Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) has high morbidity and mortality rates. Invasive techniques and other laboratory tests with variable sensitivity and specificity are currently used in diagnosis. Micro ribonucleic acids (miRNAs) have bio vital roles in cell proliferation and apoptosis. Dys-regulation of miRNAs is linked to tumour genesis. The objective of this study was to evaluate the specificity and sensitivity of serum non-invasive biomarkers (micro-RNAs), miR-1246, miR-23a, and miR-451in CRC patients. Methods: Peripheral expression of three miRNAs (miR-1246, miR-23a and miR-451) was investigated in sera of 37 CRC Egyptian patients and 30 healthy controls, using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction trying to reach the optimal non-invasive combination of miRNAs. Results: Serum miR-1246 was up-regulated in sera of CRC patients compared to normal controls (fold change = 3.55; P< 0.001) and showed 100% sensitivity and 80% specificity in diagnosis of CRC. Serum miR-451 was significantly down-reg- ulated in CRC patients (fold change = -4.86; p= 0.014), whereas, miR-23a was down-regulated but this was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Up-regulation of miR-1246 and down-regulation of miR-451 in the sera of primary CRC Egyptian patients were confirmed with high sensitivity and specificity. Large-scale studies on a wider spectrum of miRNAs in Egyptian CRC patients are needed. Keywords: miR-1246; miR-451; miR-23a.

Measurable residual disease (MRD) detection for precursor B-lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) has become the standard of care. However, the testing methodology has not been standardized. We aim to correlate COG multiparameter flow cytometry (MFC) and ClonoSEQ techniques to assess the test characteristics, to study abnormal immunophenotype for B-ALL MRD, and to observe B-ALL clonal evolution and the impact of blinatumomab therapy on MFC testing. MFC and molecular reports were retrieved from electronic medical records and data was reviewed. Included in this study were 74 bone marrow samples collected from 31 B-ALL patients at our institution between January 2021 and March 2022. COG MFC and Clo-noSEQ results were concordant in 59/74 samples (80%) with positive concordant results in 12 samples (16%) and negative concordant results in 47 samples (64%). Discordant results were seen in 15/74 samples (20%), with 14 samples (19%) showing ClonoSEQ + /MFC-results and only 1 sample (1%) showing MFC + /ClonoSEQ-result. ClonoSEQ + /MFC-cases had MRD values ranging from 1 to 1400 cells/million nucleated cells with 86% of cases showing MRD values of < 100 cells/ million nucleated cells. Newly identified dominant sequences were detected using ClonoSEQ in 2/31 patients (6%) during follow-up. All 14 bone marrow samples from 8 patients, who had gone through blinatumomab immunotherapy, were MRD negative by MFC, but 3 cases were MRD positive by ClonoSEQ. Our results show strong correlation between COG MFC and ClonoSEQ (r = 0.96), and both methods are complementary. Clonal evolution may occur, and blinatumomab immunotherapy may impact MFC B-ALL MRD evaluation.

Summary To investigate the diagnostic value of phosphatases in seminal plasma, the levels of acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase were determined in 15 fertile subjects as well as in 26 cases of oligoasthenozoospermia. Statistical analysis of obtained data showed that acid phosphatase is a reliable parameter of prostatic function in cases of infection, while alkaline phosphatase may prove to be a non‐specific parameter of subfertile semen. Alkaline phosphatase was significantly diminished in both oligozoospermia and azoospermia with and without infection or varicocele. Der diagnostische Wert der Bestimmung von saurer und alkalischer Phosphatase im Samen infertiler Männer Zusammenfassung Um den diagnostischen Wert der Phosphatasen im Samenplasma zu untersuchen, wurden die saure Phosphatase und die alkalische Phosphatase bei 15 fertilen Männern sowie in 26 Fällen von Oligoasthenozoospermie bestimmt. Statistische Analysen der Untersuchungsergebnisse zeigen, daß die saure Phosphatase ein zuverlässiger Parameter der Prostatafunktion bei Infektionen ist, während die alkalische Phosphatase ein unspezifischer Parameter für infertilen Samen sein könnte, da sie sowohl bei Oligozoospermie als auch bei Azoospermie mit und ohne Infektion oder Varicocele signifikant vermindert war.

Background:The pathophysiology underlying primary adult immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) has not yet been identified. However, many mechanisms affect the immune system, causing defective tolerance to self-platelets and megakaryocytes. Cluster of differentiation 40 (CD40) contributes to both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses. Methods:This case-control study was conducted to detect rs4810485G>T and rs1883832C>T polymorphisms of CD40 in Egyptian patients with persistent/chronic ITP to clarify their possible association with chronic disease evolution. This study included 50 patients with persistent/chronic ITP and 50 healthy controls. Genotyping was performed using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique.Results: Genotyping of rs1883832 and rs4810485 revealed no statistically significant differences between the two groups. However, combined gene polymorphism genotyping showed a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.01). Conclusion:Our results indicate a strong association between the combined polymorphism of both genes and susceptibility to developing ITP among adult Egyptian patients. Targeting this pathway using novel therapeutic approaches is promising.

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Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a clonal hematopoietic stem cell disorder, characterized by reciprocal translocation t(9,22) (q34; q11), leading to increased myeloid proliferation. Most cases are diagnosed in the chronic phase (CP). However, a minority of cases can be present in the blastic phase (BP). In most patients with CML-BP, the blasts have a myeloid phenotype, however, in 20–30% of cases, the blasts have a lymphoid phenotype, mostly a B-cell phenotype. It is challenging to differentiate CML B-lymphoblastic phase (CML-BLP) from Ph + primary B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) especially when the CML-BLP is the initial presentation of the disease, which is uncommon. We report here an unusual case of CML-BLP as an initial presentation of the disease without typical CML morphological findings. This case demonstrates diagnostic challenges and emphasizes the importance of an integrated approach using morphology, multiparametric flow cytometry, cytogenetic studies, and molecular studies to render an accurate diagnosis.

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