Comparative evaluation of the protective effect of selenium and garlic against liver and kidney damage induced by mercury chloride in the rats

The present study was designed to compare the protective effect of selenium and garlic against liver and kidney damage induced by (ip) injection of 0.5 mg/kg mercury chloride (HgCl(2)) in rats. Thirty-six Sprague-Dawley rats were used in the present experiment and divided into six groups: one group was orally given (1 ml) saline and served as a control group; two groups of rats were given either selenium (0.1 mg/kg) or garlic (63 mg/kg) alone, once daily an oral dose for 30 successive days; other two groups of rats were given either selenium or garlic alone, once daily a dose for 15 successive days prior to HgCl(2) injection and on the next 15 successive days simultaneously with HgCl(2) injection; and the last group of rats was injected ip with HgCl(2) for 15 days and at the end of the experiment (which lasted 30 days), blood samples for the biochemical analysis were obtained from all rats after being lightly anesthetized with ether, and specimens of kidney and liver were removed and prepared for histochemical study. Computer image analysis was applied to liver and kidney tissues to evaluate the DNA density and DNA ploidy pattern in different groups. The results revealed that the rats injected with HgCl(2) showed a significant increase in levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) by 29.3%, 62.5%, 29.46% and 30.61%, respectively, while alkaline phosphatase (ALP) showed a significant decrease by 22.6% as compared with saline control group. Rats that were given selenium in combination with the HgCl(2) injection showed a significant decrease in BUN, Serum creatinine, ALT and AST levels, while ALP was significantly increased as compared with HgCl(2) group. Also rats that were given garlic in combination with HgCl(2) injection showed a significant decrease in BUN, Serum creatinine, ALT and AST levels, although serum ALP level showed an increase as compared to HgCl(2) group. Rats that had been orally administered selenium or garlic alone did not show any significant changes in the serum level of BUN, Serum creatinine, ALT and AST but there was a significant decrease in ALP level as compared with saline control group. The cytometric results revealed that injection of HgCl(2) induced an increase in the DNA density in kidney tissues with an increase in aneuploid cells and decrease in diploid cells. However, DNA density decreased in liver tissues with mild decrease in diploid cells and little percentage of aneuploid cells. We can conclude that oral administration of either selenium or garlic produces a significant protection against liver and kidney damage induced by the HgCl(2) injection, but garlic appears to be more protective.     

Recurrent meningitis revealing a Behçet’s disease

The aim of the present study was to describe a case of Behçet’s disease revealed by a recurrent meningitis and to review literature on these two conditions. We describe the case of a 25-year-old man who presented four episodes of recurrent meningitis without any locoregional cause and developed oral and genital ulcerations few months later. Behçet’s disease is a chronic, multisystemic disorder with variable prevalence in different geographical areas. Its neurological manifestations are well recognized. Both central and peripheral nervous systems can be involved. Recurrent meningitis in Behçet’s disease is exceptional. To our knowledge, only two cases reported recurrent meningitis as initial manifestation of Behçet’s disease. This case report underscores another facet of neurological manifestations of Behçet’s disease.     

Potential risk and protective factors of substance use among school adolescents in Morocco: A cross-sectional study

Background: Substance use among adolescents is responsible, in long term, for several chronic diseases, including cancer. In this study, we sought to assess the prevalence and correlates of substance use among students’ adolescents in Taza city, focusing on risk and protective factors to develop a health promotion intervention.

Methods: A school-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in Taza during 2016. The sample consisted of 800 students from 14 to 19 years old from randomly stratified cluster sampling. Data were collected using a Global School Health Survey questionnaire.

Results: Of 800 total students, 764 responded to the survey (response rate of 95.5%), with slightly more than half (53.3%) being girls. The survey showed current tobacco use of 16.2%, lifetime alcoholic drink of 6.8%, and lifetime drug use of 9.2%. Results from multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that substance use was significantly associated with older age, being male, poor hand hygiene, suicidal ideations, peer substance use, and absenteeism. Parental bonding represented a protective factor for illicit drug use.

Conclusions: We found a high prevalence of substance use among adolescents in Taza city, similar to rates reported at the national level. These findings suggest an urgent need to develop national health promotion programs for adolescents.     

Final adult height in children with Prader-Willi syndrome with and without human growth hormone treatment

Short stature is characteristic of children with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS). While previous studies have demonstrated acceleration of linear height velocity with growth hormone (GH) treatment, the long-term benefit on final adult height (AH) has not been reported. The objective of this study was to compare AH attained in PWS subjects with and without GH treatment. We reviewed the records of 21 children (aged 8.3 +/- 2.7 years) with PWS and confirmed GH deficiency that attained AH after receiving human GH treatment (0.25 +/- 0.06 mg/kg/week) for a period of 7.9 +/- 1.7 years. A group of 39 non-GH-treated adults with matched initial height standard deviation score (SDS) at age 6.8 +/- 1.3 years was used as control. In the GH-treated group the mean initial height and AH-SDS was -1.9 +/- 1.7 and -0.3 +/- 1.2 respectively (P < 0.0001), whereas the mean initial and AH-SDS in the control group was -1.9 +/- 1.3 and -3.1 +/- 1 respectively (P < 0.0001). Scoliosis was seen in 43% and 39% in the GH-treated and control group respectively. Premature adrenarche (PA) was noticed in 57% of GH-treated group. Six subjects in the control group but none of the GH-treated subjects developed type 2 diabetes mellitus. Our data show that administration of GH to children with PWS restores linear growth and final AH without significant adverse effects other than PA. Further studies will be necessary to determine related morbidity and mortality in individuals with PWS that reached final AH with or without GH treatment.     

Serum and synovial fluid levels of interleukin-17 in correlation with disease activity in patients with RA

The aim of this study was to evaluate serum and synovial levels of IL-17A by ELISA in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and find out the correlations between IL-17A levels and various clinical, laboratory parameters and RA disease activity and severity indices. Group I consists of 30 adult active RA patients fulfilling the ARA 1987 revised criteria, with knee effusion and receiving basic therapy, and with a mean age of 41.47 ± 11.49 years and mean disease duration of 9.5 ± 4.16 years. Group II consisted of 13 healthy volunteers, age- and sex-matched, with a mean age of 39.08 ± 14.19 years. RA patients showed significantly higher mean serum IL-17A levels than controls (11.25 ± 9.67 vs. 0.6 ± 1.4 pg/mL, respectively, p = 0.0002). Synovial IL-17A levels showed a significant positive correlation with serum IL-17A levels (r = 0.5 and p = 0.005). RA patients with negative rheumatoid factor (RF) had non-significantly higher mean serum IL-17A levels (12 ± 9.86 pg/mL) compared to those with positive RF (10.82 ± 9.81 pg/mL); however, the mean synovial IL-17A levels were nearly the same. Significant positive correlations were found between both serum and synovial IL-17A levels and DAS-28 scores (r = 0.556, 0.392 and p = 0.001, 0.032, respectively). RA patients with class III functional status showed significantly higher mean serum IL-17A levels (17.53 ± 13.43 pg/mL) than classes I and II (8.97 ± 6.97 pg/mL, p = 0.009). These led us to conclude that the elevated serum and synovial IL-17A levels in RA patients parallel the degree of disease activity and severity. This may highlight the usefulness of IL-17 (especially serum level) as a possible marker for more aggressive joint involvement and damage.     

Chemical synthesis, characterisation and biological evaluation of furanic-estradiol derivatives as inhibitors of 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1

Local biosynthesis of estrogens, especially estradiol (E2), is thought to be important for the maintenance and growth of estrogen-sensitive diseases. To control E2 formation, we have investigated a series of epoxide and furanic E2 derivatives as inhibitors of 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (17β-HSD1), the enzyme responsible for the conversion of estrone (E1) into E2. We report here a strategy to synthesize a series of E2-furanic derivatives from E1. An intermediate epoxide was first obtained and then reduced to give a furanic steroid, which allowed us to introduce a molecular diversity like alcohol, bromide, ester, acid and amide. The inhibition of the transformation of [(14)C]-E1 (100 nM) into [(14)C]-E2 by these compounds was first evaluated with homogenated HEK-293 cells overexpressing 17β-HSD1. The epoxide and butylamide derivatives showed the best inhibitions with 72% and 66%, respectively, at 10 μM. All furanic compounds showed a lower 17β-HSD1 inhibitory potency in intact T47-D breast cancer cells than in homogenated cells, but a great improvement of the inhibitory activity was observed for the epoxide, which gave 62% and 90% of inhibition of the [(14)C]-E1 (60 nM) into [(14)C]-E2 transformation at 1 and 10 μM, respectively.     

Neonatal and two-year outcomes after rupture of membranes before 25 weeks of gestation

Objective

To assess the impact of extreme preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) <25 weeks of gestation on preterm child outcome.

Study design

Retrospective study comparing the neonatal and 2-year outcomes of infants exposed to extremely PPROM <25 weeks with a non-exposed group of neonates in a tertiary care referral centre located in Paris, France, between 2003 and 2007. All women with singleton pregnancy and PPROM between 15^0/7 and 24^6/7 weeks of gestation were recruited. For each infant born alive, the next inborn neonate matched for gestational age and sex was selected as a control among neonates born alive after spontaneous preterm labour with intact membranes. The main outcome measures were neonatal outcome assessed by a combined criterion of adverse neonatal outcomes and the two-year neurodevelopmental outcome assessed by developmental Brunet–Lézine tests and neurological examinations.

Results

In 78 cases of extremely PPROM, 22 live births occurred at a mean gestational age of 26^5/7 weeks. The percentage of neonates with adverse neonatal outcomes was significantly higher among PPROM than non-exposed cases (68.2 versus 27.3%). At 2 years of age, children from the PPROM group were more likely to have delayed acquisitions (64.3 versus 15.8%) and behavioural disorders (57.1 versus 15.8%). Mean Brunet–Lézine language score was significantly lower among those infants (78.9 versus 96.8).

Conclusion

PPROM <25 weeks is associated with increased neonatal mortality and morbidity and with increased risks of delayed acquisitions, behavioural disorders and lower language performance scores at 2 years in comparison with matched preterm neonates born after spontaneous preterm labour with intact membranes.