Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in diabetic patients in Makkah AL Mukarramah, Saudi Arabia

Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic and zoonotic disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii. The disease has worldwide distribution and all people maybe under the risk of getting infected by the parasite. The overall aim of this research was to detect the prevalence rate of antiToxoplasma gondii IgM and IgG among diabetic patients in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Blood samples were collected from diabetic patients. Toxo IgM and IgG combo rapid test cassette were used to screen the samples, and the results were confirmed by using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) to detect anti-IgM and anti- IgG antibodies on the plasma of 90 diabetic patients who attended the mobile clinic or AL Noor hospital in Makkah area. The subject was asked to complete a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire data and serological results were analyzed by using SPSS 20. Chi-square was used to compare different variables. Out of 90 samples, 39 (43.3%) were positive to anti-Toxoplasma gondii IgG wherein 33 (36.6%) of them were male and 6 (6.7%) were female. The age ranged between 13-85 years with the mean of 49.9 years. The study found that there were statistical differences between the age groups with higher prevalence in the 50-65 years age group. Detection of IgM against T. gondii gave negative results. The results of the study indicate that latent T. gondii in diabetic patient are relatively high especially among the 50-65 age group. There were significant associated between direct contact with a cat and infection by T. gondii (p<0.05).

Length of Vermiform Appendix in Bangladeshi People of Different Age and Sex

A cross sectional descriptive study was performed on 70 postmortem vermiform appendix (male 34 and female 36) to find out the length of vermiform appendix of Bangladeshi people in different age and sex. The specimens were collected from autopsy laboratory of the Department of Forensic Medicine, Mymensingh Medical College, Mymensingh, Bangladesh from October 2016 to March 2017 by purposive sampling technique. The collected samples were divided into four age groups. They were Group A (upto 20 years), Group B (21 to 40 years), Group C (41 to 60 years) and Group D (above 60 years). Dissection was performed according to standard autopsy techniques. The vermiform appendix was collected and preserved in 10% formol-saline solution. The length of the vermiform appendix was determined by measuring the distance from its base to tip with the help of a flexible thread. Then the thread was placed on measuring scale graduated in centimeter which represents the length of vermiform appendix. The data were analyzed by using student unpaired 't' test and compared with the findings of other national and international studies and standard text books. It was observed that length of vermiform appendix gradually decreased as age advanced. The mean±SD length of vermiform appendix was 9.41±1.26cm, 8.63±1.32cm, 7.96±1.20cm and 6.81±0.75cm in Group A, B, C and D respectively. Mean length of vermiform appendix in male was 9.92±1.55cm in Group A, 9.09±1.19cm in Group B, 8.04±1.10cm in Group C, 6.88±0.86cm in Group D and in female mean length of vermiform appendix was 9.12±1.06cm in Group A, 8.31±1.34cm in Group B, 7.79±1.60cm in Group C, 6.69±0.63cm in Group D. Statistical analysis shows that the mean differences of the length of vermiform appendix between A & D, B & D were statistically highly significant. The mean difference between Group A & C was moderately significant. Between Group C & D the difference was statistically significant and between Group A & B, B & C were statistically non significant. No significance difference of length of vermiform appendix between male and female was observed. The present study will help to increase the information pool on the length of vermiform appendix of Bangladeshi people.

Correlation of Triceps Skin Fold Thickness with Weight of Bangladeshi Garo Population

This cross sectional, observational, descriptive and analytic type of study was designed to formulate a standard for Bangladeshi Garo population and an attempt has been made out to formulate a linear regression equation for estimation of weight from the triceps skin fold thickness in different areas of Mymensingh district (Mymensingh Sadar & Haluaghat Upazilla), Bangladesh from July 2015 to June 2016. The material consists of 104 Garo people (60 male, 44 female) between 20-40 years of age in Bangladesh. The triceps skin fold thickness (Right & Left) was measured by spreading caliper. The weight was measured in standing erect, anatomical position with weighing machine. Data tabulated and statistically analyzed using Microsoft excel. A positive correlation of weight was observed with triceps skin fold thickness and it was statistically highly significant for right side and significant for left side. The results of present study would be useful for Anthropologist and Forensic Medicine experts.

Classification of pregnancy and labor contractions using a graph theory based analysis

In this paper, we propose a new framework to characterize the electrohysterographic (EHG) signals recorded during pregnancy and labor. The approach is based on the analysis of the propagation of the uterine electrical activity. The processing pipeline includes i) the estimation of the statistical dependencies between the different recorded EHG signals, ii) the characterization of the obtained connectivity matrices using network measures and iii) the use of these measures in clinical application: the classification between pregnancy and labor. Due to its robustness to volume conductor, we used the imaginary part of coherence in order to produce the connectivity matrix which is then transformed into a graph. We evaluate the performance of several graph measures. We also compare the results with the parameter mostly used in the literature: the peak frequency combined with the propagation velocity (PV +PF). Our results show that the use of the network measures is a promising tool to classify labor and pregnancy contractions with a small superiority of the graph strength over PV+PF.

Three Dimensional Culture Upregulates Extracellular Matrix Protein Expression in Human Liver Cell Lines - a Step towards Mimicking the Liver in Vivo?

Extracellular matrix (ECM) in the liver affects the phenotype of both hepatocytes and non-parenchymal cells. To be able to mimic in vivo liver function for extracorporeal hepatic support using human cell lines, a necessary step is to upregulate the function normally seen in monolayer culture. 3-D spheroid colonies were formed by culturing single HepG2 cells encapsulated in alginate beads. ECM expression in these cultures was compared to monolayer Hep G2 cultures. The following ECM proteins were detected immunohistochemically:- collagens I, III, V and VI, the glycoproteins fibronectin, tenascin and vitronectin, and the basement membrane protein laminin. In 3-D cultures, all proteins except tenascin were strongly expressed, as compared with weak or undetectable expression in monolayer cultures, even with 10-fold increases in the antibody concentration used. In conclusion, we have demonstrated that the 3-D environment created by alginate encapsulation of cell lines leads to cell behaviour mimicking that in vivo.

Serum netrin-1 in relation to gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging in early multiple sclerosis

Background

Netrin-1, a secreted laminin-related protein, is known to regulate not only axonal guidance and neuronal cell migration, but also blood–brain barrier integrity and inflammation. Two preliminary studies reported altered serum netrin-1 levels in multiple sclerosis; however, associations with longitudinal clinical and magnetic resonance imaging activity have not been investigated.

Objectives

We aimed to assess serum netrin-1 in multiple sclerosis and controls with respect to disease activity and its temporal dynamics.

Methods

Serum netrin-1 was assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 79 patients with clinically isolated syndrome or multiple sclerosis, and 30 non-inflammatory neurological disease controls. In patients, serum samples were collected immediately prior to gadolinium-enhanced 3 T magnetic resonance imaging at two time points (initial contrast-enhancing gadolinium+ n = 47, non-enhancing gadolinium– n = 32; reference gadolinium– n = 70; median time-lag 1.4, interquartile range 1.0–2.3 years).

Results

Serum netrin-1 levels were similar in clinically isolated syndrome, multiple sclerosis and controls, and gadolinium+ and gadolinium– patients. Among gadolinium+ patients, serum netrin-1 was decreased in clinically active (n = 8) vs non-active patients (n = 39; p = 0.041). Serum netrin-1 showed no temporal dynamics in multiple sclerosis and was unrelated to clinical data.

Conclusions

Serum netrin-1 levels show no multiple sclerosis specific changes and are not sensitive for detection of subclinical disease activity. Netrin-1 changes during relapses may deserve further examination.

Correlation of Stature with Foot Length in 5-10 Years Aged Bangladeshi Children

This cross sectional, descriptive and analytic type study was conducted among 5-10 years aged Bangladeshi children at different areas of Mymensingh district (Fulpur, Muktagacha, Fulbaria, Trisal and Haluaghat) on 109 Bangladeshi children (70 male and 39 female) from January 2016 to December 2016. Sample collection was done by nonrandom purposive sampling technique. Any kind of foot deformity resulting either from congenital or physical injury were excluded to construct standard measurement. The present anthropometric study was designed to construct data of 5 to 10 years aged Bangladeshi children regarding foot length, to measure correlation of stature with foot length and an attempt has been made out to grow interest among the researchers for future study and also to compare the data with the data of the people of other races. Stature of the subject was measured with the stadiometer and foot length was measured using slide calipers. The children were asked to stand with weight distributed equally on both feet. The legs were perpendicular to the feet. The mean foot length of 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 years aged male were 16.72±1.11cm, 17.12±.72cm, 19.04±1.27cm, 19.10±.76cm, 20.11±1.25cm and 20.88±1.01cm respectively and those of same aged female were 16.44±1.2cm, 17.85±0.50cm, 18.53±0.76cm, 19.14±0.58cm, 19.87±1.88cm and 20.95±1.36cm respectively. Correlation between stature and foot length was made. Foot length showed non- significant positive correlation with stature in 5 years old male and female, 6 years old male, 7 years old male and female, 8 years old male and female, 9 years old and 10 years old female. In case of 9 years and 10 years old male, it showed significant positive correlation with stature. Comparison of foot length between male and female children was done by Unpaired Students 't' test which was statistically non-significant.

A node-wise analysis of the uterine muscle networks for pregnancy monitoring

The recent past years have seen a noticeable increase of interest in the correlation analysis of electrohysterographic (EHG) signals in the perspective of improving the pregnancy monitoring. Here we propose a new approach based on the functional connectivity between multichannel (4×4 matrix) EHG signals recorded from the women's abdomen. The proposed pipeline includes i) the computation of the statistical couplings between the multichannel EHG signals, ii) the characterization of the connectivity matrices, computed by using the imaginary part of the coherence, based on the graph-theory analysis and iii) the use of these measures for pregnancy monitoring. The method was evaluated on a dataset of EHGs, in order to track the correlation between EHGs collected by each electrode of the matrix (called `node-wise' analysis) and follow their evolution along weeks before labor. Results showed that the strength of each node significantly increases from pregnancy to labor. Electrodes located on the median vertical axis of the uterus seemed to be the more discriminant. We speculate that the network-based analysis can be a very promising tool to improve pregnancy monitoring.

Computational modeling of high frequency oscillations recorded with clinical intracranial macroelectrodes

High Frequency Oscillations (HFOs) are a potential biomarker of epileptogenic regions. They have been extensively investigated in terms of automatic detection, classification and feature extraction. However, the mechanisms governing the generation of HFOs as well as the observability conditions on clinical intracranial macroelectrodes remain elusive. In this paper, we propose a novel physiologically-relevant macroscopic model for accurate simulation of HFOs as invasively recorded in epileptic patients. This model accounts for both the temporal and spatial properties of the cortical patch at the origin of epileptiform activity. Indeed, neuronal populations are combined with a 3D geometrical representation to simulate an extended epileptic source. Then, by solving the forward problem, the contributions of neuronal population signals are projected onto intracerebral electrode contacts. The obtained signals are qualitatively and quantitatively compared to real HFOs, and a relationship is drawn between macroscopic model parameters such as synchronization and spatial extent on the one hand, and HFO features such as the wave and fast ripple (200-600 Hz) components, on the other hand.