Vitamin D level in preschool children with recurrent wheezy chest, and its relation to the severity of the wheezing episodes

Background: Recurrent wheezy chest is a common complaint in pediatric practice. Vitamin D is a potent immunomodulator in allergic diseases as wheezy chest and asthma. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency has been increasing in Egypt leading to significant morbidities.Objectives: This study aimed to assess serum 25 hydroxy (OH) Vitamin D level in preschool children with recurrent wheezy chest, and to assess its relation to the recurrence, severity, and level of control of the wheezing episodes.Methods: The study included 100 preschool children (aged 2 to 5 years), of both sexes, recruited from the Emergency department, Allergy and Pulmonology units at Assiut University Children Hospital, Egypt. They should have at least 3 documented episodes of wheeze, cough, and difficulty breathing in the last year with clinical improvement on inhaled short-acting beta 2 agonists. Patients were subjected to questionnaire-based history, clinical examination, and laboratory investigations (complete blood count (CBC) with the absolute eosinophil count, serum total IgE level, and serum 25 hydroxy (OH) Vitamin D level). Pediatric Respiratory Assessment Measure (PRAM score) for assessment of the severity of the wheezing episodes and Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) based level of asthma control for children 5 years and younger were applied. The patients were grouped according to PRAM score to mild, moderate and severe episodes and according to vitamin D level as sufficient and below-sufficient groups (including deficient and insufficient patients).Results: 25(OH) Vitamin D level was below-sufficient in 53% of the studied patients (deficient in 32% and insufficient in 21%). PRAM score was significantly lower in patients with sufficient 25(OH) Vitamin D level versus those with below-sufficient level (p < 0.025). There was a significant negative correlation between PRAM score and 25 (OH) Vitamin D level (r = -0.334, p = 0.001).Conclusion: There is an inverse relationship between 25(OH)vitamin D level and parameters of asthma severity, as well as with the level of asthma control in preschool children with recurrent wheezy chest.Keywords: Vitamin D, recurrent wheezy chest, preschool childre

РОЛЬ EZH2 И ARID1A В ДИАГНОСТИКЕ ПЛОСКИХ УРОТЕЛИАЛЬНЫХ ОПУХОЛЕЙ С АТИПИЕЙ

Background. Diagnosis of urothelial carcinoma in situ is of great importance because it has prognostic and therapeutic value.We aim to determine the utility of EZH2 and ARID1A as a new tool in the diagnosis of carcinoma in situ.Material and Methods. This retrospective cross-sectional study included Twenty-four specimens of flat urothelial lesions, twenty specimens of CIS, and 10 of normal adjacent urothelium that was taken by cystoscopic resection biopsy procedure. immunohistochemical expression of EZH2 and ARID1A. were evaluated in all studied cases.Results. All normal urothelium specimens showed high nuclear staining for ARID1A and negative nuclear staining for EZH2. High EZH2 expression was observed in 80 % of CIS specimens compared to 20 % of flat urothelial lesions with atypia (p=0.001 ), while high ARID1A expression was observed in 70.8 % of flat urothelial lesions with atypia compared to 25 % of CIS specimens (p=0.001). EZH2 was more accurate and specific in the diagnosis of carcinoma in situ.Conclusion. EZH2 and ARID1A are promising diagnostic markers for urothelial CIS. EZH2 is more accurate and specific than ARID1A in the diagnosis of carcinoma in situ versus other flat urothelial lesions. Актуальность. Диагностика уротелиальной карциномы in situ имеет большое значение, поскольку обладает прогностической и терапевтической ценностью.Целью исследования было определить роль EZH2 и ARID1A в диагностике карциномы in situ.Материал и методы. Ретроспективное перекрестное исследование включало 24 образца плоских уротелиальных опухолей, 20 образцов CIS и 10 образцов нормального прилегающего уротелия, взятых при цистоскопической биопсии. Во всех случаях была оценена иммуногистохимическая экспрессия EZH2 и ARID1A.Результаты. Все образцы нормального уротелия показали высокое ядерное окрашивание на ARID1A и отрицательное ядерное окрашивание на EZH2. Высокая экспрессия EZH2 наблюдалась в 80 % образцов CIS по сравнению с 20 % плоских уротелиальных опухолей с атипией (p=0,001), в то время как высокая экспрессия ARID1A наблюдалась в 70,8 % плоских уротелиальных опухолей с атипией по сравнению с 25 % образцов CIS (р=0,001). EZH2 был более точным и специфичным при диагностике карциномы in situ.Заключение. EZH2 и ARID1A являются перспективными диагностическими маркерами уротелиальной карциномы in situ. EZH2 более точен и специфичен, чем ARID1A, в диагностике карциномы in situ по сравнению с другими плоскими уротелиальными опухолями.

Association Between PTPN22 Gene Polymorphism and Type1 Diabetes in Egyptian Population

The protein tyrosine phosphatase, nonreceptor 22 gene (PTPN22) maps at human chromosome 1p13.3 which encodes an important negative regulator of T-cell activation, lymphoid-specific phosphatase (Lyp). The PTPN22 gene has been shown to associate with a risk for multiple autoimmune diseases, including type1 diabetes (T1DM). This study aimed to analyze the association of three PTPN22 polymorphisms in Egyptian population .The single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) at positions -1123 (rs#2488457), 1858 (rs#2476601), and +2740 (rs#1217412) were genotyped in 60 persons with T1DM, and 60 control persons, all three SNPs were genotyping using two technique, allele specific PCR technique and restriction fragment length polymorphism – PCR (RFLP-PCR). The 1858 C/T did not show any significance differences between patients and control groups. ( MCP=1.0) whereas, respectively -1123 G/C and +2740 A/G were significantly associated with T1DM disease (P≤0.0001) and (P=0.012).These results suggest that the PTPN22 gene of SNPs polymorphisms were associated with type 1 diabetes in Egyptian population. The difference in the association of the aforementioned SNPs variants with T1DM among different populations may be attributed to the presence of multiple susceptibility alleles

Association of Vitamin D Receptor Ggene Ppolymorphisms and Type 1 diabetes in Egyptian Population.

The human vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene is located on chromosome 12q12–q14, and four common nucleotide polymorphisms have been identified. Several studies have found a relationship between polymorphisms of the (VDR) gene and development of type 1 diabetes (T1DM). The association of VDR polymorphisms and susceptibility to T1DM in the Egyptian population were examined in 60 individuals with type 1 diabetes and compared with healthy 60 persons. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) genotyping was performed using PCR and BsmI and FokI, by using two techniques, allele specific PCR technique and restriction fragment length polymorphism – PCR (RFLP-PCR). Data were analyzed using the chi square. The result approved that the genotype TA in SNP FokI was risk factor among type 1 diabetes mellitus patients combination which conferred strongest susceptibility to T1DM (P=0.004) while the SNP BsmI did not showed any significance between cases as compared with control (P=0.493). The results of the current study indicated that VDR polymorphisms are associated with increased risk of T1DM in the Egyptian population. The difference in the association of the aforementioned SNPs variants with T1DM among different populations may be attributed to the presence of multiple susceptibility alleles

Cooxidation of Chalcones and Oxalic acid using Chromium (VI)

Chalcones can be easily oxidized in presence of oxalic acid, by Cr(VI) in acetic acid medium, the rate of cooxidation was found to be a fractional order with respect to the chalcones and its substituents. The order with respect to the chromic acid is unity whereas order with respect to oxalic acid is also a fractional order. The effect of various parameters such as [H+], [NaCl], [NaNO3] and dielectric constant of the medium by changing the (v/v) ratio of acetic acid and water content were studied .The intermediate is formed between chalcones and a chromic aci

Structure and in silico simulations of a cold-active esterase reveals its prime cold-adaptation mechanism

Here we determined the structure of a cold active family IV esterase (EstN7) cloned from Bacillus cohnii strain N1. EstN7 is a dimer with a classical α/β hydrolase fold. It has an acidic surface that is thought to play a role in cold-adaption by retaining solvation under changed water solvent entropy at lower temperatures. The conformation of the functionally important cap region is significantly different to EstN7's closest relatives, forming a bridge-like structure with reduced helical content providing greater access to the active site through more than one substrate access tunnel. However, dynamics do not appear to play a major role in cold adaption. Molecular dynamics at different temperatures, rigidity analysis, normal mode analysis and geometric simulations of motion confirm the flexibility of the cap region but suggest that the rest of the protein is largely rigid. Rigidity analysis indicates the distribution of hydrophobic tethers is appropriate to colder conditions, where the hydrophobic effect is weaker than in mesophilic conditions due to reduced water entropy. Thus, it is likely that increased substrate accessibility and tolerance to changes in water entropy are important for of EstN7's cold adaptation rather than changes in dynamics

Multiset concepts in two-universe approximation spaces

AbstractRough set theory over two universes is a generalization of rough set model to find accurate approximations for uncertain concepts in information systems in which uncertainty arises from existence of interrelations between the three basic sets: objects, attributes, and decisions.In this work, multisets are approximated in a crisp two-universe approximation space using binary ordinary relation and multi relation. The concept of two universe approximation is applied for defining lower and upper approximations of multisets. Properties of these approximations are investigated, and the deviations between them and corresponding notions are obtained; some counter examples are given. The suggested notions can help in the modification of the decision-making for events in which objects have repetitions such as patients visiting a doctor more than one time; an example for this case is given.</jats:p

Optimizing water management and crop performance in greenhouse pepper cultivation through timing of apical bud removal

This study investigated the interactive effects of apical bud removal timing (early at 20 vs. late at 65 days after transplanting) and irrigation scheduling on the growth, physiology, and productivity of greenhouse-grown bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) under Egyptian conditions. The experiment included three treatments (no pinching; T0, early pinching; T1, and late pinching; T2) with apical and lateral tips removed in T2 at the end of the first season to induce regrowth and extend harvest into a second season. Results showed that early pinching (T1) enhanced vegetative branching but reduced fruit set, whereas T0 exhibited moderate productivity and low water-use efficiency (WUE). In contrast, late pinching (T2) enhanced growth and yield during the first cycle, and after regrowth, supported a second productive phase without replanting, achieving the highest yield and WUE (6.04 vs. 3.10 kg m−3 in T0), along with elevated chlorophyll, sugar, and protein contents