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Copyright of Al-Andalus Journal for Applied Sciences is the property of Alandalus University for Science & Technology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The burden of hyperlipidemia is on the rise globally especially in many low-income countries like Uganda. Management of this metabolic disorder mainly involves dietary and behavioral therapies, which are often met with poor results as they require time and discipline from the patients. The chemotherapeutic options available are expensive, have many side effects and are rarely available to the average citizen. Thus, an alternative effective remedy which is readily available and cheap is needed to combat the problem of hyperlipidemia. This study sought to establish the effect of the mixture of Allium cepa extract and Camellia sinensis extract on the serum lipid profile of the male Wistar rats. Allium cepa and Camellia sinensis mixture in a ratio of 3:7 had the highest antioxidant activity. It reduced body weight, total cholesterol, triacylglycerides, LDL-cholesterol and increased HDL, and in addition it had no toxicity to the liver of the animal models used. It has thus been recommended as a potential therapy for hyperlipidemia and its associated complication of liver toxicity. A pharmaco-kinetic study regarding the interaction of antioxidants for combinations of Allium cepa and Camellia sinensis extracts in different ratios should be conducted to understand the cause of synergism and antagonism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus may be associated with many complications including diabetic nephropathy and pulmonary impairment, the pathogenesis and progression of these complications may be related to oxidative stress. Bilirubin, which is a non-polar molecule have antioxidant properties. The relationship between occurrence, development and prognosis of diabetic complications and bilirubin concentration had become a research focus. However, no study has evaluated the relationship between protective effect of bilirubin on both diabetic nephropathy and pulmonary impairment in type II diabetic patients. Methods: The design of the study is a cross sectional study included 245 type II diabetic patients. Spirometry was done for all patients. Albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR), glycosylated hemoglobin, total serum bilirubin and serum glutathione reductase enzyme were measured. Results: There was a significant statistical negative relationship between serum bilirubin and glutathione reductase enzyme with ACR and significant statistical positive relationship between serum bilirubin and glutathione reductase enzyme with lung function parameters (forced expiratory volume in the first second and forced vital capacity). Conclusion: serum bilirubin levels had a protective effect against diabetic nephropathy and impairment of pulmonary function. If serum bilirubin levels were moderately high but within the normal range, this was related with decreased risk of diabetic complications and there was a parallel relationship between serum bilirubin levels and the glutathione reductase enzyme levels in type II diabetic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic hepatitis C (HCV) infection can persist for decades without symptoms. Many Americans are unaware of their infection status and are not receiving necessary care and treatment. This places them at greater risk for severe, even fatal, complications from the disease and increases the likelihood that they will transmit the virus to others. In late 2013, the Food and Drug Administration approved a direct acting antiviral drug called sofosbuvir to treat chronic HCV infection. Sofosbuvir is a highly effective, but very expensive, curative treatment for HCV. Unfortunately, the high price of sofosbuvir has led payers, including Medicaid, to restrict patient access. Looking at the sheer cost of the HCV crisis facing the United States, particularly among minority communities, it is a critical time to invest in prevention, screening, and treatment. These pharmaceutical treatments have the potential to cure HCV, eliminate the virus, and mitigate future health care expenses. This article argues that restricting access to this pharmaceutical treatment may be a discriminatory practice under both Medicaid law and the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In addition to potential legal challenges, there are strong economic and public health imperatives to removing barriers to HCV treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People who the author would like to thank for their contributions to the publication of the journal are presented.

Background: Our aim was to identify markers predictive of fibrosis in alcoholic liver disease (ALD). Percutaneous liver biopsy is the recommended standard for histologic assessment of liver fibrosis. Seven serum markers (tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase 1 {TIMP1}, tenascin, collagen VI, amino-terminal propeptide of type III collagen {PIIINP}, matrix metalloproteinases {MMP2}, laminin, and hyaluronic acid {HA}) representing various aspects of collagen and extracellular matrix deposition and degradation, have been proposed as noninvasive surrogates for liver biopsy. Moreover, a diagnostic algorithm including 3 serum markers (TIMP1, PIIINP, HA) and age has been proposed to accurately detect fibrosis with acceptable levels of sensitivity/specificity in a chronic hepatitis C subgroup. Methods: To determine variability of these markers in liver fibrosis with different etiologies, we conducted an evaluation of their correlative properties in a subgroup of patients ( n = 247) with biopsy confirmed liver fibrosis resulting from long-term heavy alcohol consumption. Patients were participants in a recently completed VA multicenter clinical trial followed over 2 years with liver biopsy at baseline and 24 months, and with markers assessed every 3 months. Results: Among the markers measured in this alcoholic subgroup all except collagen VI displayed significant correlation with degrees of fibrosis. Three markers, TIMP1, PIIINP and HA adjusted for age, emerged as the most promising predictors of the degree of fibrosis in a population of alcoholics. However, there was little change over time as related to change in fibrosis. The lower than expected accuracy of these markers based on receiver operating curves (ROC) also showed their limited use in this etiologic subgroup. Conclusion: In alcoholic patients, various markers have limited value in predicting and diagnosing the stages of fibrosis compared to liver biopsy. Thus, further prospective studies are required to better define the usefulness of each marker or their combination which are possibly affected by alcohol metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with alcoholic liver disease have a high prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The histological appearances of the liver in patients with alcoholic liver disease and HCV infection are well described. However, liver histology in individuals with dual pathology, both chronic alcohol abuse and HCV infection, is less well understood. The purpose of the present study was to examine this issue and to determine if there is any correlation between specific histological features and the serum biochemical abnormalities seen in these patients. Eighty-six chronic alcoholics, 65 with HCV infection and 21 uninfected subjects, were included in the study. All patients had history of heavy alcohol abuse (consuming 80 g or more of ethanol a day for at least 10 years). The following data were collected on each patient: demographic information (age, gender, race), the amount and duration of alcohol intake, biochemical results, and liver biopsy abnormalities including the histological activity index (HAI) score. HCV-infected alcoholics were younger (P = 0.05) and were more often African American than Caucasian (P < 0.01). Alcohol consumption was significantly greater in uninfected alcoholics compared to those with HCV infection (P < 0.05). Liver histology in subjects with HCV infection showed higher HAI scores for intralobular necrosis (P = 0.008) and periportal inflammation (P = 0.004). Features of “chronic hepatitis” and focal lymphoid aggregates were more frequent in HCV-infected alcoholics (P = 0.001 for each). By contrast, cirrhosis was present in a higher proportion of uninfected alcoholics compared to those with HCV infection (P = 0.05). Histological findings of hepatic fibrosis and total HAI score showed a significant correlation with serum albumin and platelet count in HCV-infected alcoholics. Chronic alcoholics with HCV infection have specific histological appearances that can usually help distinguish these patients from uninfected alcoholics. Correlation analysis indicates that of the various laboratory tests, serum albumin and platelet counts are the best predictors of the severity of liver damage at histology. In chronic alcoholics, the development of cirrhosis is related more to the amount of alcohol consumed than to the presence of HCV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is unclear why only a minority (<15%) of alcoholics develop liver disease. No predisposing host factor other than gender (women are more susceptible than men) has been identified. The present study was carried out to examine the association of another host factor, hair growth over the trunk, and alcoholic liver disease. Forty-four chronic alcohol abusers were categorized into group I (scanty hair growth) and group II (profuse hair growth) based on premorbid hair distribution over the trunk. The results of laboratory tests, liver histology, and incidence of portal hypertension were compared between the two groups. There were 21 patients in group I and 23 in group II. The mean (+/- SD) daily alcohol consumption was greater in group II (230 +/- 146 g) vs group I patients (152 +/- 56 g; P < 0.05), as was the duration of alcohol abuse (17.3 +/- 7.4 vs 11.9 +/- 4.9 years; P < 0.01). Despite lower alcohol consumption, liver tests showed greater derangement in group I compared to group II patients. At histology, severe forms of liver damage were seen more frequently in group I vs group II patients (P < 0.001). Our results indicate a close association between the premorbid truncal hair growth and severity of alcoholic liver disease. These findings provide an easily recognizable clinical sign identifying individuals at increased risk of developing alcohol-related liver damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The present study shows that scanty hair distribution over the trunk is a specific finding in patients with alcoholic liver disease (ALD), and is not seen in alcoholic pancreatitis. This observation not only provides a useful clinical marker of individuals at increased risk of developing alcohol-related liver disease, but from the pathogenetic viewpoint, it suggests that at the tissue level, the male sex hormones protect the liver against ethanol-related damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]