortisol, corticosterone, IL-6, IL-17, MDA were increased, while testosterone and TAC levels were decreased. Testicular gene expression of Nrf2 was decreased, while NF-κβ was increased. Sleep deprivation caused structural changes in the testes, and PCNA immunostaining showed defective spermatogenesis. Administration of vitamin C significantly countered sleep deprivation induced deterioration in male fertility parameters. Conclusion: Treatment with vitamin C enhanced booth testicular structure and function in sleep deprived rats. Vitamin C could be a potential fertility enhancer against lifestyle stressors.

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A compact dual‐band circular patch antenna is designed for implanted biomedical data telemetry systems. Several miniaturization techniques were applied to cover dual bands. The antenna has a radius of 7.5 mm, a thickness of 1.92 mm and a total volume of 340 mm3. The antenna covers MedRadio (401–405 MHz), MICS (402–405 MHz), and ISM bands (433.2–434.8 MHz, 2.4–2.5 GHz). The −10 dB bandwidths are 346–460 MHz (114 MHz) and 2.37–2.63 GHz (260 MHz). The designed antenna was fabricated and its performance was tested inside flesh samples.

Background: Skin tags (STs) are benign connective tissue neoplasms, in which insulin-like growth factor −1 (IGF-1) has a mitogenic and antiapoptotic activity. Purpose: We aimed to study for the first time, the possible role of IGF-1 (CA) 19 and rs6214 gene polymorphisms, and its tissue immunoreactivity in the pathogenesis of STs. Patients and methods: This case–control study included 40 ST patients and 20 controls. We searched for (CA) 19 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) using conversional PCR and for rs6214 gene polymorphism using real-time PCR. IGF-1 tissue immunoreactivity was investigated using polyclonal IGF-1 antibody. Results: IGF-1 immunoreactivity showed significantly strong upregulation in epidermis ( p =0.002) and dermal components (endothelial cells [ p =0.038] and fibroblasts [ p =0.004]) of excised STs than control skin. TT and CT rs6214 genotypes and its T allele were significantly associated with STs ( p =0.006 and P =0.002, respectively). Also (<192 bp) and 192–194 bp (CA) 19 genotypes were significantly predominant in ST patients than controls ( p =0.013). These 4 genotypes were significantly associated with development of multiple STs and epidermal IGF-1 tissue immunoreactivity in studied patients. Conclusions: IGF-1 (CA) 19 and rs6214 gene polymorphisms may contribute to a predisposition of STs in Egyptian patients, the role of which could be mediated through local upregulation of IGF-1 in cutaneous tissues.

Background: Globally, colorectal carcinoma (CRC) is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women. Programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) are immune checkpoints that induce tumour immune escape.Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the immunohistochemical expression of PD-L1 and CTLA-4 in CRC and their relationship with clinicopathological parameters and survival data.Result: This study included 103 CRC, 22 adenoma and 21 non-neoplastic specimens. High PD-L1 epithelial expression was in favour of CRC and high-grade dysplastic adenoma compared to normal specimens. High PD-L1 epithelial expression was associated with larger sized tumours, perforation, advanced T stage, infiltrative tumour border configuration (TBC), high tumour budding (TB) score, low tumour-stroma ratio (TSR) and absence of peritumoural lymphocytes. High PD-L1+ tumour infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) showed an association with absence of perforation, early T stage, pushing TBC, lower TB score, high TSR and presence of peritumoural lymphocytes. High epithelial CTLA-4 expression was in favour of adenocarcinoma, high-grade dysplastic adenoma and low-grade dysplastic adenoma compared to normal specimens. High CTLA-4 epithelial score showed an association with positive lymph nodes (LNs), presence of an infiltrative TBC and absence of peritumoural lymphocytes. Low CTLA-4+ TILs showed a significant association with advanced tumour stage and increased number of positive LNs. Prolonged survival was associated with low epithelial PD-L1 and CTLA-4, high PD-L1+ TILs and high CTLA-4+ TILs. By multivariate Cox regression analysis, PD-L1+ TILs immunoreactivity score (p = 0.020) and CTLA-4+ TILs H. score (p = 0.036) were independent prognostic factors affecting overall survival among the other prognostic factors. Conclusion:PD-L1 and CTLA-4 expression by tumour cells could cooperate with each other in enhancing progression of CRC leading to poor patient outcome, while their expression by TILs could stand against tumour progression.

Symptomatic involvement of the oesophageal mucosa by pemphigus vulgaris is rare. We describe 1 patient who was treated with oral steroids during a blistering phase, when epigastric pain developed. Endoscopy revealed multiple ulcerations all over the oesophagus, but gastroduodenal mucosa was normal. The symptoms disappeared following cimetidine for gastro-oesophageal reflux and increase of steroid dosage. When painful symptoms appear from the upper digestive tract during corticosteroid treatment of pemphigus, the possibility of acantholytic involvement of oesophageal mucosa must be kept in mind. Its implication for the dosage of steroids is opposite that in steroid-induced peptic ulcers. Carefully performed upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopy is helpful in these patients.

Back ground:the third stage of labour begins immediately after the birth of the baby and ends with the expulsion of the placenta and fetal membranes.It is preceded by contraction and retraction of the uterus to reduce uterine size and expel the placenta with minimal haemorrhage. Placental cord drainage involves clamping and cutting of the umbilical cord after the birth of a baby and then, immediately unclamping the maternal side of the cord so the blood can drain freely into a container. Aim of the work:the aim of this study is to assess the effect of placental cord drainage during active management of the third stage of labour on reducing both blood loss and the length of the third stage. Materials and Methods:a randomized controlled trial was carried out on180 patients who underwent vaginal delivery at Ain Shams University Maternity Hospital labour ward.Population of this study were randomly assigned to either:Group A: 90 patients was the study group(cord drainage).Group B: 90 patients was the control group(no cord drainage). Moreover,the duration of third stage was compared as the primary outcome. The incidence of postpartum hemorrhage, retained placenta, manual removal of placenta, and the need for blood transfusion were compared. Results:the duration and amount of blood loss of third stage of labour was significantly lower in study group than control group.Furthermore,the Postoperative pulse rate,Systolic Blood Pressure, Diastolic Blood Pressure,Hemoglobin and hematocrit value were significantly higher in study group than control group. The retained placenta (manual removal),Postpartum hemorrhageand Blood transfusion were non-significantly less frequent among study group than among control group. Conclusion:active management of the third stage of labour with the cord drainage method significantly reduced postpartum hemorrhage and the duration of the third stage.