Although persistent transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) from infected mothers to their infants is reported in 4-8%, transient HCV perinatal infection also occurs. This prospective cohort study determined perinatal HCV infection- and early and late clearance-rates in 1,863 mother-infant pairs in rural Egyptian villages. This study found 15.7% and 10.9% of pregnant women had HCV antibodies (anti-HCV) and HCV-RNA, respectively. Among 329 infants born of these mothers, 33 (10.0%) tested positive for both anti-HCV and HCV-RNA 2 months following birth-29 (12.5%) having HCV-RNA positive mothers and 4 (with transient infections) having mothers with only anti-HCV. Fifteen remained HCV-RNA positive at one and/or 2 years (persistent infections), while 18 cleared both virus and antibody by 1 year (transient infections). Among the 15 persistent cases, 7 cleared their infections by 2 or 3 years. At 2- to 6- and at 10- to 12-month maternally acquired anti-HCV was observed in 80% and 5% of infants, respectively. Four perinatally infected and one transiently infected infant were confirmed to be infected by their mothers by the sequence similarity of their viruses. Viremia was 155-fold greater in mothers of infants with persistent than mothers of infants with transient infections. Maternal-infant transmission of HCV is more frequent than generally reported. However, both early and late clearance of infection frequently occurs and only 15 (4.6%) and 8 (2.4%) infants born of HCV-RNA positive mothers had detectable HCV-RNA at one and 2-3 years of age. Investigating how infants clear infection may provide important information about protective immunity to HCV.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) using periodically rotated overlapping parallel lines with enhanced reconstruction (PROPELLER) diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) in the differentiation between sellar and parasellar mass lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study protocol was approved by our institutional review board. We retrospectively studied 60 patients with sellar and parasellar lesions who had undergone PROPELLER DWI on a 3-T MR imager. Conventional MRI findings were expressed as the ratio of signal intensity (SI) in the lesions to the normal white matter and the degree of contrast enhancement. ADC values were calculated as the minimum (ADC-MIN), mean (ADC-MEAN), and maximum (ADC-MAX). All patients underwent surgery and all specimens were examined histologically. Logistic discriminant analysis was performed by using the SI ratios on T1- and T2-weighted images (T1-WI, T2-WI), the degree of enhancement, and absolute ADC values as independent variables. RESULTS: ADC-MIN of hemorrhagic pituitary adenomas was lower than of the other lesions with similar appearance on conventional MRI (non-hemorrhagic pituitary adenomas, craniopharyngiomas, Rathke's cleft cysts; accuracy 100%); the useful cut-off value was 0.700 x 10(-3)mm(2)/s. ADC-MAX of meningiomas was lower than of non-hemorrhagic pituitary adenomas (accuracy 90.3%; p0.01). ADC-MIN of craniopharyngiomas was lower than of Rathke's cleft cysts (accuracy 100%; p0.05). CONCLUSION: As PROPELLER DWI is less sensitive to susceptibility artifacts than single-shot echoplanar DWI, it is more useful in the examination of sellar and parasellar lesions. Calculation of the ADC values helps to differentiate between various sellar and parasellar lesions.

PURPOSE: Milk thistle or its purified extract, silymarin (Silybum marianum), is widely used in treating acute or chronic hepatitis. Although silymarin is hepatoprotective in animal experiments and some human hepatotoxic exposures, its efficacy in ameliorating the symptoms of acute clinical hepatitis remains inconclusive. In this study, our purpose was to determine whether silymarin improves symptoms, signs and laboratory test results in patients with acute clinical hepatitis, regardless of etiology. METHODS: This is a randomized, placebo-controlled trial in which participants, treating physicians and data management staff were blinded to treatment group. The study was conducted at two fever hospitals in Tanta and Banha, Egypt where patients with symptoms compatible with acute clinical hepatitis and serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels >2.5 times the upper limit of normal were enrolled. The intervention consisted of three times daily ingestion of either a standard recommended dose of 140 mg of silymarin (Legalon, MADAUS GmbH, Cologne, Germany), or a vitamin placebo for four weeks with an additional four-week follow-up. The primary outcomes were symptoms and signs of acute hepatitis and results of liver function tests on days 2, 4 and 7 and weeks 2, 4, and 8. Side-effects and adverse events were ascertained by self-report. RESULTS: From July 2003 through October 2005, 105 eligible patients were enrolled after providing informed consent. No adverse events were noted and both silymarin and placebo were well tolerated. Patients randomized to the silymarin group had quicker resolution of symptoms related to biliary retention: dark urine (p=0.013), jaundice (p=0.02) and scleral icterus (p=0.043). There was a reduction in indirect bilirubin among those assigned to silymarin (p=0.012), but other variables including direct bilirubin, ALT and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were not significantly reduced. CONCLUSIONS: Patients receiving silymarin had earlier improvement in subjective and clinical markers of biliary excretion. Despite a modest sample size and multiple etiologies for acute clinical hepatitis, our results suggest that standard recommended doses of silymarin are safe and may be potentially effective in improving symptoms of acute clinical hepatitis despite lack of a detectable effect on biomarkers of the underlying hepatocellular inflammatory process.

The serosal cavities are frequent sites of tumor metastasis. The distinction between carcinoma cells, inflammatory cells, and reactive or malignant mesothelial cells can be difficult in cytology. Multicolor flow cytometry (FCM) provides the opportunity to evaluate multiple antigens simultaneously, making it possible to characterize various cell populations. In this study, we aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of FCM immunophenotyping and DNA in comparison with serum tumor markers and classic cytology for detection of malignant cells in pleural and ascitic fluids. One hundred and nineteen samples of body cavity fluids were analyzed. Immunophenotyping was performed by four-color immunofluorescent staining using monoclonal antibodies against Ber-EP4, cytokeratin, CD3, and CD45. The DNA analysis by FCM was also performed. In addition, serum CA19-9, CEA, AFP, and CA125 were analyzed. Ber-EP4 marker had the highest sensitivity (73%) and specificity (95.5%) in the detection of carcinoma cells in serous fluid and correlated with cytology in most of cases (73%). The mean of DI differed statistically in patients with malignant effusions than in benign one. DI showed no difference in fluids due to infiltration of malignant epithelial cells or hematopoietic malignancy or due to hepatocellular carcinoma developing in cirrhotic liver. Thus, flow cytometry appears to aid not only in the detection of malignant cells but also in the characterization of cell type. On the other hand, although DNA ploidy examination had better sensitivity; it had no advantage over conventional cytopathological examination in identification of malignant cells. 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

INTRODUCTION: Treatment of rectal cancer requires a multidisciplinary approach with standardized surgical, pathological and radiotherapeutic procedures. Sphincter preserving surgery for cancer of the lower rectum needs a long-course of neoadjuvant treatments to reduce tumor volume, to induce down-staging that increases circumferential resection margin, and to facilitate surgery. AIM: To evaluate the rate of anal sphincter preservation in low lying, resectable, locally advanced rectal cancer and the resectability rate in unresectable cases after neoadjuvent chemoradiation by oral Capecitabine. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This trial included 43 patients with low lying (4-7 cm from anal verge) locally advanced rectal cancer, of which 33 were resectable. All patients received preoperative concurrent chemoradiation (45 Gy/25 fractions over 5 weeks with oral capecitabine 825 mg/m2 twice daily on radiotherapy days), followed after 4-6 weeks by total mesorectal excision technique. RESULTS: Preoperative chemoradiation resulted in a complete pathologic response in 4 patients (9.3%; 95% CI 3-23.1) and an overall downstaging in 32 patients (74.4%; 95% CI 58.5-85). Sphincter sparing surgical procedures were done in 20 out of 43 patients (46.5%; 95% CI 31.5-62.2). The majority (75%) were of clinical T3 disease. Toxicity was moderate and required no treatment interruption. Grade II anemia occurred in 4 patients (9.3%, 95% CI 3-23.1), leucopenia in 2 patients (4.7%, 95% CI 0.8-17) and radiation dermatitis in 4 patients (9.3%, 95% CI 3-23.1) respectively. CONCLUSION: In patients with low lying, locally advanced rectal cancer, preoperative chemoradiation using oral capecitabine 825 mg/m2, twice a day on radiotherapy days, was tolerable and effective in downstaging and resulted in 46.5% anal sphincter preservation rate.

Inflammation and coagulation occur concomitantly in sepsis. Thrombin activates platelet that leads to P-selectin translocation, which upregulate tissue factor (TF) generation. Tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) is an anticoagulant that modulates coagulation induced by TF. The term non-overt disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) refers to a state of affairs prevalent before the occurrence of overt DIC. It was suggested that an initiation of treatment in non-overt DIC has better outcome than overt DIC. This study investigated the role of TFPI level, P-selectin, and thrombin activation markers in non-overt and overt DIC induced by sepsis and its relationship to outcome and organ dysfunction as measured by the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score. It included 176 patients with sepsis. They were admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (ICU).They included 144 cases of non-overt DIC and 32 cases of overt DIC. There was a significant difference in hemostatic markers, platelet count, partial thromboplastin time (PTT), P-selectin, thrombin activation markers, TFPI, and DIC score between overt and non-overt DIC in both groups. It was noticed that P-selectin was positively correlated with DIC score, fibrinogen consumption, fibrinolysis (d-dimer), thrombin activation markers, and TFPI. Tissue factor pathway inhibitor was significantly correlated with fibrinolysis, DIC score, and prothrombin fragment 1+2. Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score was correlated with DIC score and other hemostatic markers in patients with overt DIC. To improve the outcome of patients with DIC, there is a need to establish more diagnostic criteria for non-overt-DIC. Plasma levels of TFPI and P-selectin may be helpful in this respect.

Egypt is one of the countries with very high rates of hepatitis C virus (HCV) related morbidity and mortality. However, little is known about geographical and clinical differences in genetic variability of HCV in Egypt. Using direct sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of partial core/E1 and NS5B regions of the HCV genome, HCV genotype/subtype was determined in 129 HCV-infected patients residing in three governates in south Egypt: Assuit, Sohag, and Qena. According to clinical stage of infection, patients were categorized into four groups: asymptomatic carriers, n = 16; chronic hepatitis C patients, n = 36; liver cirrhosis, n = 54; and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), n = 23. Genotype 4a was detected in 80.6%, whereas 1g, 4l, 4n, 4o, 4f, and 4m were identified in 7.7%, 4.7%, 3.9%, 1.6%, 0.8%, and 0.8% of cases, respectively. The prevalence of 4a differed regionally; from 88.5% (in Sohag) to 64% (in Assuit, P = 0.002). Genotypes 4l and 4n had a higher prevalence in Assuit (12.8%, 10.3%) than Sohag (0%, 0%; P or = 0.011). Difference in clinical features of determined genotypes/subtypes was observed; more carriers of non-4a variants (4l and 4n, 4f, or 4m) had chronic hepatitis compared to carriers of 4a (53.3% vs. 23.1%, P = 0.025), while more patients with 4a had liver cirrhosis (45.2% vs. 13.3%, P = 0.023). Two HCV-4o strains were isolated in this study, both from patients with HCC. In conclusion, geographical diversity of HCV was revealed in this study in southern Egypt. A further case-control study is required to confirm the trends of differential pathogenicity of HCV subtypes, indicated by this study.

BACKGROUND: Despite of the proof of the biological function of CD154 on platelets, there has been little information about its role either in patients with stable angina or in those with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the expression of CD154 on platelets and its role in ACS. METHODS: The study included 50 patients with ACS (24 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and 26 patients with unstable angina (UA)), 20 patients with stable angina (SA) and 18 healthy volunteers. CD154 and CD62 expression on platelets were analyzed by flow cytometry. Their relations to the clinical and laboratory data were assessed in the studied group. RESULTS: Patients with AMI and UA had higher levels of platelets CD154 and CD62 as compared to those with SA and among patients with AMI, UA and SA versus healthy volunteers. Platelets CD154 showed significant positive correlations with the studied pro-inflammatory markers (Ox-LDL, CRP and fibrinogen), segmental wall motion score and the studied risk factors. There were significant negative correlations between platelet CD154 and serum nitric oxide among patients. CONCLUSIONS: CD154 may be used as a marker of thrombo-embolic events. Nitric oxide may have an anti-atherogenic effect. There is an association between platelet activation and severity of coronary artery disease among patients with ACS.

METHODS: This study had been carried out on 50 patients with transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) stage T2- T3 tumors with adequate performance status and renal function. All patients were subjected to maximum transurethral resection of bladder tumors (TURBT). Patients were then subjected to chemo-radiation that was executed in two treatment phases. Phase I was external radiotherapy in the form of 46 Gy /23 fractions /5 weeks to whole pelvis with concurrent cisplatin 40 mg/m2 weekly. Phase II was 20 Gy /10 fractions /2 weeks to the bladder tumor with concurrent cisplatin 40 mg/m2 weekly. After phase I, patients who had complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) were subjected to phase II and patients who had stationary disease (SD) were subjected to salvage cystectomy. After the end of treatment, patients who had CR were subjected to bladder preservation. Radiological and cystoscopic reevaluation was done to assess the tumor response after phase I and phase II. After completion of the scheduled treatment, patients were under follow up for clinical examination, radiological, and cystoscopic assessment. RESULTS: The treatment schedule was tolerable and was associated with infrequent incidence of moderate toxicity that was easily controlled without interruption of treatment. Bladder preservation was achieved in 72%of patients. The actuarial relapse free survival and overall survival at a median follow up 18 months for patients who were candidate for bladder preservation were 81% and 100%; respectively. Invasive recurrence (16%) salvaged with cystectomy and superficial recurrence (6%) successfully treated with Bacilles bilie de CalmetteGuerin. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that in spite of a relatively small number of patients and short follow-up period; the trimodality treatment could be an effective way to achieve a high response rate in the treatment of invasive TCC of the bladder with good tolerance.

INTRODUCTION: Monocytes are the cells that play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of liver damage and liver cirrhosis (LC), and as platelets, by connecting hemostasis and inflammatory processes, participate in pathogenesis of chronic liver diseases, we aimed to investigate the presence of monocyte-platelet aggregates and platelet micro-particles (PMPs) and their role in LC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included 60 patients with post-hepatitic LC and 20 healthy controls. Activated monocytes (CD11b, HLA-DR, CD14, CD16), monocyte-platelet aggregates (CD41/CD14), activated platelets (CD41/CD62) and PMPs were analyzed by flow cytometry. Their relations to the clinical and laboratory data were assessed in the studied group. RESULTS: Patients with LC had higher levels of activated platelets, activated monocytes and monocyte-platelet aggregations as compared to healthy controls. PMPs percentage showed no significant differences between patients and controls but significantly increased in both patients with no bleeding and patients with splenomegaly compared to patients without. All studied markers showed no significant differences between patients with thrombocytopenia and those with normal platelet counts and also between patients with different disease stages. Positive correlations between monocyte-platelet aggregates and both activated platelets and monocytes were demonstrated. There were significant negative correlations between PMPs and both age and prothrombin time among patients. CONCLUSIONS: The stage of post-hepatitic LC is not the only factor that affects the level of activated platelets, activated monocytes and monocyte-platelet aggregates. PMPs have no influence on thrombocytopenia but may have the potential to influence the progression of clotting activity in LC.