The use of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as a marker for COVID-19 infection in Saudi Arabia: A case-control retrospective multicenter study

Objectives: To assess the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) diagnostic and prognostic value in the context of Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) infection in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A case-control study in which 701 confirmed COVID-19 patients (of which 41 were intensive care unit [ICU]-admitted) and 250 control subjects were enrolled. The study was conducted retrospectively in October on patients admitted to 3 separate hospitals in Saudi Arabia namely: King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz University Hospital (Riyadh), Ohud Hospital (Madinah), and Nojood Medical Center (Madinah) between May and September 2020. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio was calculated based on absolute neutrophil and lymphocyte count. Institutional ethical approval was obtained prior to the study. Results: Patients (median age 35 years), of which 54.8% were females, were younger than the control cohort (median age 48 years). Patients had significantly higher NLR compared to the control group. Intensive care unit admitted patients had significantly higher platelet, WBC and neutrophil counts. The ICU patients’ NLR was almost twice as of the non-intensive patients. The NLR value of 5.5 was found to be of high specificity (96.4%) and positive predictive value (91.4%) in diagnosing COVID-19. Furthermore, it had a very good sensitivity (86.4%) in predicting severe forms of disease, such as, ICU admission. Conclusion: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio is an important tool in determining the COVID-19 clinical status. This study further confirms the prognostic value of NLR in detecting severe infection, and those patients with high NLR should be closely monitored and managed

Molecular epidemiology of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea due to Clostridium difficile and clostridium perfringens in Ain Shams University Hospitals

Background: As we are living in the era of antibiotic overuse, antibiotic associated diarrhea (AAD) is considered now a distinct health problem with a need for more attention. Aim of the Study: was to perform a highly specific detection and definition of pathogenic Clostridium perfringens and Clostridium difficile related AAD in children compared to adults and geriatircs. Patients and Methods: One hundred and fifty patients diagnosed for AAD were included in this study (50 children, 50 adults and 50 geriatric patients). All of them were subjected to full medical history including complete therapeutic history of antibiotics and collection of stool sample during the attack for detection of Clostridium perfringenes enterotoxin (CPEnt) and Clostridium difficile cytotoxin by (EIA) kit. PCR detection of Clostridium perfringenes cpe gene (Coding gene for CPEnt) was performed as well. Results: Results showed that prevalence of Clostridium difficile cytotoxin was 24% while Clostridium perfringenes enterotoxin was 12% as detected by EIA in faecal specimens as a whole. Detection of cpe gene by PCR was positive in 16% of all cases. Children (OR: 4.2, 95% CI: 1.3-14.8, P_0.01) and geriatric patients (OR: 3.4, 95% CI: 1.2-13.5, P_0.02) were significantly more prone to Clostridium difficile AAD compared to adults. Also, childhood was a significant risk for Clostridium perfringens AAD (OR: 2.1, 95% CI: 0.54-7.4, P_0.04). In Conclusion: children and geriatric patients are more vulnerable to develop AAD with antibiotic abuse compared to adults. Abbreviations: AAD=Antibiotic associated diarrhea, CI=Confidence interval, ELISA=Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, OR=Odd ratio, PCR=Polymerase chain reaction. Keywords: Antibiotic-associated diarrhea, children, Clostridium perfringens, Clostridium difficile. Egypt. J. Hum. Genet Vol. 8 (2) 2007: pp. 121-13

Orally active antischistosomal early leads identified from the open access malaria box.

BACKGROUND: Worldwide hundreds of millions of schistosomiasis patients rely on treatment with a single drug, praziquantel. Therapeutic limitations and the threat of praziquantel resistance underline the need to discover and develop next generation drugs. METHODOLOGY: We studied the antischistosomal properties of the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) malaria box containing 200 diverse drug-like and 200 probe-like compounds with confirmed in vitro activity against Plasmodium falciparum. Compounds were tested against schistosomula and adult Schistosoma mansoni in vitro. Based on in vitro performance, available pharmacokinetic profiles and toxicity data, selected compounds were investigated in vivo. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Promising antischistosomal activity (IC50: 1.4-9.5 µM) was observed for 34 compounds against schistosomula. Three compounds presented IC50 values between 0.8 and 1.3 µM against adult S. mansoni. Two promising early leads were identified, namely a N,N'-diarylurea and a 2,3-dianilinoquinoxaline. Treatment of S. mansoni infected mice with a single oral 400 mg/kg dose of these drugs resulted in significant worm burden reductions of 52.5% and 40.8%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The two candidates identified by investigating the MMV malaria box are characterized by good pharmacokinetic profiles, low cytotoxic potential and easy chemistry and therefore offer an excellent starting point for antischistosomal drug discovery and development

Sprouty2 mediated tuning of signalling is essential for somite myogenesis

Background: Negative regulators of signal transduction cascades play critical roles in controlling different aspects of normal embryonic development. Sprouty2 (Spry2) negatively regulates receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) and FGF signalling and is important in differentiation, cell migration and proliferation. In vertebrate embryos, Spry2 is expressed in paraxial mesoderm and in forming somites. Expression is maintained in the myotome until late stages of somite differentiation. However, its role and mode of action during somite myogenesis is still unclear. Results: Here, we analysed chick Spry2 expression and showed that it overlaps with that of myogenic regulatory factors MyoD and Mgn. Targeted mis-expression of Spry2 led to inhibition of myogenesis, whilst its C-terminal domain led to an increased number of myogenic cells by stimulating cell proliferation. Conclusions: Spry2 is expressed in somite myotomes and its expression overlaps with myogenic regulatory factors. Overexpression and dominant-negative interference showed that Spry2 plays a crucial role in regulating chick myogenesis by fine tuning of FGF signaling through a negative feedback loop. We also propose that mir-23, mir-27 and mir-128 could be part of the negative feedback loop mechanism. Our analysis is the first to shed some light on in vivo Spry2 function during chick somite myogenesis

Toward paratuberculosis control in animals: current updates and future perspectives

Paratuberculosis is a chronic non-curable disease, that affects domesticated and wild ruminants, pets and even humans. This disease causes significant economic losses worldwide. Many countries have implemented control programs to eradicate the disease. Such programs face great challenges due to the nature of the pathogen itself, the immune response, the method of pathogen shedding in susceptible animals, and the absence of accurate diagnostic tools, efficient vaccines, and curative medication. However, some control programs succeeded in eradicating the disease, others were less effective and achieved less success. The present review discusses the elements required in disease control protocols and highlights the importance of disease elimination. These control strategies include optimum application of management measures and proper use of combined diagnostic techniques to accurately identify MAP infected animals with high sensitivity and specificity. Nanotechnology has shown promising results in the diagnosis and control of paratuberculosis. All available vaccines do not completely protect the population, but they actually reduce the clinical signs, pathogen shedding and provoke cellular and humoral immune responses. Although the test and slaughter policy of paratuberculosis is considered an effective way for its control, several obstacles hinder its application

Assay strategies for the discovery and validation of therapeutics targeting <i>Brugia pahangi</i> Hsp90

The chemotherapy of lymphatic filariasis relies upon drugs such as diethylcarbamazine and ivermectin that largely target the microfilarial stages of the parasite, necessitating continued treatment over the long reproductive life span of the adult worm. The identification of compounds that target adult worms has been a long-term goal of WHO. Here we describe a fluorescence polarization assay for the identification of compounds that target Hsp90 in adult filarial worms. The assay was originally developed to identify inhibitors of Hsp90 in tumor cells, and relies upon the ability of small molecules to inhibit the binding of fluorescently labelled geldanamycin to Hsp90. We demonstrate that the assay works well with soluble extracts of Brugia, while extracts of the free-living nematode C. elegans fail to bind the probe, in agreement with data from other experiments. The assay was validated using known inhibitors of Hsp90 that compete with geldanamycin for binding to Hsp90, including members of the synthetic purine-scaffold series of compounds. The efficacy of some of these compounds against adult worms was confirmed in vitro. Moreover, the assay is sufficiently sensitive to differentiate between binding of purine-scaffold compounds to human and Brugia Hsp90. The assay is suitable for high-throughput screening and provides the first example of a format with the potential to identify novel inhibitors of Hsp90 in filarial worms and in other parasitic species where Hsp90 may be a target

Role of serum glypican-3 in the diagnosis and differentiation of small hepatocellular carcinoma from hepatitis-C virus cirrhosis

Background: Serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) has insufficient sensitivity and specificityfor detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Recently, glypican-3 (GLP-3) was suggested as a new biomarker for the detection HCC.Objectives: To determine the role of serum GLP-3 levels in the early diagnosis and differentiation of small (3 cm or less in diameter) HCC from liver cirrhosis. Also, to correlate GLP-3 levels to clinico- laboratory data.Methods: The study included sixty patients; 30 of them with hepatitis C virus (HCV) cirrhosis, and 30 patients with proved HCC. In addition, 20 healthy subjects were included as a control group. Clinical and radiological features (abdominal ultrasonography and/or abdominal triphasic computed tomography) were recorded. Liver function tests, complete blood cell count, and serum AFP were measured. Serum GLP-3 values were determined by an ELISA technique.Results: Serum levels of GLP-3 were significantly elevated in patients with HCC compared with HCV cirrhosis group (p&lt; 0.001). Also, these levels were significantly elevated in these two patients’ groups versus controls (p&lt;0.001). Also, serum GLP-3 levels with cut-off value of P240 ug/L, had a higher sensitivity (100%) and same specificity (93.3%), than AFP with cut-off value of P200 ng/ ml, for detection of HCC. Moreover, GLP-3 levels showed a higher sensitivity than AFP (50% vs.41.7%), for detection of small HCC. The combined use of both markers (i.e. when either one of the two markers positive) improved the specificity to 88.9%. Regarding unicentric HCC, GLP-3 at cut-off value of 6580 ug/L had better specificity than AFP at cut-off value of 6765 ng/ml (57.1% vs. 42.9%). The combined use of both markers improved the sensitivity and specificity to 82.6% and 71.4%, respectively. Conclusion: Serum GLP-3 levels are higher in HCC versus HCV cirrhosis, which can differentiate HCC from liver cirrhosis. Also, serum GLP-3 is highly sensitive and specific for detecting HCC. Moreover, GLP-3 is more sensitive than AFP for the detection of small HCC. Furthermore, a combination of both serum markers yielded an improved specificity and both sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of small and unicentric HCC, respectively.Keywords: Serum tumor marker Alpha-fetoprotein Early hepatocellular carcinoma Diagnosis

Effects of microwave heating on the thermal states of biological tissues

A mathematical analysis of microwave heating equations in one-dimensional multi-layer model has been discussed. Maxwell's equations and transient bioheat transfer equation were numerically calculated by using finite difference method to predict the effects of thermal physical properties on the transient temperature of biological tissues. This prediction of the temperature evolution in biological bodies can be used as an effective tool for thermal diagnostics in medical practices. Key words: Microwave heating, Maxwell's equations, bioheat, multi layer. African Journal of Biotechnology Vol.2(11) 2003: 453-45

Effect of root-knot nematode and two species of crown gall on antioxidant activity of grape leaves

Agrobacterium tumefaciens and Agrobacterium vitis significantly reduced the entire criteria (galls, embedded stages, final population, Pf/Pi and egg production) of the root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita, when they were in concomitance with grape (Vitis vinifera var) superior roots. Greater suppression in such criteria was observed with high inoculum levels (5X107 cfu/pot) than with lower (2.5X107 cfu/pot) ones. All treatments resulted in the increase of leaves contents of H2O2 and lipid peroxidation (TBARS) dramatically, which were considered the most damaging stresses in plant cells. The contents of AsA, GSH, TPH and PAL specific activity increased as a strongly antioxidant defense compound against induced oxidative damage. In addition, the increase in the activity of various antioxidant defense specific enzymes (SOD, APX, CAT and GST) represented the protective activity used to counteract the oxidative injury promoted by nematode and nematode-bacteria infections. The rate of the chemical increase was significantly higher in interaction treatments than in the leaves of plants treated singly with M. incognita. Moreover, higher inoculum levels resulted in higher values of the measured chemicals. Symptoms appearance at low levels of nematode and bacterial treatments were significantly preceded by significant induction of AsA, GSH and TPH contents, and APX, CAT, SOD, GST and PAL activities in grape leaves. However, under high levels of nematode and bacteria, an obvious depletion at all non-antioxidants enzymes’ levels and antioxidants enzymes’ activities was observed. It is supposed that stimulated antioxidative processes contributed to the suppression of necrotic symptom development in grape leaves depending on the level of pathogen inoculum.Key words: Meloidogyne incognita, grape, crown gall, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Agrobacterium vitis,antioxidant activity

On modeling two immune effectors two strain antigen interaction

In this paper we consider the fractional order model with two immune effectors interacting with two strain antigen. The systems may explain the recurrence of some diseases e.g. tuberculosis (TB). The stability of equilibrium points are studied. Numerical solutions of this model are given. Using integer order system the system oscillates. Using fractional order system the system converges to a stable internal equilibrium. Ulam-Hyers stability of the system has been studied