Conotruncal malformations of the heart are a major category of birth defects. No previous epidemiological studies on these malformations have been carried out in Egypt;therefore our study aimed to describe association...Conotruncal malformations of the heart are a major category of birth defects. No previous epidemiological studies on these malformations have been carried out in Egypt;therefore our study aimed to describe associations with maternal and infant factors in order to identify possible risk factors. Cases (N = 255) were children up to two years of age whose heart malformations were confirmed by echocardiography;they were enrolled at the Cardiology Department of the Pediatric Hospital of Cairo University. Controls (N = 155) were free of congenital heart malformations, matched to the cases by age, and recruited from outpatients of the same hospital. Mothers of cases (97%) and controls (89%) provided consent to participate in an interview about their medical, familial, and occupational histories. Odds ratios (OR) and exact 95% confidence intervals (CI) assessed the magnitude and statistical significance of case-control differences. Cases were divided into two groups based on the presence of d-transposition of the great arteries (TGA): there were 139 with TGA and 116 with normally-related great arteries (NGA). Maternal diabetes prevalence was elevated in both the TGA (OR = 3.4) and NGA (OR = 5.5) subgroups. Several agricultural factors were associated with increased risk: raising animals (for TGA: OR = 2.4, 95% CI 1.2-4.6), raising poultry (for NGA: OR = 1.8, 95% CI 1.1-3.2), and using chemical rodenticides (for all conotruncal cases: OR = 3.2, 95% CI 1.1-13.2). These results are consistent with previous studies of associations of maternal diabetes and pesticide exposure with conotruncal malformations. Further research is warranted to explore such associations and determine avenues for prevention.展开更多
Biobanking facilities are well established in high-income settings,where substantial funding has been invested in infrastructure.In contrast,such facilities are much less developed in resource-restricted settings.Howe...Biobanking facilities are well established in high-income settings,where substantial funding has been invested in infrastructure.In contrast,such facilities are much less developed in resource-restricted settings.However,low-and middle-income countries(LMICs)still face a disproportionately high infectious diseases burden.Thus,the further development of infrastructure facilities,including biobanks is warranted as an important component of this unfolding clinical research environment.This perspective manuscript summarises the challenges and enablers for biobanking in LMICs,with a particular focus on infectious diseases,incorporating some of the lessons learned from the recent coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic.展开更多
Aim:Epidermal growth factor(EGF)is a mitogen for hepatocyte grown in vitro,and its expression is up-regulated during liver regeneration.EGF also plays an important role in tumor initiation and progression.The goal of ...Aim:Epidermal growth factor(EGF)is a mitogen for hepatocyte grown in vitro,and its expression is up-regulated during liver regeneration.EGF also plays an important role in tumor initiation and progression.The goal of this study is to assess whether EGF is associated with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)and also whether it is a predictive factor of shortened survival.Methods:Serum EGF levels were evaluated in a total of 151 subjects:51 patients with unresectable HCC,(21 of them were eligible for transarterial chemoembolization(TACE)and serum EGF levels were measured before and 1 week after TACE),40 patients with chronic hepatitis without cirrhosis,40 patients with cirrhosis,and 20 healthy controls.Patient demographic and laboratory variables were evaluated as predictive factors of survival in a Cox regression multivariate analysis using SPSS software.Results:The mean serum level of EGF in patients with HCC was 784.49 pg/mL,which was significantly higher(P<0.05)than all other groups.Mean EGF level in cirrhotic patients was 144.69 pg/mL;in those with chronic hepatitis C without cirrhosis,it was 338.64 pg/mL;and in healthy controls,it was 297.15 pg/mL.In group Ia patients who underwent TACE,the mean serum level of EGF was 759.76±287.88 pg/mL before TACE,and 801.14±276.12 pg/mL 1 week after treatment(P=0.34).On multivariate Cox regression analysis only age(P=0.03)and higher serum EGF level(P=0.005),were inversely correlated with overall survival.Conclusion:EGF levels were found to be significantly higher in HCC patients and together with age were the only predictors of poor survival in these patients.There was an increase in EGF levels 1 week after TACE in response to hypoxia;however,this increase was not statistically significant.展开更多
文摘Conotruncal malformations of the heart are a major category of birth defects. No previous epidemiological studies on these malformations have been carried out in Egypt;therefore our study aimed to describe associations with maternal and infant factors in order to identify possible risk factors. Cases (N = 255) were children up to two years of age whose heart malformations were confirmed by echocardiography;they were enrolled at the Cardiology Department of the Pediatric Hospital of Cairo University. Controls (N = 155) were free of congenital heart malformations, matched to the cases by age, and recruited from outpatients of the same hospital. Mothers of cases (97%) and controls (89%) provided consent to participate in an interview about their medical, familial, and occupational histories. Odds ratios (OR) and exact 95% confidence intervals (CI) assessed the magnitude and statistical significance of case-control differences. Cases were divided into two groups based on the presence of d-transposition of the great arteries (TGA): there were 139 with TGA and 116 with normally-related great arteries (NGA). Maternal diabetes prevalence was elevated in both the TGA (OR = 3.4) and NGA (OR = 5.5) subgroups. Several agricultural factors were associated with increased risk: raising animals (for TGA: OR = 2.4, 95% CI 1.2-4.6), raising poultry (for NGA: OR = 1.8, 95% CI 1.1-3.2), and using chemical rodenticides (for all conotruncal cases: OR = 3.2, 95% CI 1.1-13.2). These results are consistent with previous studies of associations of maternal diabetes and pesticide exposure with conotruncal malformations. Further research is warranted to explore such associations and determine avenues for prevention.
文摘Biobanking facilities are well established in high-income settings,where substantial funding has been invested in infrastructure.In contrast,such facilities are much less developed in resource-restricted settings.However,low-and middle-income countries(LMICs)still face a disproportionately high infectious diseases burden.Thus,the further development of infrastructure facilities,including biobanks is warranted as an important component of this unfolding clinical research environment.This perspective manuscript summarises the challenges and enablers for biobanking in LMICs,with a particular focus on infectious diseases,incorporating some of the lessons learned from the recent coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic.
文摘Aim:Epidermal growth factor(EGF)is a mitogen for hepatocyte grown in vitro,and its expression is up-regulated during liver regeneration.EGF also plays an important role in tumor initiation and progression.The goal of this study is to assess whether EGF is associated with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)and also whether it is a predictive factor of shortened survival.Methods:Serum EGF levels were evaluated in a total of 151 subjects:51 patients with unresectable HCC,(21 of them were eligible for transarterial chemoembolization(TACE)and serum EGF levels were measured before and 1 week after TACE),40 patients with chronic hepatitis without cirrhosis,40 patients with cirrhosis,and 20 healthy controls.Patient demographic and laboratory variables were evaluated as predictive factors of survival in a Cox regression multivariate analysis using SPSS software.Results:The mean serum level of EGF in patients with HCC was 784.49 pg/mL,which was significantly higher(P<0.05)than all other groups.Mean EGF level in cirrhotic patients was 144.69 pg/mL;in those with chronic hepatitis C without cirrhosis,it was 338.64 pg/mL;and in healthy controls,it was 297.15 pg/mL.In group Ia patients who underwent TACE,the mean serum level of EGF was 759.76±287.88 pg/mL before TACE,and 801.14±276.12 pg/mL 1 week after treatment(P=0.34).On multivariate Cox regression analysis only age(P=0.03)and higher serum EGF level(P=0.005),were inversely correlated with overall survival.Conclusion:EGF levels were found to be significantly higher in HCC patients and together with age were the only predictors of poor survival in these patients.There was an increase in EGF levels 1 week after TACE in response to hypoxia;however,this increase was not statistically significant.
