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Background: The involvement of undergraduate medical students in research is pivotal for the advancement of evidence-based clinical practice. This study aimed to assess the extent of research involvement and the factors influencing it among undergraduate medical students in Bangladesh. Methods: A multi-center cross-sectional study involving 2864 medical students from both public and private medical colleges was conducted between June and December 2023. Data on demographics, research involvement, participation in research training, future career aspirations in research, and obstacles encountered by students were collected. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 25. Results: The mean age of the students was 21.8 ± 1.8 (SD) years, with the majority being female (61.8%). Overall, 21.5% (n = 617) were actively participating in research beyond academic activities. Approximately 7% (n = 205) had undergone formal research training, and 6.5% (n = 187) had experience in publications in peer-reviewed journals as first authors or coauthors. A total of 45.5% of the students faced multiple challenges during participating in research, with the two most difficult tasks being designing a study (26.7%) and data collection and recruitment of study participants (19.6%). Almost half of the students (47.2%, n = 1352) showed an interest in pursuing a research career in the near future. The primary barriers preventing students from choosing a future research career were insufficient mentorship (16.3%), the perception of a lengthy career path (17.2%), and limited funding opportunities (15.9%). Factors that significantly encouraged research involvement included being male (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.5, 95% CI: 1.2–1.8), studying in the senior academic phase (aOR 3.9, 95% CI: 2.7–5.6), previous education from an English-medium educational institute (aOR 1.8, 95% CI: 1.2–2.2), and encouragement from faculty (aOR 1.4, 95% CI: 1.1–1.7). Conclusion: The proportion of research participation among the students was relatively low. To promote research engagement among undergraduate medical students in Bangladesh, comprehensive policy formulation and strong commitment at the highest levels are essential. Integrating national research policy into the curriculum could serve as a strategic measure for achieving this objective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Cellulase, due to its massive applicability, has been used in various industrial processes such as biofuels (bioethanol, triphasic biomethanation), agricultural and plant waste management, chiral separation, and ligand binding studies. The finding of a novel cellulase-producing bacterium will benefit the industries, which rely on yeast to produce cellulase in fermentation technology, because bacteria can easily be manipulated and fermented cost-effectively. Methods: Cellulase enzyme-secreting bacteria were isolated from different regions of the world’s largest mangrove forests, Sundarbans in Bangladesh. Biochemical, morphological, and 16S rRNA identification protocol was followed to precisely characterize the bacterial strains. Result: We have determined that the strain T2-D2 (Bacillus sp.), E1-PT (Pseudomonas sp.), and D1-PT (Pseudomonas sp.) showed maximum endoglycolytic and strain C1-BT (Bacillus sp.), E1-BT (Bacillus sp.), and T-4 (E) showed relatively higher exoglycolytic activity during the test. So, it can be easily cultured at a normal temperature (97.7–99.5 °F). On the one hand, T2-D2 (Bacillus sp.) and E1-PT (Pseudomonas sp.) have shown the highest growth rate at pH 7 as it was neither acidic nor basic. Conclusion: It was concluded that the strain T2-D2 (Bacillus sp.) and E1-PT (Pseudomonas sp.) would be our target cellulolytic strains wherein the experimental isolates belonged to the Enterobacteriaceae, Psuedomonacea, Bacillacea, and Morganellacea family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Primary melanoma of the small bowel is extremely rare. Only a limited number of cases have been described in the literature. Mostly, the small intestine is affected by metastatic tumors of other primary lesions, especially cutaneous. Case presentation: We report the case of a 75-year-old North African woman with a small bowel melanoma. The diagnosis was made by histological examination and immunohistochemical profile matching after a segmental small bowel resection. Postoperative investigations looking for cutaneous, gastrointestinal or ocular primary lesions found no abnormalities. Conclusions: The diagnosis of primary small bowel melanoma can be retained although it remains difficult to exclude the possibility of metastatic melanoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Allium sativum L. (A.S.) "garlic", one of the most interesting medicinal plants, has been suggested to contain compounds that could be beneficial in numerous pathological situations including cancer. In this work, we aimed to assess the immunomodulatory effect of A.S. preparation on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy individuals. Methods: Nontoxic doses of A.S. were identified using MTT assay. Effects on CD4+ or CD8+ T lymphocyte proliferation were studied using flow cytometry. The effect of A.S. on cytokine gene expression was studied using qRT-PCR. Finally, qualitative analysis of A.S. was performed by HPLC approach. Data were analyzed statistically by one-way ANOVA test. Results: The nontoxic doses of A.S. preparation did not affect neither spontaneous nor TCR-mediated CD4+ or CD8+ T lymphocyte proliferation. Interestingly, A.S. exhibited a statistically significant regulation of IL-17 gene expression, a cytokine involved in several inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. In contrast, the expression of IL-4, an anti-inflammatory cytokine, was unaffected. Qualitative analysis of A.S. ethanol preparation indicated the presence of three polyphenol bioactive compounds, which are catechin, vanillic acid and ferulic acid. Conclusion: The specific inhibition of the pro-inflammatory cytokine, IL-17 without affecting cell proliferation in human PBMCs by the Allium sativum L. preparation suggests a potential valuable effect of the compounds present in this plant for the treatment of inflammatory diseases and cancer, where IL-17 is highly expressed. The individual contribution of these three compounds to this global effect will be assessed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Capparis Spinosa L. is an aromatic plant growing wild in dry regions around the Mediterranean basin. Capparis Spinosa was shown to possess several properties such as antioxidant, antifungal, and anti-hepatotoxic actions. In this work, we aimed to evaluate immunomodulatory properties of Capparis Spinosa leaf extracts in vitro on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy individuals. Results: Using MTT assay, we identified a range of Capparis Spinosa doses, which were not toxic. Unexpectedly, we found out that Capparis Spinosa aqueous fraction exhibited an increase in cell metabolic activity, even though similar doses did not affect cell proliferation as shown by CFSE. Interestingly, Capparis Spinosa aqueous fraction appeared to induce an overall anti-inflammatory response through significant inhibition of IL-17 and induction of IL-4 gene expression when PBMCs were treated with the non toxic doses of 100 and/or 500 µg/ml. Phytoscreening analysis of the used Capparis Spinosa preparations showed that these contain tannins; sterols, alkaloids; polyphenols and flavonoids. Surprisingly, quantification assays showed that our Capparis Spinosa preparation contains low amounts of polyphenols relative to Capparis Spinosa used in other studies. This Capparis Spinosa also appeared to act as a weaker scavenging free radical agent as evidenced by DPPH radical scavenging test. Finally, polyphenolic compounds including catechin, caffeic acid, syringic acid, rutin and ferulic acid were identified by HPLC, in the Capparis spinosa preparation. Conclusion: Altogether, these findings suggest that our Capparis Spinosa preparation contains interesting compounds, which could be used to suppress IL-17 and to enhance IL-4 gene expression in certain inflammatory situations. Other studies are underway in order to identify the compound(s) underlying this effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Massive gastrointestinal bleeding is an emergency that can sometimes require immediate surgery. We report the first case, to the best of our knowledge, of massive rectal bleeding due to Yersinia enterocolitica, requiring ileocecal resection.Case Presentation: A 41-year-old North African woman was admitted to our emergency department for massive rectal bleeding. She had a history of an iron deficiency anemia of unknown cause, and diarrhea 2 months before the admission. On admission to our emergency unit, she was in a state of hemodynamic collapse. An examination showed discolored conjunctivas, massive rectal bleeding with clots and no abdominal pain. The first medical treatment included the use of noradrenaline. An upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed and did not show any lesions. Computed tomography of her abdomen showed significant and hypervascular wall thickening of her terminal ileum suggestive of a tumor. Because her massive rectal bleeding worsened and her collapse persisted, an exploratory laparotomy and ileocecal resection were immediately performed on the patient. Histopathological analysis showed enteritis caused by Yersinia enterocolitica. Her outcome was favorable.Conclusion: Enteritis due to Yersinia enterocolitica can take a pseudotumoral form and mislead the diagnosis of gastrointestinal bleeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The World Health Organization defines epithelioid angiomyolipoma as a potentially malignant mesenchymal neoplasm characterized by proliferation of predominantly epithelioid cells and as closely related to the triphasic (classic) angiomyolipoma. It can be benign, potentially aggressive or malignant. The pathologist's role is crucial in making a positive diagnosis, providing appropriate patient management and assessing prognosis. In this report, we present a case of a patient with an epithelioid angiomyolipoma and hydatid cyst association. To the best of our knowledge, such an association has not been reported previously in the literature. Case presentation: A 70-year-old Arabian woman presented to our hospital with a 6-month history of a right lumbago and weight loss. Computed tomography objectified a mid-right renal tumor, several locoregional lymph nodes and four abdominopelvic cystic formations. The patient underwent a right nephroureterectomy and removal of abdominal and pelvic masses. Histologically, the tumor corresponded to a proliferation of large eosinophil cells, polygonal or ovoid, with epithelial appearance, and associated with thickened, hyalinized vessel walls, fat cells and bundles of smooth muscle cells. Mitoses were estimated at 2 per 50 high-power fields. In immunohistochemical study, epithelioid tumor cells expressed S-100 protein and Melan-A. The diagnosis of malignant epithelioid angiomyolipoma was made. The wall of the abdominopelvic cysts was eosinophilic and lamellar, corresponding to the cuticular membrane of hydatid cysts. Conclusion: In our patient, careful histological examination and immunohistochemical study allowed us to make the correct diagnosis of angiomyolipoma in its malignant form. The association with hydatid cysts is what makes our case original. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Myelolipomas are uncommon, benign tumors composed of mature adipose tissue and hematopoietic elements. They mostly occur in the adrenal glands, but extra-adrenal myelolipomas have also been reported in other locations such as the presacral region, retroperitoneum, pelvis and mediastinum. Here, we present a case of an extra-adrenal myelolipoma in a rare site: the renal parenchyma. To the best of our knowledge, it is only the third case reported in this unusual location.Case Presentation: We report a case of primary myelolipoma occurring in the kidney of a 55-year-old Moroccan man. We describe the radiological and clinicopathologic features of this unusual tumor with a review of the literature, and we discuss differential diagnosis of retroperitoneal myelolipomas.Conclusion: This case is noteworthy because the tumor site was unusual. Although renal myelolipoma is rare, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of lesions in this site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metastatic renal cell carcinoma in the gallbladder is extremely rare, with reported frequencies of less than 0.6% in large autopsy reviews. Only 40 cases were reported in the literature. We report a first case of gallbladder polypoid tumor revealing metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma, which demonstrates the importance of radiological tests, histology and immunohistochemistry when making a definitive diagnosis. These examinations also allow differentiating metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma from other polypoid lesions in the gallbladder with clear cell morphology. Cholecystectomy should be performed to obtain a definitive diagnosis and to improve survival in case of solitary metastatic renal cell carcinoma [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Metastatic breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women worldwide. DNA microarray has become an important tool to help identify biomarker genes for improving the prognosis of breast cancer. Recently, it was shown that pathway-level relationships between genes can be incorporated to build more robust classification models and to obtain more useful biological insight from such models. Due to the unavailability of complete pathways, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network is becoming more popular to researcher and opens a new way to investigate the developmental process of breast cancer. Methods: In this study, a network-based method is proposed to combine microarray gene expression profiles and PPI network for biomarker discovery for breast cancer metastasis. The key idea in our approach is to identify a small number of genes to connect differentially expressed genes into a single component in a PPI network; these intermediate genes contain important information about the pathways involved in metastasis and have a high probability of being biomarkers. Results: We applied this approach on two breast cancer microarray datasets, and for both cases we identified significant numbers of well-known biomarker genes for breast cancer metastasis. Those selected genes are significantly enriched with biological processes and pathways related to cancer carcinogenic process, and, importantly, have much higher stability across different datasets than in previous studies. Furthermore, our selected genes significantly increased cross-data classification accuracy of breast cancer metastasis. Conclusions: The randomized Steiner tree based approach described in this study is a new way to discover biomarker genes for breast cancer, and improves the prediction accuracy of metastasis. Though the analysis is limited here only to breast cancer, it can be easily applied to other diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: There are few case reports of thymoma with a thymic cyst. Such an association renders it difficult for any pathologist to differentiate from other neoplasms, such as a cystic thymoma.Case Presentation: A 50-year-old Berber woman from Morocco was admitted with a chronic cough of more than 10 years duration. Her medical history and physical examination were normal. Anterior chest radiography demonstrated a calcified opacity in her right anterior mediastinum. A chest-computed tomogram revealed a round cystic tumor, with significant calcification in her right anterior mediastinum. A surgical exploration was performed. The tumor seemed to be a well-encapsulated and totally calcified lesion, arising from the right lobe of her thymus. It was removed by partial resection of her thymus. Through histology, the calcified tumor exhibited some areas of multilocular fibrous-wall cysts. These cysts were partially lined by small cuboidal cells with severe chronic inflammation and an AB thymoma that arose from the wall of the cyst.Conclusion: Greater attention should be given to multilocular thymic cysts, to exclude the possibility of neoplasm, especially when the cyst wall is thickened. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Schwannoma is a benign tumor arising from Schwann cells of the peripheral nerve sheath. Perineal schwannomas are exceptional, and rarely reported in the literature. We report a case of a perineal schwannoma, close to the anal sphincter, and provide a short summary of clinical, radiological and surgical features of this rare entity. Case presentation: A 62 year-old male patient was admitted for a suspected perineal mass. At clinical examination, he had a soft mass, located on the right of the anus. Computed tomography showed a perineal mass, located on the right side of the anal sphincter that enhanced after injection of the contrast medium. Complete surgical excision of the tumor was performed. The most challenging part during the surgery was the dissection and preservation of the anal sphincter to avoid anal incontinence. Pathologic examination revealed a completely excised schwannoma. Conclusions: Perineal schwannomas are very rare tumors that are usually asymptomatic, and which present as large masses. Complete excision is necessary to avoid recurrences. Surgical resection may be difficult depending of proximity to the anal sphincter. A cautious dissection in such cases is required in order to reduce the risk of incontinence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Soft tissue myoepithelial carcinoma and myoepithelioma are rare entities, part of myoepithelial tumors. They were incorporated into the World Health Organization classification of soft tissue tumors in 2002. Here we present an exceptional case of myoepithelial carcinoma and myoepithelioma association. To the best of our knowledge, such an association has never been reported in the literature.Case Presentation: We report a case of myoepithelial carcinoma combined with myoepithelioma occurring in the soft tissue of the right forearm of an 84-year-old Arabian man. We describe the clinical, radiological and pathological features dominated by histological polymorphism. We will also describe the proposed histological criteria of malignancy and the major role of immunohistochemistry in positive and differential diagnosis. We finally mention the therapeutic arsenal available.Conclusion: Through this work, we report that myoepithelioma of soft tissue can progress to malignant myoepithelioma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Allium sativum L. (A.S.) "garlic", one of the most interesting medicinal plants, has been suggested to contain compounds that could be beneficial in numerous pathological situations including cancer. In this work, we aimed to assess the immunomodulatory effect of A.S. preparation on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy individuals., Methods: Nontoxic doses of A.S. were identified using MTT assay. Effects on CD4+ or CD8+ T lymphocyte proliferation were studied using flow cytometry. The effect of A.S. on cytokine gene expression was studied using qRT-PCR. Finally, qualitative analysis of A.S. was performed by HPLC approach. Data were analyzed statistically by one-way ANOVA test., Results: The nontoxic doses of A.S. preparation did not affect neither spontaneous nor TCR-mediated CD4+ or CD8+ T lymphocyte proliferation. Interestingly, A.S. exhibited a statistically significant regulation of IL-17 gene expression, a cytokine involved in several inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. In contrast, the expression of IL-4, an anti-inflammatory cytokine, was unaffected. Qualitative analysis of A.S. ethanol preparation indicated the presence of three polyphenol bioactive compounds, which are catechin, vanillic acid and ferulic acid., Conclusion: The specific inhibition of the pro-inflammatory cytokine, IL-17 without affecting cell proliferation in human PBMCs by the Allium sativum L. preparation suggests a potential valuable effect of the compounds present in this plant for the treatment of inflammatory diseases and cancer, where IL-17 is highly expressed. The individual contribution of these three compounds to this global effect will be assessed.