OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to develop an intelligent diagnostic system utilizing machine learning for data cleansing, then build an intelligent model and obtain new cutoff values for APRI (aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio) and FIB-4 (fibrosis score) for the prediction and staging of fibrosis in children with chronic hepatitis C (CHC). METHODS: Random forest (RF) was utilized in this study for data cleansing; then, prediction and staging of fibrosis, APRI and FIB-4 scores and their areas under the ROC curve (AUC) have been obtained on the cleaned dataset. A cohort of 166 Egyptian children with CHC was studied. RESULTS: RF, APRI, and FIB-4 achieved high AUCs; where APRI had AUCs of 0.78, 0.816, and 0.77; FIB-4 had AUCs of 0.74, 0.828, and 0.78; and RF had AUCs of 0.903, 0.894, and 0.822, for the prediction of any type of fibrosis, advanced fibrosis, and differentiating between mild and advanced fibrosis, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Machine learning is a valuable addition to non-invasive methods of liver fibrosis prediction and staging in pediatrics. Furthermore, the obtained cutoff values for APRI and FIB-4 showed good performance and are consistent with some previously obtained cutoff values. There was some agreement between the predictions of RF, APRI and FIB-4 for the prediction and staging of fibrosis.
Area Under Curve ; Child ; Cohort Studies ; Dataset ; Fibrosis ; Forests ; Hepacivirus ; Hepatitis C ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; Hepatitis ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Machine Learning ; Medical Informatics ; Pediatrics ; ROC Curve

OBJECTIVES: Every physical abnormal criterion has an impact on the health. Late menopause causes different physiological problems which alike early menopause. The research interest is associated with both early and late menopausal women of Bangladesh as only few menopausal studies available in South East Asia especially in Bangladesh. The aims of this study are not only to assess the symptoms of menopausal abnormality but also to determine the impact of these symptoms on the quality of life (QOL) of the female society in Bangladesh. METHODS: Data mining techniques are used to rank the 22 factors (conducted with questionnaire) commonly associated with menopause. Among the participants menstruation that stops before 45 years was considered as early menopausal status and after 50 years as late menopausal. The mean of age and mean length of time in years, since menopause for all participants were 61.55±10.7 and 14.13±11.17, respectively. Recorded data indicated 67% were early menopausal women and 33% were late menopausal women. RESULTS: Results indicated that feeling tired or lacking in energy and dizziness (83%) and depression (82%) have worst impact on QOL among all factors, respectively. The next prevalent symptoms included hot flashes (64%), osteoporosis (72%), sweating at night (63%), concentration problem (75%), irritability (63%), feeling tense (77%), headache (66%). However, less frequent factors included breathing problems (33%), loss of feeling (31%), coherent heart disease (13%) and type2 diabetics (9%). CONCLUSION: Our study indicates that early menopausal women are facing more physiological problems than the late menopausal women on their QOL.
Bangladesh ; Data Mining ; Depression ; Dizziness ; Far East ; Female ; Headache ; Heart Diseases ; Hot Flashes ; Humans ; Menopause ; Menstruation ; Osteoporosis ; Quality of Life* ; Respiration ; Sweat ; Sweating ; Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Use of pluripotent stem cells is an ideal solution for liver insufficiencies. This work aims is to evaluate the safety and feasibility of autologous stem cells transplantation (SCT) in Egyptian patients of liver cirrhosis on top of hepatitis C virus (HCV). SUBJECTS AND RESULTS: 20 patients with HCV induced liver cirrhosis were divided into 2 groups. Group I: included 10 patients with liver cirrhosis Child score > or =9, for whom autologous stem cell transplantation was done using granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) for stem cells mobilization. Separation and collection of the peripheral blood stem cells was done by leukapheresis. G-CSF mobilized peripheral blood mononuclear cells (G-CSF PB-MNCs) were counted by flow cytometry. Stem cell injection into the hepatic artery was done. Group II: included 10 patients with HCV induced liver cirrhosis as a control group. Follow up and comparison between both groups were done over a follow up period of 6 months. The procedure was well tolerated. Mobilization was successful and the total number of G-CSF PB-MNCs in the harvests ranged from 25x106 to 191x106. There was improvement in the quality of life, serum albumin, total bilirubin, liver enzymes and the Child-Pugh score of group I over the first two-three months after the procedure. CONCLUSION: SCT in HCV induced liver cirrhosis is a safe procedure. It can improve the quality of life and hepatic functions transiently with no effect on the life expectancy or the fate of the liver cirrhosis.
Bilirubin ; Child ; Colony-Stimulating Factors ; Flow Cytometry ; Follow-Up Studies ; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Granulocytes ; Hepacivirus* ; Hepatic Artery ; Hepatitis C* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Leukapheresis ; Life Expectancy ; Liver Cirrhosis* ; Liver* ; Pluripotent Stem Cells ; Quality of Life ; Serum Albumin ; Stem Cell Transplantation ; Stem Cells* ; Transplantation

Objective: To synthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by green methods using serum latex of Calotropis procera at 80 °C and evaluate them against bacteria, dermatophytes and phytopathogenic fungi comparing with the activity of untreated latex. Methods: The synthesis of AgNPs was performed by mixing 3% latex serum extract with the same volume of silver nitrate (2 mmol/L) solution in round flask and heating in water bath at 80°C. Characterization of silver particles were determined using UV-vis spectrophotometer, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The antimicrobial activity of the green synthesized AgNPs was determined against bacteria, dermatophytes and phytopathogenic fungi and compared to the crude untreated latex by agar-well diffusion methods. Results: Biosynthesis of latex silver nanoparticles was successfully obtained by green method. The formation of AgNPs has been confirmed by UV-vis, TEM microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. TEM analysis showed that synthesized AgNPs are highly stable spherical shaped particles, well dispersed with a diameter ranged from 4 nm up to 25 nm and an average size of 12.33 nm. AgNPs showed strong antibacterial activity against Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Serratia sp.) and antifungal activity against Trichophyton rubrum, Candida albicans and Aspergillus terreus. Conclusions: It can be concluded that serum latex of Calotropis procera was found to display strong potential for the synthesis of AgNPs as antimicrobial agents through rapid reduction of silver ions (Ag

PURPOSE: This study aimed to compare the results of treatment with adjuvant trastuzumab for 9 months versus 12 months in human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer patients. The primary endpoint was disease-free survival. Secondary endpoints included cardiac safety, tolerability, and overall survival.METHODS: The study included 60 non-metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer patients. All study patients underwent surgery, received adjuvant chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormonal therapy if indicated. Thirty patients were randomized in each group. Group I patients received adjuvant trastuzumab for 12 months, while group II patients received adjuvant trastuzumab for 9 months. Patients were assessed by clinical examination and Echocardiography during treatment.RESULTS: After median follow-up of 12 months, 90% of the patients in group I were disease free and 83.3% of patients in group II were disease free (P=0.402). All studied population in both groups I and II were alive at the end of the 1-year follow-up period after the completion of adjuvant trastuzumab treatment thus overall survival is 100%.CONCLUSION: Trastuzumab is tolerable and its side effects are reversible. Nine months of adjuvant trastuzumab treatment is more cost effective than the standard 12 months.
Breast Neoplasms ; Breast ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Disease-Free Survival ; Echocardiography ; Epidermal Growth Factor ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Radiotherapy ; Trastuzumab

Objective To investigate the effect of two extracts of Bougainvillea spectabilis (B. spectabilis) flowers with yellow and pink/purple on brain oxidative stress and neuronal damage caused in rats by systemic rotenone injection. Methods Rotenone 1.5 mg/kg was given three times per week alone or in combination with B. spectabilis flowers extracts (25 mg or 50 mg) via the subcutaneous route for 2 weeks. Brain concentrations of the lipid peroxidation marker malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione, nitric oxide (nitrite), the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1beta (Il-1β) as well as butyrylcholinesterase, and paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) activities, were determined. Histopathology and caspase-3 immunohistochemistry were also performed. Results Rotenone resulted in significant increases of brain MDA (the product of lipid peroxidation), and nitric oxide content along with decreased brain reduced glutathione. There were also marked and significant inhibition of brain PON-1 and BChE activities and increased Il-1β in brain of rotenone-treated rats. B. spectabilis flowers extract itself resulted in brain oxidative stress increasing both lipid peroxidation and nitrite content whilst inhibiting PON-1 activity. The yellow flowers extract inhibited BChE activity and increased brain Il-1β. When given to rotenone-treated rats, B. spectabilis extracts, however, decreased lipid peroxidation while their low administered doses increased brain GSH. Brain nitrite decreased by the pink extract but showed further increase by the yellow extract. Either extract, however, caused further inhibition of PON-1 activity while the yellow extract resulted in further inhibition of BChE activity. Histopathological studies indicated that both extracts protected against brain, liver and kidney damage caused by the toxicant. Conclusions These data indicate that B. spectabilis flowers extracts exert protective effect against the toxic effects of rotenone on brain, liver and kidney. B. spectabilis flowers extracts decreased brain lipid peroxidation and prevented neuronal death due to rotenone and might thus prove the value in treatment of Parkinson's disease.

One of the leading causes of death worldwide is cardiovascular disease, hence searching for a cure is an important endeavor. The totally safe, edible, and inexpensive Boswellia plant exudate, known as olibanum or frankincense, is considered to possess diverse medicinal values in traditional medicine and from recent biological studies. Investigating the cardioprotective and antioxidant activities of olibanum from a Boswellia species, family Bursearaceae, namely Boswellia carteri Birdw. was the aim of this study. Cardioprotective activity was evaluated using a model of myocardial infarction induced by isoprenaline (ISO), while antioxidant activity was tested adopting nitric oxide scavenging (NOS) and azino-bis-3-ethyl benzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) assays. The results revealed a mild cardioprotective effect and weak antioxidant activity.
Animals ; Antioxidants ; administration & dosage ; analysis ; Boswellia ; chemistry ; Frankincense ; administration & dosage ; analysis ; Humans ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Myocardium ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Objectives To investigate the activity of Egyptian propolis extracts (ethanol and water) on cryptosporidiosis in experimentally infected dexamethasone-immunosuppressed rats. Methods A total of 180 male rats (190–220) g BWt were randomly divided into 9 equal groups (G1–G9). Groups of rats were kept as (G1): normal control, (G2–G9): immunosuppressed with dexamethasone and (G3-G9): infected with Cryptosporidium oocysts. Rats from (G4–G9) were given orally ethanol and water extract of propolis (at a dose of 50 mg/kg BWt) and nitazoxanide (standard anti-cryptosporidial drug at a dose of 100 mg/kg BWt) to infected rats with different regimes. Faecal pellets were collected from all groups to monitor oocysts shedding from the 2nd to the 15th day post infection. At the end of the experiment, blood was collected from all groups for determination of leukogram and serum proteins. Ileum specimens were also examined histopathologically. Results The highest reduction of oocysts shedding in faecal samples was 88% in rats prophylactically treated with propolis ethanol extract at the 4th dpi, and in rats prophylactically treated with water extract of propolis, was 91% at the 6th dpi. There was a marked increase in neutrophils count and α

Three new alkyl substituted anthraquinone derivatives, trivially named as symploquinones A-C (Compounds 1-3) were isolated from Symplocos racemosa. The structures of these compounds were determined on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analyses (UV, IR, Mass, H- and C-NMR, and two-dimensional (2D) NMR techniques). The resulting data were also compared with the reported literature. These compounds were then subjected to antibacterial or antibiofilm testing. Compounds 1 and 3 exhibited good antibacterial activity in the concentration range of 160-83 μg·mL against Streptococcus mutans, methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Proteus mirabilis. Both compounds were further screened for anti-biofilm activity, which revealed promising activities at sub-MIC concentrations. None of the compounds were found to be active against Klebsiella pneumoniae.
Anthraquinones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Biofilms ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Ericales ; chemistry ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Mass Spectrometry ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; drug effects ; physiology ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Proteus mirabilis ; drug effects ; physiology ; Spectrophotometry, Infrared ; Streptococcus mutans ; drug effects ; physiology