Background: Mortality, severity, and recovery of COVID-19 are the main concern all over the world and are still not fully understood, particularly in the Middle East area. Objective: To analyze the prevalence and the characteristics of COVID-19 in Assiut Province in Egypt. Patients and Methods: This is a retrospective study that includes RT-q PCR- confirmed COVID-19 cases during the period from March7th 2020 to September17th 2020 in Assiut Province. Results: A total of 1201 cases are confirmed out of 2750 suspected cases. The breakdown of the cases is as follows; 84% fully recovered, 14.6% died and 1.4% are still in quarantine at the time of writing this article. Severe cases occur in old ages with no deaths below 21 years of age. Male and female deaths are 59.4% and 40% respectively. The associated co-morbidities are mainly chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes mellites, heart failure, ischemic heart disease, and obesity. Conclusion: The total percentage of infection in Assiut is 0.04%; it is lower than the percentage of the total infection in the country (0.1%). Respiratory failure is the leading cause of death in all patients.
Abstract
This study aimed to assess the renal protective efficacy of the Copper II albumin Complex (Cu-II-Album Complex) compound against aflatoxin-B1 (AFB1) in rats. Forty adult male albino rats were divided into four groups (10 rats/group): group-1 served as a negative control, the remaining groups received an oral dose of (50µg/kg) of the AFB1 daily for 3-weeks according to the following protocol: one group did not receive any treatment (group-2), while the remaining two groups received 0.05 g/kg of Cu-II-Album Complex either every other day (group-3) or intoxicated with AFB1 for 3-weeks then treated daily with Cu-II-Album Complex for another 3-weeks. Serum urea and creatinine, renal histopathology, indicators of kidney repair, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), antioxidant gene inducer (nuclear factor erythroid-2; Nrf2), and metabolic homeostasis indicator (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma; PPARγ) were evaluated. The Cu-II-Album Complex significantly reduced serum urea, creatinine levels, and renal NF-κB and significantly increased the renal Nrf2 and PPARγ expression. The AFB1 induced renal degenerative changes were significantly reduced in the alternative treatment with Cu-II-Album Complex. In conclusion, the Cu-II-Album Complex is an effective renal protective agent against AFB1 as indicated by maintaining the renal functions and histology and upregulating the expression of the kidney antioxidant genes and renal metabolic homeostasis indicator.
Abstract
Nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) is a potent oxidant induces neurodegeneration via (reactive oxygen species) ROS. Copper is an important metal essential for scavenging free radicals, development of central nervous system (CNS) and redox angiogenesis signaling. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is well known as efficacious and long-term signal that stimulates angiogenesis, where its expression is copper dependent. We examined the copper protective effect against brain vascular damage initiated by NDEA. NDEA induces brain vascular wall damage, necrosis with interstitial hemorrhage and diminishes VEGF expression. Histopathological examination showing a great improvement of brain tissue in copper treated mice with significant increase in VEGF expression. Higher levels of intracellular copper can stimulate angiogenesis and exhibited a significant protection against NDEA induced brain vascular damage, confirming its ability to enhance antioxidant activity and angiogenesis initiation. Our report presents first evidence that inducible VEGF expression in brain is sensitive to copper; moreover, copper-based therapeutics represents a novel approach to reduce brain vascular damage induced by NDEA generated ROS.
| Abstract | |
| Cheeses are among high-protein containing foodstuffs in which enzymatic and microbial activities cause the formation of the biogenic amines from amino acid decarboxylation. A total of 80 samples of old Kareish cheese and ripened Domiati cheese (40 samples each) were collected from local dairy shops and vendors and dairy cattle rural house in Qena city, Egypt. The concentration of biogenic amines (Tyramine, Histamine, Cadaverine and Putrescine) were assayed via using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In old Kareish cheese samples, histamine had the highest concentration followed by tyramine, cadaverine and putrescine with means of 835±32.9, 564±37.1, 556±27.4 and 537±37.5, respectively. Also, histamine (513±29.1) was the highest among the detected biogenic amines in ripened Domiati cheese followed by putrescine (492±32.2), tyramine (478×±25.3) and cadaverine (470±30). In conclusion our data showed higher levels of tyramine, histamine, putrescine and cadaverine in old Kareish and ripened Domiati cheese. The highest levels were detected in old Kareish cheese in compare with ripened Domiati cheese. |
Abstract
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative disorder involving the joint, including cartilage and synovial fluids. Recent studies have sought to find curative therapeutics to decrease the adverse effects of OA and relieve associated pain. Globally, knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is the most common type of arthritis. The present study aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect copper albumen complex (cu-albumin complex) for the treatment of mono-iodoacetate (MIA)- induced KOA in Albino rats. A total of 50 adult male albino rats were involved and divided as follows; 10 rats were kept normal as negative control; 20 arthritic rats were kept untreated (positive control), and 20 arthritic rats were treated with cu-albumin complex orally for a month. Treated and untreated arthritic rats were divided equally (10 rats each) into mild and severe groups according to the severity of signs. The intra-articular injection of MIA in the right knee joint was used for induction of osteoarthritis. Using Mankin grading score, the results demonstrated that the treated groups had a better histological appearance than the control positive group. Additionally, except for a few shrunken chondrocytes, the mildly treated group showed less degenerative alterations and appeared virtually normal. While the severe treated group showed increased cellularity with decreased degenerated chondrocytes. It concluded that balanced copper consumption has a positive impact on the prevention and treatment of KOA.
Keywords: Aggrcan, Copper, Knee, MIA, Osteoarthritis, Proteoglycan.
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