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La enfermedad de Alzheimer (EA) se caracteriza por una acumulación severa de placas amiloides y ovillos neurofibrilares acompañados de disfunciones cognitivas severas que conducen a cambios importantes que afectan la calidad del patrón de vida diaria del paciente. El objetivo del presente estudio es investigar los efectos de la administración de células madre mesenquimales (MSC) y/o granos de kéfir de leche en el modelo de tipo neuroinflamatorio de EA inducida por LPS de manera alternativa. Se observó que una elevación significativa del perfil lipídico y el estrés oxidativo estaban relacionados con EA de tipo neuroinflamatoria inducida con LPS. La expresión del gen BDNF, Bcl-2 y seladin-1 también se redujo significativamente en ratas con EA, mientras que la expresión relativa de Bax aumentó significativamente. La administración de granos de kéfir de leche y/o MSC suprimió los inconvenientes de la EA incluyendo cambios de comportamiento y memoria. Conclusión: La administración previa y la coadministración de granos de kéfir de leche con MSC pueden actuar como un neuromodulador activo que atenúa el proceso inflamatorio patológico subyacente que acompaña a la EA, lo que resulta en la progresión de daños en el tejido cerebral.

It is known that xanthine oxidoreductase contributes significantly to ischemia/reperfusion injury by generating reactive oxygen species. Ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) is a biomarker of acute myocardial ischemia with high sensitivity but moderate specificity. Our study aims to evaluate the xanthine oxidase (XO) system and the IMA level in the serum of patients with ischemic heart disease, and their correlation with traditional cardiac markers. The study was conducted on 60 patients with ischemic heart disease and 22 healthy subjects (control group). Subjects were divided into three groups: group I (30 patients with ST-elevated myocardial infarction), group II (30 patients with chronic stable angina), and the control group (22 subjects). The patients and controls had laboratory tests performed including lipid profile, cardiac enzymes, XO, uric acid, and IMA. The serum levels of XO and IMA were significantly higher in group I (1.65 ± 0.29 U/ml and 0.58 ± 0.15 ABSU, respectively) than in group II (1.11 ± 0.20 U/ml and 0.29 ± 0.10 ABSU, respectively) and the control group (0.95 ± 0.16 U/ml and 0.24 ± 0.08 ABSU, respectively) (P < 0.001). There was a significant positive correlation between XO and IMA in group I. Also, there was significant positive correlation between XO or IMA and other cardiac markers, with the highest level of significance between IMA and creatine kinase (CK-MB). In group II only XO activity was significantly elevated in comparison with controls. These results confirm the role of XO enzyme in ischemic heart disease with involvement of IMA, at a detectable level, during the early necrotic phase.

AIM:Workplace stress is hazardous for its harmful impact on employees’ health and organizational productivity. The aim of the study is to apply the Allostatic Load Index (ALI) which is a multi-component measure for health risk assessment and early detection of stress among workers in Egypt.METHODS:Sixty-two working adults randomly selected from two different working environments in Egypt were included in the study. Participants completed a self-reported questionnaire for socio-demographic and work variables. Andrews and Withey test for Job Satisfaction was filled and 3 ml blood samples were collected. Markers assessed for Allostatic Load were serum cortisol, c-reactive protein, dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate, total thyroxine, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein ratio, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, waist to hip ratio and body mass index. The risk quartile method was used for calculation of ALI. ALI value of four or more indicates high Allostatic Load.RESULTS:Job satisfaction scale defined about a quarter of the study population (24%) to be dissatisfied with Allostatic Load of 2.4 as the mean value. Population percentage with ALI ≥4 reached 12.9% with 100% of them females. A significant association was found between Allostatic Load of primary mediators and age, the presence of chronic diseases, place of work and female gender.CONCLUSION:Female gender and the old age of the Egyptian workforce under study are at higher risk of chronic diseases. Using an alternative way -for example, the cut-point method- instead of the risk quartiles for dichotomization of markers used in ALI calculation could be more precise for early detection of stress among healthy individuals.

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This study hypothesizes that, bromelain (BL) acts as radiosensitizer of tumor cells and that it protects normal cells from radiation effects. In vitro and in vivo studies have been carried out to prove that assumption. In vitro MTT cell proliferation assay has shown that the irradiated Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) cell line could be sensitized by BL pretreatment. In vivo: animals were randomly divided into 5 groups, Group 1: control (PBS i.p for 10 days), Group 2: Ehrlich solid tumor (EST) bearing mice, Group 3: EST + γ-radiation (fractionated dose, 1 Gy × 5), Group 4: EST + BL (6 mg/kg, i.p), daily for 10 days, Group 5: EST + BL for 10 days followed by γ-irradiation (1 Gy × 5). The size and weight of tumors in gamma-irradiated EST bearing mice treated with BL decreased significantly with a significant amelioration in the histopathological examination. Besides, BL mitigated the effect of γ-irradiation on the liver relative gene expression of poly ADP ribose polymerase-1 (PARP1), nuclear factor kappa activated B cells (NF-κB), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPAR-α), and it restored liver function via amelioration of paraoxonase1 (PON1) activity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) content, lipid peroxidation (LPO) and serum aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), and albumin (ALB). It is concluded that BL can be considered as a radio-sensitizer and radio-protector, suggesting a possible role in reducing radiation exposure dose during radiotherapy.

17-β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 3 deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive cause of 46,XY disorder of sex development. Worldwide, about 30 mutations in the hydroxysteroid (17-beta) dehydrogenase 3 (HSD17B3) gene have been reported, involving all exons except exon 1. Herein, we investigated an Egyptian female with 46,XY karyotype and low testosterone/Δ4-androstenedione ratio. Genomic DNA was extracted from blood samples, and then, direct DNA sequencing of HSD17B3 gene was performed. The patient had a homozygous mutation c.198G>A in exon 1 resulting in a stop codon (p.W50X). The study presents the first mutation to be reported in exon 1 of the HSD17B3 gene.