HCV genotype 4 dominates the HCV epidemic in Egypt. Drug resistance was the most serious side effect that reflects bad clinical outcome. Several studies had demonstrated that baseline serum interferon-γ-inducible-protein 10 (IP-10) levels and interleukin 28B polymorphisms were associated with the resistance to the standard of care pegylated interferon alpha and ribavirin (PEG-IFNα/RBV) therapy and development of post-treatment relapse. Our purpose was to assess the predictive value of combining IP-10 levels and IL28B genotypes to PEG-IFNα/RBV therapy response in Egyptian chronic HCV infection patients with genotype 4. Ninety Egyptian patients chronically infected by HCV genotype-4 treated with pegylated interferon alpha and ribavirin (PEG-IFNα/RBV) therapy were enrolled. Serum IP-10 levels were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay pre- and post- treatment. IL-28B (rs12979860 and rs8099917) polymorphisms were performed by PCR-RFLP in all patients. Overall, 38 patients (42.2%) achieved sustained virologic response (SVR) and 52 (57.8%) patients have non-viral response (NVR). Pretreatment serum IP-10 mean levels were significantly lower in patients who achieved SVR than in NVR (P<0.05). CC genotype in IL28B polymorphism (rs12979860) was the favorable genotype as 65.8% achieved SVR, while TT genotype in IL-28B polymorphism (rs8099917) was the favorable genotype as 81.5% achieved SVR. Baseline IP-10 was significantly correlated to genotypes CC in rs12979860 and TT in rs8099917. Combined use of serum baseline IP-10 levels with IL-28B polymorphisms could improve the prediction of SVR to PEG-IFNα/RBV therapy in Egyptian chronic HCV infection patients with genotype 4.
Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable mortality in the world. Article 14 of the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) states that countries should promote cessation of tobacco use and adequate treatment for tobacco dependence. Health-care providers asking all patients about their tobacco use and advising tobacco users to quit are evidence-based strategies that increase tobacco abstinence. This report examines the proportion of tobacco smokers in 17 countries responding to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) who saw a health-care provider in the past year and who reported that a health-care provider asked them about smoking and advised them to quit. Respondents were tobacco smokers aged ≥15 years surveyed during 2008-2011 in Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay, and Vietnam. The proportion of smokers who had visited a health-care provider during the previous 12 months ranged from 21.6% in Egypt to 62.3% in Poland. Among these, the proportion reporting that a health-care provider asked if they smoked ranged from 34.9% in Vietnam to 82.1% in Romania. Among those screened for tobacco use, those who reported their health-care providers advised them to quit ranged from 17.3% in Mexico to 67.3% in Romania. In most countries, persons aged ≥45 years were more likely to report being screened and advised to quit than were persons aged ≤24 years. Health-care providers should identify smokers and provide advice and assistance in quitting at each visit as an adjunct to effective community interventions (e.g., increased price of tobacco products; smoke-free policies, mass media campaigns, and tobacco quitlines).
Study name: Global Adults Tobacco Survey (GATS-2011)
The aim of our study was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the free combination of amlodipine/valsartan in patients with arterial hypertension in a real-life setting.
The Ricinus communis biomarker peptides RCB-1 to -3 comprise homologous sequences of 19 (RCB-1) or 18 (RCB-2 and -3) amino acid residues. They all include four cysteine moieties, which form two disulfide bonds. However, neither the 3D structure nor the biological activity of any of these peptides is known. The synthesis of RCB-1, using microwave-assisted, Fmoc-based solid-phase peptide synthesis, and a method for its oxidative folding are reported. The tertiary structure of RCB-1, subsequently established using solution-state NMR, reveals a twisted loop fold with antiparallel β-sheets reinforced by the two disulfide bonds. Moreover, RCB-1 was tested for antibacterial, antifungal, and cytotoxic activity, as well as in a serum stability assay, in which it proved to be remarkably stable.
"The present paper attempts to provide an analytical profile of development and human resources in [12] selected [Islamic] countries." The countries--Bangladesh, Somalia, Pakistan, Indonesia, Egypt, Turkey, Malaysia, Algeria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and United Arab Emirates--vary in income levels from low to high and in population size from 1 million to 159 million. Using data from the World Bank and the Population Council, comparisons are made on the basis of mortality and fertility levels, family size, income, urbanization, labor force size and growth, education, nutrition, and health. Governmental policy changes and future directions are discussed.