Inflammatory marker YKL-40 levels in intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy

Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy is a diagnosis of exclusion and presents with unexplained pruritus, abnormal liver function tests, and increased serum bile acid levels, particularly in the third trimester of pregnancy. Serum YKL-40 levels are increased in liver diseases and our aim was to investigate YKL-40 levels in pregnant women with ICP. 40 women with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy and 40 healthy pregnant women were included in this cross-sectional study. Serum YKL-40 levels were measured in both groups and correlation analysis were performed between the YKL-40 and other liver function tests. Serum YKL-40 concentrations were higher in the intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy group than in the control group (103.46?±?53.03 vs. 57.60?±?30.30?ng/ml, p?=?.002). The cutoff YKL-40 serum concentration was 84.80?ng/ml for the diagnosis of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy. There was no correlation between fasting bile acids and YKL-40 levels. However, there was a significant positive correlation between the YKL-40 levels and aspartate aminotransferase (r?=?0.22, p?=?.04) and alanine aminotransferase (r?=?0.24, p?=?.02). Raised YKL-40 levels might support the evidence on inflammatory processes in intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy.     

Seasonal Effect on Heat Shock Proteins in Fish from Kuwait Bay

Heat shock proteins (HSP70) play a significant role in adaptation to temperature and have been proposed as an indicator of cellular stress. Since the water temperature in Kuwait’s marine area varies from 13 to 35°C from winter to summer, HSP70 could be a valuable tool in aquaculture in Kuwait. HSP70 levels were quantified by Western blotting in liver, muscle and gill tissues of two varieties of native fish species captured during the winter and summer months from both inside and outside the highly stressed Kuwait Bay area. The HSP70 levels did not differ statistically between fish captured from the two sampling areas. The most common response in both species was higher median levels of HSP70 in winter months. This inverse relation between HSP70 levels in the fish and the water temperature may be due to either genetic adaptation in the fish to the hot climatic conditions of the region or other stressors, such as changes in pollutant levels in the surrounding water.     

Is it important to classify ischaemic stroke?

Thirty-five percent of all ischemic events remain classified as cryptogenic. This study was conducted to ascertain the accuracy of diagnosis of ischaemic stroke based on information given in the medical notes. It was tested by applying the clinical information to the (TOAST) criteria. Hundred and five patients presented with acute stroke between Jan-Jun 2007. Data was collected on 90 patients. Male to female ratio was 39:51 with age range of 47-93 years. Sixty (67%) patients had total/partial anterior circulation stroke; 5 (5.6%) had a lacunar stroke and in 25 (28%) the mechanism of stroke could not be identified. Four (4.4%) patients with small vessel disease were anticoagulated; 5 (5.6%) with atrial fibrillation received antiplatelet therapy and 2 (2.2%) patients with atrial fibrillation underwent CEA. This study revealed deficiencies in the clinical assessment of patients and treatment was not tailored to the mechanism of stroke in some patients.     

Dye functionalized cryogel columns for reversible lysozyme adsorption

In this study, poly (methyl methacrylate–glycidyl methacrylate) [poly(MMA-GMA)] cryogels were prepared by radical cryocopolymerization of MMA with GMA as a functional comonomer. Reactive Green 19 dye was then attached to the cryogel by nucleophilic substitution reaction, and this dye-attached cryogel column was used for lysozyme adsorption. Characterization of the cryogel was performed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, environmental scanning electron microscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, and energy dispersive X-ray analysis. Pore size of the cryogels was 15–30?μm and pores were interconnected structure. Attached amount of Reactive Green 19 to cryogel support was calculated as 106.25?μmol/g cryogel. Lysozyme adsorption studies were carried out by using a continuous system. It was found that the maximum amount of lysozyme adsorption (32?mg/g cryogel) obtained from experimental results was found to be approximately same with the calculated Langmuir adsorption capacity (33?mg/g cryogel). Desorption of adsorbed lysozyme was carried out by using 1.5?M NaCl in pH 4.5 acetate buffer, and desorption yield was found to be 97.4%. Cryogels were very stable, and it was found that there was no remarkable reduction in the adsorption capacity at the end of ten adsorption–desorption cycles. As a result, Reactive Green 19-attached cryogels have great advantages such as easy preparation, rapid adsorption, and desorption, being economic and allowing the direct separation of proteins.     

Immobilization of amyloglucosidase onto macroporous cryogels for continuous glucose production from starch

Poly(methyl methacrylate-glycidyl methacrylate) [Poly(MMA-GMA)] cryogels were synthesized using monomers of methylmethacrylic acid and epoxy group bearing GMA via radical cryopolymerization technique. Synthesized cryogels were used for the immobilization of amyloglucosidase to the cryogel surface using epoxy chemistry. Characterizations of the free and immobilized amyloglucosidase were carried out by comparing the optimum and kinetic parameters of enzymes. For this, pH and temperature profiles of free and immobilized preparation were studied and, it was found that, optimum pH of enzyme was not change upon immobilization (pH 5.0), while optimum temperature of the enzyme shifted 10 °C to warmer region after immobilization (optimum temperatures for free and immobilized enzyme were 55 and 65 °C, respectively). Kinetic parameters of free and immobilized enzyme were also investigated and K_m values of free and immobilized amyloglucosidase were found to be 2.743 and 0.865 mg/mL, respectively. V_max of immobilized amyloglucosidase was found to be (0.496 µmol/min) about four times less than that of free enzyme (2.020 µmol/min). Storage and operational stabilities of immobilized amyloglucosidase were also studied and it was showed that immobilized preparation had much more stability than free preparation. In the present work, amyloglucosidase immobilized poly(MMA-GMA) cryogels were used for continuous glucose syrup production from starch for the first time. Efficiency of immobilized enzyme was investigated and released amount of glucose was found to be 2.54 mg/mL at the end of the 5 min of hydrolysis. The results indicate that the epoxy functionalized cryogels offer a good alternative for amyloglucosidase immobilization applications with increased operational and thermal stability, and reusability. Also, these cryogels can be used for immobilization of other industrially valuable enzymes beyond amyloglucosidase.     

In vitro sensitivity of Blastocystis hominis to garlic, ginger, white cumin, and black pepper used in diet

To determine the growth pattern and in vitro susceptibility of Blastocystis hominis to metronidazole (MTZ), garlic, ginger, white cumin, and black pepper. Stool specimens were collected from 16 irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and 10 controls between July–November 2010. Stool microscopy and culture for B. hominis was performed. Drug susceptibility assays was done using 0.01 and 0.1 mg/ml of MTZ, garlic, ginger, white cumin, and black pepper. Effect was assessed on B. hominis culture after 48 h. Stool DNA was extracted using stool DNA extraction kit (Qiagen) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) done using subtype-specific sequence-tagged-site primers. B. hominis genotype 3 and coinfection of 1 and 3 tended to grow well in culture compared to isolated type 1 infection. Exposed to MTZ at a concentration of 0.01 mg/ml, 38% (6/16) B. hominis from IBS did not grow in culture compared to 100% (10/10) of B. hominis from control (p = 0.001). When they were exposed to MTZ at 0.1 mg/ml, 56% (9/16) B. hominis from IBS did not grow in cultures compared to 100% (10/10) from control (p = 0.01). Forty-four percent (7/16) B. hominis from IBS did not grow in culture compared to 100% (10/10) B. hominis from control when exposed to garlic at a concentration of 0.01 mg/ml (p = 0.003) and following exposure to garlic at 0.1 mg/ml, 38% (6/16) B. hominis from IBS did not grow in cultures compared to 100% (10/10) from control (p = 0.001). B. hominis isolates from IBS had a cell count of 6,625 at a MTZ concentration of 0.01 mg/ml that reduced to 1,250 as MTZ concentration was increased to 0.1 mg/ml (p = 0.08). B. hominis from IBS with a mean cell count of 3 × 10⁵ at baseline decreased to 1 × 10⁴ when exposed to garlic at 0.01 mg/ml (p < 0.001) and to 1 × 10³ (p < 0.001) when garlic was 0.1 mg/ml. B. hominis from IBS cell count decreased to 1 × 10⁵ when exposed to white cumin at 0.01 mg/ml (p = 0.01) and to 1 × 10⁵ (p < 0.001) when white cumin was 0.1 mg/ml. Exposed to black pepper at 0.1 mg/ml, cell count of B. hominis from IBS decreased to 1 × 10⁵ (p = 0.01). B. hominis from IBS decreased to 1.3 × 10⁵ exposed to ginger at 0.01 mg/ml (p = 0.001). B. hominis isolates were mostly genotypes 3, type 1 and 3 coinfection, and non-typeable B. hominis isolates. B. hominis isolates from IBS mostly genotype 1 demonstrated an increased sensitivity to garlic at 0.01 mg/ml with a B. hominis cell count of 3,714 compared to 6,142 when exposed to 0.01 mg/ml of MTZ. However, this sensitivity did not increase as garlic concentration was increased to 0.1 mg/ml, for B. hominis cell count was 6,000 compared to 1,428 as MTZ was increased to 0.1 mg/ml.     

Giant lymphadenopathy infiltrated by gaucher cells mimicking lymphoma

Gaucher disease (GD) is a lysosomal storage disease characterized by deficiency of β‐glucocerebrosidase, which results in accumulation of glucocerebroside in reticuloendothelial system, bone marrow infiltration, progressive hepatosplenomegaly, and skeletal complications. Herein we report a 5‐year‐old female with GD receiving enzyme replacement therapy who had giant mesenteric lymphadenopathies. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2009;52:870–871. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

A preliminary study on the effect of pharmacist counseling on awareness of and willingness to quit smoking in Malaysian population

Objectives This paper presents an outcome of pharmacist counseling among Malaysian smokers for their awareness of and willingness to quit smoking. Method It was a cross-sectional study during a 3-day public health campaign at a shopping complex. Each self-referred participant was asked to complete a questionnaire apart from the question regarding improvement, and if any in their awareness and willingness to quit smoking, were asked to respond after counseling. Pharmacists counseled each participant about smoking cessation strategies and smoking related diseases. The data were analyzed by χ ² test. Results Among respondents, 25.5% had been smoking for more than 10 years, 31% for 5–10 years, 25.4% for 2–5 years and 18.3% for 1–2 years. The participants declaring no awareness about smoking were 22.9%, with little awareness 44.3%, having moderate awareness 25.7% and with considerable awareness were 7.1%. After counseling, 4.1% revealed unawareness, 17.8% little awareness, 43.8% moderate and 34.2% had considerable awareness on the above aspects. The post counseling awareness on smoking was observed to be significantly higher (P< 0.01). Among smokers studied, 67% showed willingness to quit smoking. Conclusion Increase in awareness of and willingness to quit smoking reflects that pharmacist counseling seems to be helpful in cessation of smoking.