Browse Articles

Assessment of ghrelin serum level and gene polymorphism as a risk factor in progression of chronic viral hepatitis

Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a significant health concern, ranking as the fourth most common cancer in Egypt and the sixth globally. Research has identified over 300 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the ghrelin gene, with four of these SNPs being associated with pathogenicity. The current work is a pioneer attempt to evaluate the role of Ghrelin gene polymorphism as a risk factor for progression of chronic viral hepatitis to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma in Egyptian patients. This study was carried out on 80 cases and were allocated into four groups: Group I: apparently healthy individuals, Group II: patients with chronic viral hepatitis, Group III: patients with post-hepatitic cirrhosis, and Group IV: patients with viral hepatitis-related HCC. Serum Ghrelin was measured by ELISA Kit. Molecular detection of Ghrelin rs34911341 and rs696217 were assessed using DNA sequencing. Outcomes showed that in terms of ghrelin gene polymorphism, every group under study had a GG rs34911341. The frequency of rs696217 genotype CA was statistically significantly higher in controls than in cirrhotic and HCC cases. When cirrhosis and HCC cases were compared to controls and chronic active hepatitis cases, the serum ghrelin level decreased statistically significantly. Taken together, there was no relation of ghrelin gene polymorphism in rs34911341 with progression of chronic active hepatitis. Moreover, the frequency of rs696217 genotype CA was increased in controls compared to patients with chronic viral hepatitis and patients with viral hepatitis-related HCC. Compared to controls, liver disease patients had lower serum Ghrelin levels.

Effects of health education based on self-determination theory on hemodialysis knowledge and self-management in maintenance hemodialysis patients

Evaluation of intra-fractional CBCT image quality using different megavoltage beam sizes and imaging conditions in a phantom study

Intragrain 3D perovskite heterostructure for high-performance pure-red perovskite LEDs

The global human impact on biodiversity

Abstract Human activities drive a wide range of environmental pressures, including habitat change, pollution and climate change, resulting in unprecedented effects on biodiversity1,2. However, despite decades of research, generalizations on the dimensions and extent of human impacts on biodiversity remain ambiguous. Mixed views persist on the trajectory of biodiversity at the local scale3 and even more so on the biotic homogenization of biodiversity across space4,5. We compiled 2,133 publications covering 97,783 impacted and reference sites, creating an unparallelled dataset of 3,667 independent comparisons of biodiversity impacts across all main organismal groups, habitats and the five most predominant human pressures1,6. For all comparisons, we quantified three key measures of biodiversity to assess how these human pressures drive homogenization and shifts in composition of biological communities across space and changes in local diversity, respectively. We show that human pressures distinctly shift community composition and decrease local diversity across terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems. Yet, contrary to long-standing expectations, there is no clear general homogenization of communities. Critically, the direction and magnitude of biodiversity changes vary across pressures, organisms and scales at which they are studied. Our exhaustive global analysis reveals the general impact and key mediating factors of human pressures on biodiversity and can benchmark conservation strategies.

A green one pot approach for extracting free fatty acids from microalgae

Thermacut bur gingivectomy versus functional crown lengthening in management of subgingival interproximal carious lesions 12 months randomized controlled trial

Abstract This clinical trial aimed to evaluate acquiring deep subgingival interproximal carious lesions by the mean of Thermacut bur gingivectomy, versus functional crown lengthening procedure. A total of 30 deep proximal cavities in posterior teeth were randomly assigned into two groups (n = 15); Thermacut Bur Gingivectomy (TBG) or Functional Crown Lengthening (FCL). Patient Satisfaction using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) as a primary outcome. Bleeding on Probing (BoP), Probing Depth (PD), and Crestal Bone Level (CBL) as secondary outcomes, and Marginal Integrity using Modified USPHS Criteria as a tertiary outcome, were evaluated at the baseline, immediate postoperative, 6-month, and 1-year follow-up intervals. There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups regarding patient satisfaction in the immediate postoperative values, no statistically significant difference was found in the 6-month and 12-month intervals. Regarding BoP, no statistical significance was found between intervention and control groups at different time intervals. Regarding PD, Pre- and after 6 months, there was no significant difference in values measured in both groups, after 1 year, values measured in the intervention group were statistically significant, Regarding CBL, there was no significant difference in bone levels measured in both groups at baseline. However, in other intervals, values measured in the control group were significantly higher than those in the intervention group. Regarding Marginal Integrity, no significant differences were found between both groups at any time interval. Both Thermacut bur gingivectomy and functional crown lengthening techniques are valid treatments for the management of deep subgingival interproximal carious lesions in vital teeth. However, Thermacut bur was superior to functional crown lengthening in terms of preserving the alveolar bone crest. Clinical Significance: Thermacut bur gingivectomy is an alternative to solve the shortcomings of functional crown lengthening.

Tiny visual latencies can profoundly impair implicit sensorimotor learning

Organic and inorganic geochemical cyclicity of a Maastrichtian oceanic open-shelf carbonate source rock

A quantitative characterization of the heterogeneous response of glioblastoma U-87 MG cell line to temozolomide

Epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus oral infection affects midge reproduction and is vertically transmitted to offspring in Culicoides sonorensis

Research of the clinical features, risk factors, and surgical diagnosis of intramural stones in patients with gallbladder stones

How protein-slayer drugs could beat some of the cruellest cancers

Development and validation a nomogram to predict long-term mortality risks of PRISm and mild-to-moderate COPD based on NHANES 2007–2012

Supportive? Addictive? Abusive? How AI companions affect our mental health

(R)-WAC-224, a new anticancer quinolone, combined with venetoclax and azacitidine overcomes venetoclax-resistant AML through MCL-1 downregulation

Cuts to US science will take a generation to repair — leaders must speak up now

Machine learning-based predictive modelling of mental health in Rwandan Youth

Can Germany rein in its academic bullying problem?

Distinct signalling dynamics of BMP4 and BMP9 in brown versus white adipocytes

Abstract Adipocyte dysfunction contributes to lipotoxicity and cardiometabolic diseases. Bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) is expressed in white adipocytes and remodels white adipose tissue, while liver-derived BMP9, a key circulating BMP, influences adipocyte lipid metabolism. The gene sets regulated by BMP4 and BMP9 signalling in mature adipocytes remain unclear. Here, we directly compare BMP4 and BMP9 signalling in mature brown and white adipocytes. While both BMPs showed comparable potency across adipocyte types, RNA sequencing analysis revealed extensive gene regulation, with many more differentially expressed genes and suppression of critical metabolic pathways in white adipocytes. Although BMP4 and BMP9 induced inhibitors of BMP and GDF signalling in both adipocytes, they selectively upregulated several TGF-β family receptors and BMP4 expression only in white adipocytes. These findings underscore a central role of BMP signalling in adipocyte homeostasis and suggest both BMP4 and BMP9 as regulators of white adipocyte plasticity with potential therapeutic implications.