Background The Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) represented a great risk to public health. In this study, 60 STEC strains recovered from broiler and duck fecal samples, cow’s milk, cattle beef, human urine, and ear discharge were screened for 12 virulence genes, phenotypic and genotypic antimicrobial resistance, and multiple-locus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA). Results The majority of strains harbored Shiga toxin 1 (stx1) and stx1d, stx2 and stx2e, and ehxA genes, while a minority harbored stx2c subtype and eaeA. We identified 10 stx gene combinations; most of strains 31/60 (51.7%) exhibited four copies of stx genes, namely the stx1, stx1d, stx2, and stx2e, and the strains exhibited a high range of multiple antimicrobial resistance indices. The resistance genes blaCTX-M-1 and blaTEM were detected. For the oxytetracycline resistance genes, most of strains contained tetA, tetB, tetE, and tetG while the tetC was present at low frequency. MLVA genotyping resolved 26 unique genotypes; genotype 21 was highly prevalent. The six highly discriminatory loci DI = 0.9138 are suitable for the preliminary genotyping of STEC from animals and humans. Conclusions The STEC isolated from animals are virulent, resistant to antimicrobials, and genetically diverse, thus demands greater attention for the potential risk to human.

Background: Vitiligo is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory skin disease, it is a disorder of both the innate and adaptive immune system. Objectives: The aim of this work was to evaluate serum level of granulysin in vitiligo patients. Methods: This case control study included 30 patients suffering from vitiligo. In addition, 20 apparently healthy individuals. Measurement of serum granulysin using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed in all subjects. Results: When compared to the control group, the vitiligo group had significantly higher serum granulysin levels (P< 0.02). Conclusions: Granulysin levels in the blood may contribute to the pathogenesis of vitiligo.

Objectives: In this study, we aimed to assess serum levels of Cystatin C (Cys C) and beta-2 microglobulin (β2M) in juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus (JSLE) patients and to investigate their role as potential biomarkers of lupus nephritis (LN) and overall disease activity. Patients and methods: Between December 2018 and November 2019, a total of 40 patients with JSLE (11 males, 29 females; mean age: 12.6±2.5 years; range, 7.5 to 16 years) and 40 age- and sex-matched controls (10 males, 30 females; mean age: 12.3±2.4 years; range, 7 to 16 years) were included in this study. Serum (s) Cys C and β2M levels were compared between the groups. The SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI-2K), the renal SLEDAI (rSLEDAI), and the Renal Damage Index were used. Results: JSLE patients had significantly elevated mean sCyc C and sβ2M levels (1.4±0.8 mg/mL and 2.8±0.9 mg/mL, respectively) compared to the controls (0.6±0.1 mg/mL and 2.0±0.2 mg/mL, respectively; p<0.00). The mean sCys C and sβ2M levels were significantly higher in the LN group, compared to non-LN patients (1.8±0.7 mg/mL and 3.1±1.0 mg/mL, respectively vs. 0.8±0.3 mg/mL and 2.4±0.6 mg/mL, respectively; p=0.002 and p=0.02, respectively). The sCys C levels had significant positive correlations with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (r=0.3, p=0.05), serum creatinine (r=0.41, p= 0.007), 24-h urinary protein (r=0.58, p<0.001), anti-double stranded deoxyribonucleic acid antibodies titers (r=0.55, p=0.002), extra-renal SLEDAI scores (r=0.36, p=0.04), rSLEDAI (r=0.46, p=0.002), and renal class (r=0.7, p=0.0001). Serum β2M levels were significantly negatively correlated with complement 4 levels (r=-0.31, p=0.04) and significantly positively correlated with extra-renal SLEDAI scores (r=0.3, p=0.05). Conclusion: These findings confirm that sCys C and sβ2M levels are increased in JSLE patients in association with the overall active disease. However, sCys C level may act as a promising non-invasive biomarker for predicting kidney disease activity and biopsy classes in children with JSLE.

Aim: This study was conducted to compare the cryo-survival and implantation rates of day 5/6 human blastocysts after using a home-made media versus a commercial freezing and thawing kit. Materials and Methods: This is a prospective comparative study. Group 1 blastocysts were vitrified with home-made media (HM) (n = 48) according to shady grove protocol and thawed with gradual thawing technique using HM according to Kuwayama protocol. Group 2 (n = 30) blastocysts were vitrified and thawed with commercial media (CM). Blastocysts were subsequently cultured for 6-8 h, assessed for survival and expansion, then embryo transfer. The percentages of Positive hCG, clinical pregnancy, implantation, multiple pregnancy and abortion were recorded. Results: Survival (following thawing and after 6-8 h culture), re-expansion, and implantation rate as well as the pregnancy rate were calculated for both media. Pregnancy rate for CM was 70% (n = 21/30) and 70.83% (n = 34/48; P = 0.8) for HM. Implantation rate for CM was 60% (n = 18/30) and 60.42% (n = 29/48; P = 0.9) for HM. There were no significant differences between the two groups. Both solutions provided high survival rate and of total 47 cases who recorded implantation, 45 went home with Healthy babies. Conclusion:The two vitrification protocols, commercial kit and home-made solution, did not differ in blastocysts survival, re-expansion and implantation rates. So both methods could be used with equal success. HM it is providing an equal safety, and efficiency with lower cost in compared to CM.