Mohamed Nasr

Background and Objectives: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a major cause of end-stage renal disease, yet its molecular basis remains unclear. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺) metabolism is crucial for energy regulation, redox balance, and inflammation. This study investigated the dysregulation of key NAD⁺ salvage enzymes (CD38, NAMPT, and SIRT1) across albuminuria stages in type 2 diabetes (T2D). Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 225 participants: healthy controls (n = 45), T2D with normoalbuminuria (n = 60), microalbuminuria (n = 60), and macroalbuminuria (n = 60). Serum CD38, NAMPT, and SIRT1 were measured by ELISA, while CD38 and SIRT1 gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was analyzed by qPCR. Results: CD38 and NAMPT levels increased progressively with albuminuria, whereas SIRT1 levels declined significantly. CD38 and NAMPT correlated positively with HbA1c, creatinine, and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR), while SIRT1 showed inverse correlations and a positive association with eGFR. Regression analysis identified CD38 and NAMPT as independent positive predictors of albuminuria, and SIRT1 as a negative predictor. ROC analysis revealed strong diagnostic performance for CD38 (AUC = 0.89) and SIRT1 (AUC = 0.88). Conclusions: These findings highlight disrupted NAD⁺ salvage pathways in DN and suggest that restoring NAD⁺ balance, through CD38 inhibition, SIRT1 activation, or NAD⁺ precursor supplementation, may offer promising renoprotective strategies.

Introduction: Several studies have suggested a potential link between Helicobacter pylori infection and psoriasis; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. One proposed pathway is mediated through endothelial activation and inflammatory responses, potentially indicated by changes in E-selectin expression and related histochemical features. Objectives: To assess the role of H. pylori infection in the expression of E-selectin in psoriasis patients and to evaluate related histological and immunohistochemical changes, aiming to provide insights into psoriasis pathogenesis and potential therapeutic targets. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 93 patients with psoriasis, who were evaluated using the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), H. pylori IgG antibodies, serum E-selectin levels, histopathological examination, special staining (Masson trichrome), and Ki-67 immunostaining. Patients were categorized into H. pylori-positive (n = 35) and H. pylori-negative (n = 58) groups. Results: H. pylori-positive patients had significantly higher PASI scores (p = 0.007) and elevated E-selectin levels, particularly in severe cases (P < 0.001). Masson trichrome staining showed increased collagen in H. pylori-positive patients (64.3 ± 5%) compared to negative group (53.1 ± 2%), though not statistically significant (P = 0.152). Additionally, Ki-67 expression was significantly lower in H. pylori-positive individuals (0.51 ± 0.01%) than in H. pylori-negative ones (0.92 ± 0.01%, P = 0.04). Conclusion: H. pylori infection may contribute to the development and exacerbation of psoriasis by promoting endothelial activation and inflammation, suggesting its potential role in disease pathogenesis.

The most common reason for using assisted reproductive technology is infertility. IVF is used to treat a number of causes of infertility, such as ovulatory dysfunction, reduced ovarian reserve, male factor infertility, and infertility that cannot be explained. One type of IVF is called ICSI. When the body is exposed to different detrimental stimuli, it produces too many highly oxidative molecules, such as reactive oxygen species (ROS). Overabundance of ROS causes tissue damage by destroying DNA, proteins, and lipids and interfering with redox signaling. Impaired embryonic development has oxidative stress as a cause. ROS can come from the metabolism of the embryo or its environment. ICSI clinical pregnancy rates range from 30% to 40%, depending on the reason for the low success rate and the diagnosis. The majority of spermatozoa chosen for assisted reproductive technologies (ART) come from environments under oxidative stress, and a significant portion of these sperm may contain damaged DNA. Specific ROS concentrations might be necessary for the spermatozoa and oocytes to interact. The follicular fluid environment around the oocytes may be crucial for fertilization and the development of the developing embryo. The environment in which the oocyte lives is metabolically active and made up of leukocytes, granulosa cells, growth factors, cytokines, and steroid hormones. It is unclear how oxidative stress in follicular fluid affects oocyte maturation, fertilization, and pregnancy. It has been observed that the generation of ROS in bovine oocytes enhances their capacity for development during in vitro maturation, leading to the production of embryos.

Burn injuries, which significantly affect global public health, require effective treatment strategies tailored to varying severity. Fungi are considered a sustainable, easily propagated source for lead therapeutic discovery. In this study, we explored the burn wound healing potential of Aspergillus terreus through a combination of in vitro, in vivo, metabolite profiling, and in silico analysis. The in vitro scratch assays performed with human skin fibroblast cells showed promising wound healing activity. Furthermore, the burn-induced rats model showed a marked improvement in cutaneous wound healing, evidenced by an accelerated rate of wound closure and better skin regeneration after A. terreus extract treatment at 14 days. The results of this study demonstrated significant enhancements in wound closure and tissue regeneration in the treated rat model, surpassing the outcomes of standard treatments. This controlled healing process, evidenced by superior collagen synthesis and angiogenesis and confirmed by histopathological studies, suggests that A. terreus has potential beyond the traditionally studied fungal metabolites. The metabolite profiling of 27 bioactive compounds was further investigated by docking analysis for the potential inhibition of the NF-κB pathway, which has an important function in inflammation and wound repair. The compounds eurobenzophenone A (7), aspernolide D (16), asperphenalenone A (23), aspergilate D (15), kodaistatin A (18), and versicolactone A (14) showed the highest binding affinity to the target protein with a pose score of −16.86, −14.65, −12.65, −12.45, −12.19, and −12.08 kcal/mol, respectively. Drug-likeness properties were also conducted. The findings suggest the potential wound healing properties of A. terreus as a source for lead therapeutic candidate discovery.

Introduction: Owing to their great quantity of hydrolyzable anthocyanins and tannins, the peel and seeds of pomegranate are edible and possess potent anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics. This work aims to trace the pomegranate seed and peel ethanolic extracts’ anticancer activity against liver cancer cell line, namely HepG2 and related histopathological, immunohistochemical, genetic and oxidative stress profile. Methods: In vitro study for both seed and peel extract showed the prevalence of phenols, polyphenols and acids, those have anti-proliferative potential against liver cancer cell line (HepG2) with 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of seed significantly reduced that of peel. Toxicity of test extracts was concentration dependent and accompanied with cell cycle arrest and cell death at theG0/G1 and S phases but not at the G2/M phase. Cell arrest was supplemented with raised ROS, MDA and decreased SOD, GSH and Catalase. Results and discussion: Apoptosis-related genes showed significant up-expression of pro-apoptotic gene (P53), Cy-C, Bax, and casp-3 and down expression of anti-apoptotic gene (Bcl-2). Also, Casp-3 and P53 proteins were substantially expressed under the effect of test extracts. Histopathological study demonstrated that the untreated cells (control group) were regular cells with nuclear pleomorphism and hyperchromatic nuclei, while seed and peel extracts-treated cells showed necrosis, mixed euchromatin and heterochromatin, intra-nuclear eosinophilic structures, burst cell membranes, and the shrunken apoptotic cells with nuclear membranes and irregular cells. Finally, PCNA gene detected by immunohistochemistry was down regulated significantly under the effect of seed extract treatment than in case of cell medication with peel extract.

Magnetic activated cell sorting (MACS) has mechanisms to reduce the degrees of Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fragmentation done to the sperm sample in sperm processing pre-injection since no density gradient is involved or heavy centrifugation steps involved. If DNA fragmentation is not eliminated from sperms, poor cleavage rate, bad embryo quality, poor implantation and low pregnancy rates may occur. A MACS is Nano-sized mixture of particles with high magnetic properties coated with glycoproteins for morbid/DNA fragmented Spermatozoa depletion prior to Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI). Several studies have shown that the using of MACS technique improve the outcomes of ICSI in patients with high levels of sperm DNA fragmentation. We aimed to prove that the assessing Utility of Clemente Magnetic Activated Cell Sorting in ICSI cycle (especially recurrent implantation failure) would improve cleavage rate, Embryo quality, implantation and hopefully pregnancy rates. We determined if MACS is suitable for Male factor with high DNA Fragmentation Index (DFI) undergoing ICSI or In vitro fertilization (IVF), recurrent miscarriage that can be attributed to male factor and early pregnancy loss attributed to male factor. We evidenced that the using of MACS techniques in ICSI resulted in increasing fertilization rate, cleavage rate, blastocyst formation rate, number of Grade A embryos and pregnancy rates, as the using of MACS in sperm processing helps in increasing motility and especially progressive motility, reduce sperms with abnormal morphological defects.

Background: Cell phone users increased over the world and the question is whether health hazards could result from microwaves of these instruments Objective: Studying the effect of Electromagnetic Filed(EMF) similar to that emitted from cellular phones on the histological structure of frontal cerebral cortex of different ages. Material and Methods: Sixty male albino rats were used in this study divided into control group (I) , EMF exposure group (II) and recovery group (III) .Each of the three groups of twenty rats and subdivided according to the age into 3 subgroups: adult of seven rats ,young of seven rats and middle age of six rats. Control group left without interference. EMF exposure group exposed by EMF generator to electromagnetic field near the mobile phone pulsing signal of 217 Hz 3 h/day for 6 days/week for 1.5 month then sacrified . Recovery group left for 1.5 month to recover after exposure before sacrifaction At the study end, paraffin sections were prepared from cerebrum of all rats then subjected to hematoxylin and eosin and immunohistochemical stain for Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein(GFAP). Statistical analysis for assessment of frontal cortex thickness , number of its cells and GFAP stained area Results: EMF groups showed shrunken cells with darkly stained nuclei with pericellular haloes and congested vessels with increased immunoreactivity for GFAP.On recovery decrease number of pyknotic nuclei and decreased immunoreactivity for GFAP Conclusion: EMF induce histopathological and immune histochemical changes in frontal cortex and withdrawal from EMF can reverse or decrease these changes