Objective:To explore the relationship between genetic polymorphism of ALDH2 and CYP2E1 and alcoholic liver disease(ALD) in Han people. Methods:PCR-RFLP was used to detect the frequencies of gene types and allele of ALDH and CYP2E1 in health control group(45 cases),ALD group(48 cases),alcohol dependent group(38 cases) and non-ALD(NALD) group(42 cases),and the frequencies were compared. Results:The difference of the frequencies of ALDH2*1 and ALDH2*2 had statistic significance between health control group and ALD group,and between in ALD group and NALD group(P

Objective To improve the diagnosis and treatment of upper urinary tract hematuria. Methods A total of 121 patients with hematuria who had undergone B-utrasonography,KUB plus IVU,CT and cystoscopy were suspected of hematuria from upper urinary tract.For these cases ureterorenoscopy was performed to establish the diagnosis and to conduct specific therapies. Results The diagnostic accordance rate was 92%(111/121).Among these cases,ureteral small stones in middle and lower segments were found in 45 cases;renal pelvis and ureteral tumors in 32 cases;renal hemorrhagic diseases in 19 cases and ureteral polyps in 15 cases.19 cases who had renal hemorrhagic diseases and 10 who had no definite lesions received specific therapies were followed up for 6 to 8 months.The long-term successful rate was 79%(23/29). Conclusions The application of ureterorenoscopy for the management of upper urinary tract hematuria is quite effective and worthy of widespread application.

OBJECTIVES: Despite its extensive use, the term "Surveillance" often takes on various meanings in the scientific literature pertinent to public health and animal health. A critical appraisal of this literature also reveals ambiguities relating to the scope and necessary structural components underpinning the surveillance process. The authors hypothesized that these inconsistencies translate to real or perceived deficiencies in the conceptual framework of population health surveillance. This paper presents a population health surveillance theory framed upon an explicit conceptual system relative to health surveillance performed in human and animal populations. METHODS: The population health surveillance theory reflects the authors' system of thinking and was based on a creative process. RESULTS: Population health surveillance includes two broad components: one relating to the human organization (which includes expertise and the administrative program), and one relating to the system per se (which includes elements of design and method) and which can be viewed as a process. The population health surveillance process is made of five sequential interrelated steps: 1) a trigger or need, 2) problem formulation, 3) surveillance planning, 4) surveillance implementation, and 5) information communication and audit. CONCLUSIONS: The population health surveillance theory provides a systematic way of understanding, organizing and evaluating the population health surveillance process.
Animals ; Humans ; Public Health ; Research Design ; Thinking

OBJECTIVETo achieve a primary pharmacological screening contained in the aqueous extract of Berberis vulgaris (B. vulgaris) and to examine the hypoglycaemic effect and biochemical parameters of aqueous and saponins extract on groups of rats rendered diabetic by injection of streptozotocin.

METHODSThe phytochemical tests to detect the presence of different compounds were based on the visual observation of color change or formation of precipitate after the addition of specific reagents. Diabetes was induced in rats by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of streptozotocin (STZ) at a dose of 65 mg/kg bw. The fasting blood glucose levels were estimated by glucose oxidase-peroxidase reactive strips (Dextrostix, Bayer Diagnostics). Blood samples were taken by cutting the tip of the tail. Serum cholesterol and serum triglycerides were estimated by enzymatic DHBS colorimetric method.

RESULTSAdministration of 62.5 and 25.0 mg/kg of saponins and aqueous extract respectively in normal rats group shows a significant hypoglycemic activity (32.33% and 40.17% respectively) during the first week. However, diabetic group treated with saponin extract produced a maximum fall of 73.1% and 76.03% at day 1 and day 21 compared to the diabetics control. Also, blood glucose levels of the diabetic rats treated with aqueous extract showed decrease of 78.79% on the first day and the effect remains roughly constant during 3 week. Both extracts also declined significantly biochemical parameters (20.77%-49.00%). The control in the loss of body weight was observed in treated diabetic rats as compared to diabetic controls.

CONCLUSIONSThese results demonstrated significant antidiabetic effects and showed that serum cholesterol and serum triglycerides levels were decreased, significantly, consequently this plant might be of value in diabetes treatment.

Animals ; Berberis ; chemistry ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; drug therapy ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Plant Extracts ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Rats, Wistar

Alzheimer's disease is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder with no curative treatment. The commercially available drugs, which target acetylcholinesterase, are not satisfactory. The aim of this study was to investigate the cholinesterase inhibitory activity of Solenostemma argel aerial part. Eight compounds were isolated and identified by NMR: kaempferol-3-O-glucopyranoside (1), kaempferol (2), kaempferol-3-glucopyranosyl(1→6)rhamnopyranose (3) p-hydroxybenzoic acid (4), dehydrovomifoliol (5), 14,15-dihydroxypregn-4-ene-3,20-dione (6), 14,15-dihydroxy-pregn-4-ene-3,20-dione-15β-D-glucopyranoside (7) and solargin I (8). Two of them (compounds 2 and 3) could inhibit over 50 % of butyrylcholinesterase activity at 100 µM. Compound (2) displayed the highest inhibitory effect against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) with a slight selectivity towards the latter. Molecular docking studies supported the in vitro results and revealed that (2) had made several hydrogen and π-π stacking interactions which could explain the compound potency to inhibit AChE and BChE.
Acetylcholinesterase ; Alzheimer Disease ; Butyrylcholinesterase ; Cholinesterases ; Hydrogen ; In Vitro Techniques ; Neurodegenerative Diseases

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: To compare five indices of adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD) among adults living in the Mediterranean region. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A total of 100 healthy Lebanese adults aged between 18 and 65 years. Face-to-face interviews to collect sociodemographic and medical information, to take anthropometric measurements, and to fill a validated, culturally adapted, food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). The score for each item was calculated following the recommendations for each corresponding index. The five MD indices were Mediterranean Diet Scale (MDScale), Mediterranean Food Pattern (MFP), MD Score (MDS), Short Mediterranean Diet Questionnaire (SMDQ), and the MedDiet score. RESULTS: Significant correlations were detected between items with P-values < 0.001. Minimal agreement was seen between MDScale and MedDiet score and maximal agreement between MDS and MedDiet score. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that MDS and MedDiet scores had significant correlations with fiber and olive oil intake, main components of the MD. MDScale showed a significant correlation with waist-to-hip ratio and with total energy intake but none of the five indices was correlated to body mass index (BMI). CONCLUSIONS: The indices that showed the highest correlation with variables related to the MD are the MDScale and the MedDiet score; therefore, they can be used to assess our future study populations. Based on the current results, more than half of the study population was non-adherent to the MD and adherence to this diet did not appear to protect against being overweight (BMI ≥ 30).
Adult ; Body Mass Index ; Diet ; Diet, Mediterranean ; Energy Intake ; Humans ; Mediterranean Region ; Multivariate Analysis ; Olive Oil ; Overweight ; Waist-Hip Ratio

Purpose: Planar scintigraphy with 123 I-radiolabeled metaiodobenzylguanidine (123 I-mIBG) is an important imaging modality to evaluate neuroblastoma. In recent years, Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography combined with Computed Tomography (SPECT/CT) has revolutionized nuclear medicine. Nevertheless, the addition of the CT has increased the patients’ irradiation. We aimed to evaluate the incremental benefits of 123 I-mIBG SPECT/CT over conventional planar imaging and to estimate the relative increase of radiation dose. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the added value of 56 SPECT/CT performed in 40 children in terms of better characterization of the lesion and its locoregional extension, better lymph node staging, detection of new lesions, and elimination of false positives by a paired comparison between the planar images and the SPECT/CT ones. Then, we calculated the percentage contribution of the additional radiation of the CT in this hybrid imagery. Results: In 88% (49 out of 56) of the examinations, SPECT/CT provided additional information, which was crucial in 20% of the cases. It allowed a better characterization of the lesion and its locoregional extension in 44 cases, a better lymph node staging in 28 cases, the detection of 33 new lesions, and the elimination of 9 false positives. The CT effective dose was significantly lower than the SPECT one. The average additional radiation exposure due to CT was 12% (4–23%). Conclusion 123 I-mIBG SPECT/CT has an undeniable added value that improves planar imaging interpretation and impacts patient management. These potential benefits would justify the low additional radiation induced by the CT.

Objective: To investigate the cytotoxic, antioxidant and antibacterial activities of ethanolic and aqueous crude extracts of Nerium oleander (N. oleander) leaves. Methods: Cytotoxic activities were evaluated by WST-1 bioassay on two human cancer cell lines, namely human colon adenocarcinoma cell line HT-29 and human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231. The antioxidant property of N. oleander extracts was assessed by DPPH scavenging and β-carotene bleaching tests. The agar disc diffusion method was used for the determination of antimicrobial activity against different strains. Results: Using cell viability indices, the WST-1 test revealed that both extracts reduced cell viability in both cell lines. Our results also showed that aqueous extract was more active than ethanolic extract, with IC

Objective: To evaluate the insecticide, larvicidal and repellent activity of the essential oils from Callistemon viminalis, Melaleuca leucadendron, and Hyptis suaveolens against Chrysodeixis chalcites and to compare it with neem oil (Azadirachta indica). Methods: The essential oils of the leaves of these aromatiques plants were extracted by steam distillation and contacts tests were carried out. Results: Essential oils in ethanol from Callistemon viminalis showed a higher biological activity than the neem with 100% larval mortality at the concentration of 2 μg/mL for 6 h, 100% and 90% in ethanol from Melaleuca leucadendron and Hyptis suaveolens, respectively at the concentration of 4 μg/mL for 24 h. By inhalation, the essential oils from Melaleuca leucadendron and of Hyptis suaveolens were more effective with mortality rates of larvae 100% and 50% respectively at 2 μg/L air applied after 24 h. Nevertheless, the neem has shown to be a repulsive plant and anti-nutritional plant. A significant difference in the percentages of consumption between leaves treated with neem oil and the control samples was observed (Newman-Keuls test) except for Melaleuca leucadendron. Conclusions: The results of the study highlight remarkable biocide, properties of tested extracts, which provides important opportunities for the development of biopesticides.