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The quality assurance of meat products is very important for human health protection. In this study, 50 samples from burger, kofta, and sausage were examined histologically for the detection of adulteration. Histological sections from the three meat products were stained with hematoxylin and eosin stain. Adulteration by unauthorized plant and animal tissues was detected microscopically. The results revealed that burger was adulterated with lung, heart, connective tissue, smooth muscles, cartilage, and plant tissues. Burger samples showed parasitic infection with sarcocystis within skeletal muscles. Kofta was adulterated with lung, connective tissue, smooth muscles, cartilage, blood vessels, and plant tissues. Sausage was adulterated with intestine, connective tissue, smooth muscles, cartilage, blood vessels, fat, and plant tissue. This study confirms the availability of histological examination in detecting adulteration of meat products and parasitic infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myopia is considered one of the main causes of visual impairment with increased prevalence. The main objective of this study was to evaluate and characterize cognitive impairment in adult patients with bilateral myopia, in relation to retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness. Forty patients with bilateral myopia aged 18–40 years, and 40 age- and gender-matched healthy controls were included in the study. For all subjects, cognitive functions were assessed by Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT) and Paired Associate Learning test (PALT). Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was done for all included patients and controls. Among the myopic group, 15 patients had mild myopia, 8 patients had moderate myopia and 17 patients had high myopia. There were significant differences between patients and control groups in terms of cognitive performance and RNFL thickness. There was a significant correlation between the scores of cognitive tests and error of refraction and RNFL thickness. Adults with bilateral myopia have cognitive impairment, regarding information processing speed and episodic memory. Cognitive impairment is associated with retinal thinning and a higher degree of myopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives The aim of this work was to explore the expression of miR-320a level in fibromyalgia patients in comparison to healthy controls, and to clarify its impact on the severity of symptoms and the cerebral processing of pain assessed by middle latency somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs). Design Case-control study. Setting Rheumatology and Neurology outpatient clinics. Subjects Seventy-four fibromyalgia patients and seventy-four normal healthy controls. Methods The included patients were subjected to detailed history taking, assessment of severity of fibromyalgia symptoms using the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire Revised (FIQR), assessment of pain intensity using the Neuropathic Pain Symptom Inventory (NPSI), measurement of the serum level of miR-320a in addition to of measurement peak latencies and amplitudes of middle latency SSEPs. Results Fibromyalgia patients had significantly higher micro-RNA-320a levels (0.907 ± 0.022) in comparison to controls (0.874 ± 0.015) (P -value <.001). The mean values of micro-RNA-320a levels were significantly higher in fibromyalgia patients with insomnia, chronic fatigue syndrome, persistent depressive disorder, and primary headache disorder than those without (P -value = .024, <.001,.006,.036 respectively). There were statistically significant positive correlations between micro-RNA-320a levels, and disease duration, FIQR, and NPSI total scores (P -value <0.001, 0.003, 0.002 respectively). There were no statistically significant correlations between micro-RNA-320a levels and middle latency SSEPs. Discussion Micro-RNA-320a level is significantly upregulated in fibromyalgia patient. It has a crucial impact on the severity of symptoms but not related to the cerebral processing of pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The safety of Ramadan fasting for Muslim patients suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS) is still a matter of debate. This work aimed to study the clinical course of MS during Ramadan fasting and to clarify the predictors of relapses and symptoms exacerbation. This retrospective study included 153 Muslim patients with MS. Data related to the disease course before Ramadan were obtained from patients' files, whereas data related to the disease activity during Ramadan, were collected from patients over the two months following Ramadan. Patients with MS who experienced relapses, exacerbation of symptoms and development of new symptoms during Ramadan had a statistically significant longer disease duration compared to those who did not experience (P < 0.001, <0.001, 0.01 respectively). Also, patients who experienced relapses, exacerbation of symptoms and development of new symptoms during Ramadan had a statistically significant higher expanded disability status scale (EDSS) compared to those who did not experience (P <0.001, <0.001,0.01, respectively). The occurrence of relapses, exacerbation of symptoms and development of new symptoms during Ramadan, were significantly higher in patients who experienced relapses in the preceding year compared to those who did not (P= 0.002, 0.002, 0.01, respectively). Binary logistic regression revealed that each score elevation of EDSS increased the odds of relapse during Ramadan by 1.02 (P-value = 0.04). Also, each month's increase in disease duration increased the odds of relapse during Ramadan by 1.87 (P-value = 0.046). High EDSS and long disease duration are independent predictors of relapse during Ramadan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Insulin resistance (IR) means the requirement of a higher insulin concentration to produce the expected biological effect. It was proposed that triglycerides-glucose index (TY G) and triglycerides-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (TG/HDL) were dependable, applicable, and less-expensive markers of IR. However, their results varied significantly among different ethnic groups. Aim: To assess the eligibility of TY G and TG/HDL as IR indices among overweight and/or obese Egyptians. Patients and methods: The participants in this cross-sectional study were 328 overweight and/or obese Egyptians. Their fasting blood glucose, TG, HDL, and fasting insulin blood concentrations were estimated. Homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), TY G, and TG/HDL were calculated. Results: A statistically significant positive correlation between HOMA-IR and both TY G (r = 0.688; P < 0.001) and TG/HDL (r = 0.590; P < 0.001) was identified. Four quartiles had been set up for HOMA-IR across which both indices showed trends of consistent increase. Analysis of the receiver-operating characteristic curves revealed that TY G [area under the curve = 0.858 (95% confidence interval 0.819-0.897) (P < 0.001)] is a better marker for IR than TG/HDL [area under the curve = 0.796 (95% confidence interval 0.750-0.843) (P < 0.001)] and demonstrated more than or equal to 8.22 and more than or equal to 1.82 as their respective cutoff values. Conclusion: TY G and TG/HDL demonstrated significant association with HOMA-IR and might be applied as eligible indices of IR among overweight and/or obese Egyptians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) is an essential commercial fish in China. The brain of fish is primitive and characterizes with adult neurogenesis. Aim of Work: this study aimed to give some notes on brain histology of loach fish and characterize the sites of stem and proliferating cells in the brain. Materials and Methods: We histologically observed the structure of the brain via hematoxylin and eosin stain. We also used fluorescent in situ hybridization to evaluate the localization of Msi1, Bmi1, and Sox2. They are essential genes expressed in brain stem cells of loach. Proliferating cells were evaluated by PCNA immunofluorescence. As well as GFAP immunofluorescence was used for detection of the gial property of proliferating cells. Results: Our results indicated that the neural stem cells were located in the granular cell layer of the cerebellum, vagal lobe, facial lobe, optic tectum, and beside the third ventricle because these sites exhibited expression of Sox2. There were several areas of the brain that contained proliferating cells, including the cerebrum, the torus longitudinalis, and in between the optic tectum and cerebellum. In the cerebellum, the proliferating cells were present in the molecular cell layer, around the intracerebellar ventricle, in the lobus caudalis cerebella, in the eminentia granularis, and around the rhombencephalic ventricle. Proliferating cells were also observed in the three layers of the vagal lobe and throughout the facial lobe. These proliferating cells were all negative for GFAP. Conclusion: The present study provides valuable insight into neural stem cells in loach brain, and these findings can be used to guide future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) are promising as biocontrol agents for the most economically important insect pest attacking a wide range of host plants. Therefore, the aim of this work was to study the impact of four artificial diets and one natural food on numbers, weights, and total lipid content of the greater wax moth larvae, Galleria mellonella (Linnaeus) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) as well as the impact of these diets on the ability of nematode species Heterorhabditis bacteriophora and Steinernema carpocapsae to infect insects and multiply inside an insect host which had been reared on one of five different diets (D1, D2, D3, D4 and D5). The correlation between larvae weight and total lipid content, pathogenicity or multiplication of nematodes was also studied. The obtained results indicated that D2, D5 and D3 gave the highest growth or weights of larvae. The larvae produced weighed 3.71, 3.67 and 3.25 g from 50 g media, respectively. Statistically, larvae weights had a positive and significant correlation with the lipid content in larvae where r = 0.732. On the other hand, infective juveniles (IJs) of nematodes produced from insect hosts reared on D2 and D5 revealed more pathogenicity on larvae, since they caused the highest percent of mortality, 53.33 and 50.0% for H. bacteriophora, and 56.67 and 53.33% for S. carpocapsae, respectively. The total lipid content had a positive and highly significant correlation with the pathogenicity of the two nematode species where r = 0.97 and 0.971, respectively. Ultimately, the supplied foods of the artificial diets D2, D3 and natural beeswax (D5) gave the most suitable chance for developing insect growth and increasing the EPN quality and enhancing the potential of EPNs as biological control agents against different insect pests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is known to be a multifactorial disorder. Numerous observational studies have suggested the implication of multiple genetic and environmental factors in the pathogenesis of MS. The aim of this work was to evaluate expression of the microRNA-22 (miRNA-22) level, in relation to vitamin D (VD) and VD receptor (VDR) levels in patients with MS during remission state. Methods: This case-control study was conducted in 50 patients with clinically definite MS and 50 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. miRNA-22 expression was assessed in both MS patients and controls using quantitative RT-PCR. The serum level of VD and VDR was assessed in both MS patients and controls using ELISA techniques. Results: The miRNA-22 level was significantly downregulated in MS patients in comparison to controls (p value <0.001). MS patients had also significantly lower VD and VDR levels in comparison to controls (p value <0.001 and <0.001, respectively). Patients with secondary progressive MS (SPMS) have a significantly higher miRNA-22 level than patients with relapsing remitting MS (RRMS) (p value = 0.042). There was a statistically significant positive correlation between the miRNA-22 level and EDSS (p value = 0.033). There was also a statistically significant positive correlation between the miRNA-22 level and VDR level (p value = 0.002). Conclusion: The miRNA-22 level was significantly downregulated in MS patients, but it had a positive correlation with disability status. Patients with SPMS have a significantly higher miRNA-22 level than patients with RRMS. VD and VDR levels were significantly lower in MS patients than controls. The miRNA-22 level was positively correlated with the VDR level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fasting is the basis for the ketogenic diet, and intermittent fasting is emerging as a treatment for epilepsy. There are no available data about the role of Islamic fasting on seizure control. This study aims to assess the effect of Ramadan fasting on the frequency of different seizure types. This was a prospective observational study on Muslim patients with active epilepsy intending to fast during Ramadan in the year 2019, with an average of 16 fasting hours per day. Seizure frequency for each seizure type was followed over three months, one month before (Shaaban), during Ramadan and one month after (Shawwal), after ensuring drug compliance. Three hundred and twenty one Muslim patients with active epilepsy with median age of 33 years were included (some patients had more than one type of seizure). In Ramadan, 86 out of 224 patients with focal seizures, 17 out of 38 patients with myoclonic seizures and 6 out of 10 patients with absence seizures showed ≥ 50% reduction. In Shawaal, such improvement continued to include 83, 13 and 4 patients with focal, myoclonic and absence seizures. Focal and myoclonic seizures were significantly improved in the months of Ramadan and Shawaal compared to Shaaban. However, absence seizures were significantly improved only in Ramadan compared with Shaaban. The frequency of generalized tonic-clonic seizures did not significantly differ between the three months. Ramadan fasting may have an improving effect, as well as a post-fasting effect, on active focal, myoclonic and absence seizures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To assess risk factors for persistent neuropathic pain in subjects recovered from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and to study the serum level of neurofilament light chain (NFL) in those patients. Design Case-control study. Setting Persistent post-COVID-19 pain. Subjects In total, 45 patients with post-COVID-19 pain and another 45 age and sex-matched healthcare workers who recovered from COVID-19 without pain. Methods The included participants were subjected to medical history taking, screening for depressive disorders, comprehensive neurological examination, and pain evaluation using the Douleur Neuropathique en 4 questions (DN4). All patients who had a score at least 4/10 on DN4 were included. The serum NFL level was measured for both groups at the time of patients' enrollment. Results The frequency of depression, moderate and severe COVID-19 cases, disease duration and serum ferritin were significantly higher in the cases with post-COVID-19 pain than controls. Binary logistic regression revealed that depression, azithromycin use, moderate and severe COVID-19 increased the odds of post-COVID-19 pain by 4.462, 5.444, 4.901, and 6.276 times, respectively. Cases with post-COVID-19 pain had significantly higher NFL (11.34 ± 9.7, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 8.42–14.25) than control group (7.64 ± 5.40, 95% CI: 6.02–9.27), (P value = .029). Patients with allodynia had significantly higher NFL (14.96 ± 12.41, 95% CI: 8.58–21.35) compared to those without (9.14 ± 6.99, 95% CI: 6.43–11.85) (P value = .05). Discussion Depression, azithromycin, and moderate and severe COVID-19 are independent predictors of persistent post-COVID-19 pain. Serum NFL may serve as a potential biomarker for persistent neuropathic pain after COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetes is a metabolic disease that is very common in developing countries and responsible for the death of over 1.5 million people each year. This study aimed to investigate the anti-diabetic effect of different types of synbiotic yogurt on experimental rats. Four different types of synbiotic yogurt supplemented with inulin and microencapsulated probiotics (Lactobacillus acidophilus CH2, Lactobacillus plantarum DSA 20174, Lactobacillus rhamnosus NRRL B-442, Bifidobacterium lactis LB-12) were used. A fifth type of yogurt supplemented with inulin alone was also prepared. The antidiabetic effect of different synbiotic yogurt was evaluated in diabetic rats. The results showed that the microencapsulation had improved the survival of probiotic in yogurt samples. The yogurt samples supplemented with inulin and microencapsulated L. acidophilus have a mean viability (8.6 ±0.1 log CFU/g) on the seventh day higher, but not significant, than the viability at zero time (8.1 ±0.1 log CFU/g). The glucose and total cholesterol levels have significantly decreased (132 mg/dL and 72 ±5 mg/dL at P<0.05 respectively) in diabetic rats that were fed with yogurt supplemented with inulin and L. acidophilus compared to the diabetic control group (glucose 360 mg/dL and total cholesterol 118 ±4 mg/dL). The administration of yogurt supplemented with inulin and L. rhamnosus and yogurt supplemented with inulin and B. lactis were the most promising in improving plasma ALT (26 ±1 U/L) and AST (32 ±1 U/L) levels respectively, compared to those of diabetic control group (ALT 127 ±4 U/L and AST 69 ±0.8 U/L). A significant reduction (P<0.05) was also recorded in the levels of creatinine (0.75 ±0.09 mg/dL) and urea (30 ±0.4 mg/dL) in diabetic rats that were fed yogurt supplemented with inulin and L. plantarum compared to that of the diabetic control group (creatinine 3.08 ±0.07 mg/dL and urea 72 ±2 mg/dL). In general, the results in the current study provided evidence that using the microencapsulation technique can enhance the viability and the performance of the probiotic bacteria. The results also support the application of probiotic bacteria in ameliorating type-2 diabetes and reducing its complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the effects of Biocide, containing silicon tetrahedrons and organic acids, on growth performance, feed utilization, immune response, and oxidative status in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). A total of 300 Nile tilapia fingerlings (initial weight: 3.55 ± 0.01 g) were distributed across 15 tanks and fed diets containing 0.0 (control), 0.25, 0.5, 1, and 2 g kg⁻¹ Biocide for 90 days, with three replicate tanks per treatment. Biocide is enriched with organic acids (fumaric acid and citric acid) and amino acids (glutamine, tyrosine, methionine, serine, and threonine). Fish fed Biocide-supplemented diets demonstrated significantly improved growth performance, with the highest weight gain, feed conversion ratio, and protein efficiency ratio observed in the 1 g kg⁻¹ group. Survival rates did not differ significantly among treatments. Whole-body crude protein content peaked in the 1 g kg⁻¹ group, while moisture, lipid, and ash contents remained unchanged. Hematological parameters, including red blood cell count, hemoglobin concentration, and packed cell volume, improved significantly. Serum lipid profiles showed reduced cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, and very-low-density lipoprotein levels, alongside increased high-density lipoprotein levels, particularly in the 1 g kg⁻¹ group. Antioxidant enzyme activities (catalase, glutathione peroxidase) and total antioxidant capacity were significantly elevated in the liver and intestine, while malondialdehyde levels decreased. Digestive enzyme activities (amylase, lipase, and protease) were markedly enhanced. Histopathological analysis revealed improved liver, stomach, and intestinal morphology, including increased mucous secretion and enhanced intestinal villi structure, in fish fed 1 g kg⁻¹ Biocide. In conclusion, Biocide supplementation, particularly at 1 g kg⁻¹, significantly improved growth performance, feed utilization, immune function, and antioxidant capacity in Nile tilapia. Notably, the findings highlight Biocide's primary mode of action on gut health, underscoring its potential as a dietary additive for improving aquaculture productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]