Background and aim

Growing evidence highlighted the primary role of the immune system in the disease course of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The study aim was to investigate the expression of PD-1 and CD39 on CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ cells infiltrating tumor tissue compared to their counterparts in peripheral blood and explore its association with tumor characteristics, disease progression, and prognosis in females with TNBC.

Patients and methods

The study included 30 TNBC patients and 20 healthy controls. Cancer and normal breast tissue and peripheral blood samples were collected for evaluation of the expression of PD-1 and CD39 on CD4⁺ and CD8⁺T cells by flow cytometry.

Results

A marked reduction in the percentage of CD8⁺ T lymphocytes and a significant increase in the frequencies of CD4⁺ T lymphocytes and CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T lymphocytes expressing PD1 and CD39 were evident in tumor tissue in comparison with the normal breast tissue. The DFS was inversely related to the cancer tissue PD1⁺CD8⁺ and CD39⁺CD8⁺ T lymphocytes. Almost all studied cells were significantly increased in the tumor tissue than in peripheral blood. Positive correlations were detected among peripheral PD1⁺CD4⁺T lymphocytes and each of cancer tissue PD1⁺CD4⁺, PD1⁺CD8⁺and CD39⁺CD8⁺T cells, and among peripheral and cancer tissue CD39⁺CD4⁺and CD39⁺CD8⁺ T cells.

Conclusions

The CD39 and PD1 inhibitory pathways are synergistically utilized by TNBC cells to evade host immune response causing poor survival. Hence, combinational immunotherapy blocking these pathways might be a promising treatment strategy in …

Objectives

Detailed characterisation of CD45RA+ and CD45RO+ T cell subsets in both CD4+ and CD8+ cells in blood and tissue of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is lacking. We aimed to investigate T cell differentiation levels in blood and tissue and correlate this with CT score and white blood cell count.

Methods

This case-control study was conducted on 21 patients with CRSwNP and 20 healthy controls. Lund-Mackay score was used for radiologic staging of chronic rhinosinusitis. T cell subsets were characterised in blood and nasal polyp tissue using CD4, CD8, CCR7, CD45RA, CD45RO, CD27, and CD95 monoclonal antibodies.

Results

Most variations in T cell subsets were detected in tissue rather than blood. A higher level of CD8+ T CM, CD4+ T SCMs and lower level of CD8+ T EM were detected in the blood of CRSwNP patients vs controls. In CRSwNP patients, substantial …

Serum periostin and eotaxin-2 as promising biomarkers in asthmatic smokers.

Background: Smoking influence many changes in asthmatic airway inflammation by stimulating the production of certain cytokines. Serum periostin and eotaxin-2 in asthmatic patients are affected by smoking.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to study serum periostin and eotaxin-2 level in asthmatic smokers.

Patients and methods: The present observational, cross sectional study was conducted at Chest department in Assiut university hospital, during the period from August 2018 to January 2020. Hundred and seventeen asthmatic patients (42 smokers, 30 ex-smokers and 45 non-smokers) were studied for serum periostin and eotaxin-2 (ELISA). The effects of smoking status and inflammatory biomarkers including sputum eosinophilic and neutrophilic count on serum level of periostin and eotaxin-2 in asthmatic patients were …

Background

Allergic bronch opulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is a pulmonary disorder, occurring mostly in asthmatic patients and patients with cystic fibrosis, caused by an abnormal T-helper 2 lymphocyte response of the host to Aspergillus fumigatus antigens.

Objective

To assess the value of thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC) in the diagnosis of ABPA.

Background The aim of this magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study was to investigate controversial sexual dimorphism of the posterior condylar ofset of the femur (the ofset) and the posterior slope of the tibia (the slope) in non-arthritic knees of Egyptian adults. Methods On 100 male and 100 female MRIs of non-arthritic knees, linear measurements of the distal part of the femur (the ofset) and the angular measurements of the proximal part of the tibia (the slope) were performed and compared regarding sex and ethnicity. The intraclass correlation coefcient (ICC) was used to test the interrater agreement. Results Both ofsets and the lateral ofset ratio were larger in males (p0.8 proved MRI’s precision was high. Conclusion There was a sexual dimorphism of both the ofset and the medial slope in non-arthritic knees of Egyptian adults. We believe future designs of knee implants should consider these diferences in order to improve postoperative range of motion and patients’ satisfaction after total knee arthroplasty. Level of evidence Level III Retrospective Cohort Study. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifer: NCT03622034, registered on July 28, 2018.

Background & objective: Hyponatremia is the most common electrolyte disorder and is a predictor of osteoporosis, inflammation and cognitive dysfunction leading to falls in the elderly patients. We compared glutamate levels in normonatremic elderly patients with those with hyponatremia, admitted with osteoarthritis, to find correlation between the cognitive status with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) glutamate as a biomarker for hyponatremia.

Methodology: In an observational prospective study; 70 patients, more than 70 y of age, admitted to trauma unit of Assiut University Hospital with fractures around the hip, were investigated for the frequency of on-admission hyponatremia. The CSF glutamate level was determined using radio-immune assay. We compared glutamate level in 18 hyponatremic patients with 10 normonatremic elderly patients admitted with osteoarthritis for elective joint replacement (control group) to find correlation between the cognitive status assessed by Modified Mini-Mental State (3MS) examination and CSF glutamate as a biomarker for hyponatremia.

Results: Hyponatremia is highly prevalent in elderly with fractures around the hip; we recorded it in 41.4% of the study sample. Most patients were females (62.86%). CSF glutamate was significantly increased in hyponatremic patients than the controls (P< 0.001).

Conclusion: Prevalence of hyponatremia is high in old aged patients probably due to due to prevalent hot weather in the south of Egypt. CSF glutamate level can be a marker for mild cognitive impairment caused by hyponatremia.

Abbreviations: 3MS: Modified Mini-Mental State examination; CSF: cerebrospinal fluid; RPM …

Antibiotic combinations remain the frontline therapy for severe infections to reduce mortality. However, conventional antibiotic combinations have some limitations such as the low bioavailability and the rise of resistant strains. Nanoparticles are increasingly used as antibiotic delivery systems to promote bioavailability and hence improve efficacy of antibiotics. In this work, we hypothesize that the simultaneous delivery of two antibiotic-loaded nanoparticles will improve the intracellular bioavailability and thus inhibit emergence of resistance. Accordingly, Chitosan–pluronic nanoparticles were used to construct nanosized ciprofloxacin and meropenem and the antibacterial activity of nanosized combined antibiotics were compared versus unloaded single, unloaded combined, and nanosized single antibiotics. Thirty-six stepwise mutants were selected by exposing two E. coli strains to increasing concentrations of free-unloaded and nanosized antibiotics, and mutants were tested for antimicrobial susceptibilities using broth microdilution and disc diffusion methods. The change in expression levels of acrB efflux pump and porins (ompC and ompF) was assessed by real-time reverse transcription–PCR. The in vitro evaluation of combined ciprofloxacin and meropenem-loaded nanoparticles demonstrated that this nanosystem exhibited enhanced antibacterial effect. Step mutants selected with nanosized combined antibiotics showed higher sensitivity to both drugs, exhibited lower mutation frequencies, and less cross-resistance to other antimicrobial classes. Moreover, for all steps of selection, nanosized combined antibiotic mutants expressed significantly lower levels of acrB as well as higher levels of ompC and ompF (p-value <0.01). In view of these results, the use of nanosized combined antibiotics may be considered among the new promising strategies to combat infections through their potential efficacy in reducing microorganisms' ability to form resistant mutants

Purpose: To evaluate the incidence and type of microbial colonization of the pseudo-capsule (PC) that forms around sacral nerve stimulators (SNS) and consequently the significance of surgical excision of this PC at time of SNS revision or removal.

Materials and Methods: A cohort of 31 patients who underwent SNS revision or removal from January 2018 to June 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. The baseline demographics, rate and type of PC microbial colonization and development of SNS insertion site infection were reported.

Results: A cohort of 31 patients who underwent “InterStim device (Medtronic)” revision or removal were included. The majority were females (93.5%). The most common indication for SNS insertion was refractory overactive bladder (67.7%). Nine patients (29.0%) underwent SNS revision due to malfunctional device, and 9 patients had SNS removal for the need of MRI procedures. Four patients (12.9%) had positive tissue culture growing Coryneform bacillus (50.0%), Cutibacterium acnes (25.0%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (25.0%).

Conclusions: PC colonization was uncommon at the time of SNS explant. However, more research is needed to better understand the role of PC-positive culture in increasing the risk of SNS device infections if strict adherence to sterile techniques is adopted.