Evaluation of the Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Oxidative Effects of Therapeutic Human Lactoferrin Fragments

Chronic inflammation is considered a pressing health issue that needs resolving. Inflammatory disease such as inflammatory bowel disease requires a long-term medical regimen to prevent disease progression. Conventionally, lactoferrin is used to treat mild gastrointestinal tract and skin inflammation. Protease-digested lactoferrin fragments often exhibit improved therapeutic properties compared to full-length lactoferrin (flHLF). However, there are no studies on the use of protease-digested lactoferrin fragments to treat inflammation. Herein, we assess the anti-inflammatory properties of engineered recombinant lactoferrin fragments (rtHLF4, rteHLF1, and rpHLF2) on non-malignant colonic fibroblast cells and colorectal cancer cells. We found that rtHLF4 is 10 times more effective to prevent inflammation compared to flHLF. These results were investigated by looking into the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, angiogenesis activity, and cellular proliferation of the treated cells. We have demonstrated in this study the anti-inflammatory properties of the flHLF and the various lactoferrin fragments. These results complement the anti-cancer properties of these proteins that were demonstrated in an earlier study.

Yasser's COVID-19 Discrepancy Phenomenon; A Novel Phenomenon And Effective Regimen; Retrospective-Observational Study

Aim of the study: Clarification for the time of the clinical improvement after management COVID-19 pneumonia versus normal gradation of common workup is the target for the current study. Background: COVID-19 pneumonia is a current serious international pandemic infection. Generally, in medical diseases, the clinical response is commonly parallel to laboratory and radiological improvement. This rule may be different in COVID-19 pneumonia. Method of study and patients: The author reported retrospective-observational 47-case report series. The study was conducted in a physician outpatient clinic thorough nearly 12-months, starting from Jun 9, 2020, and, ended on May 8, 2021. All included cases were COVID-19 pneumonia and treated with conventional antibiotics, anticoagulants, and steroids. Results: The mean ±SD age was: 50.08 (14.9) years, with male sex predominance (55.32%). The mean days of clinical versus leukocytosis, neutrophilia, and lymphopenia improvement (0.84 ±0.49, 13.05 ±6.44, 13.05 ±7.01, 13.05 ±7.01).The mean ±SD days of clinical versus CRP, D-dimer, s. ferritin, and LDH improvement (0.84 ±0.49, 12.2 ±3.25, 12.2 ±6.21, 12.3 ±5.46, 20.92± 9.48). The mean days of clinical versus radiological and electrocardiographic improvement (0.84 ±0.49, 15.74 ±5.25, 11.45 ±5.45). The test was statistically significant in all the above tests (p-value is < .00001) Conclusions: Yasser’s COVID-19 Discrepancy phenomenon is a novel descriptive phenomenon that is always seen in all COVID-19 pneumonia. Initial dramatic improvement of the clinical status of COVID-19 pneumonic patient, not a simultaneously after the management, not a coincide with laboratory, radiological, and electrocardiographic workup. Further larger studies for the study medical regimen with considering of “Yasser’s COVID-19 Discrepancy phenomenon” is recommended.

Association of Lung CT Findings in Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) With Patients' Age, Body Weight, Vital Sings and Medical Regimen

COVID-19 spread quickly in Jordan in the past few months. Many changes have been observed in lungs of COVID-19 patients which required their hospitalization. So far, many studies have been conducted on the epidemiological features of COVID-19 illness; however, the evidence regarding the pathological influence on lungs is still lacking. Therefore, the main aim of the present study was to detect the possible association between lung computed tomography (CT) findings in COVID-19 and patients' age, body weight, vital sings, and medical regimen. The present cross-sectional study enrolled 230 COVID-19 patients in Prince Hamza Hospital in Jordan. Demographic data as well as major lung CT scan changes were obtained from the hospital records of the COVID-19 patients. The main observed major lung changes among the enrolled COVID-19 patients included ground glass opacification in 47(15.2%) patients and consolidation in 22(7.1%) patients. The higher percentage of patients with major lung changes (24%) was observed among patients above 60 years old, while (50%) of patients with no changes in their lung’s findings in the age group of 18-29 years old. Results obtained from the present study showed that only patients with major CT lung changes (9.7%) were prescribed more than three antibiotics. Additionally, 41.6 % patients with major lung CT scan changes had either dry (31.0%) or productive (10.6%) cough at the admission. Several predictors of lung CT scan changes have been detected in this study including age, BMI, medications, severity of symptoms, and cough at admission.

Electronic Cigarette Cessation in Youth and Young Adults: A Case Series

Introduction: Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) usage use has increased exponentially, especially in youth and young adults. For many, the usage of these products results in a severe addiction, one that is difficult to discontinue. Further, e-cigarette cessation is challenging as there are no specific guidelines directing such medical management for patients and their respective clinicians. Here, we report a case series of patients who we are attempting to wean from e-cigarettes with medical guidance. Methods: Six patients who self-reported daily e-cigarette usage and were enrolled in our Tobacco Treatment Clinic (TTC) were followed for 12-months. An inventory of the e-cigarette product and usage was captured, along with responses to identify when the patients experienced majority of their cravings. Co-morbidities, if present, were documented. Documentation of interventions, counseling with or without pharmacological therapies, were captured. Primary outcome was cessation at 6-months. Results: The 6 patients enrolled in clinic ranged in age from 17 to 31 years, with 4 of the patients identifying as males and 2 as females. Patients were using e-cigarettes for 1 to 6 years prior to enrolling into the TTC. As for interventions, all patients received counseling and pharmacological interventions in the form of nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs). Three of the 6 patients were weaned off e-cigarettes by 6-months, with a fourth patient weaned off at the 8-month mark. Variables identified as barriers to cessation included non-compliance with medical regimen and peer influence. Discussion: Here we present a case series of attempting to wean persons from electronic cigarettes use. Given the lack of international guidelines in e-cigarette addiction management, we believe this case series will be of value for clinicians and their patients. Further studies are warranted to help patients with e-cigarette addiction in their attempt at cessation.

Factors and conditions that influence noncompliance to medical regimen among diabetic patients treated in federal medical centre Owerri

Background: Diabetes mellitus poses a major global health threat worldwide. Compliance to prescribed regimen helps to reduce complications and death, but the rate of compliance has been consistently low in developing countries. This study therefore identified factors and conditions that influence compliance to medical regimen among diabetic patients treated in federal medical centre Owerri.Methods: Descriptive survey design was adopted. A convenience sampling technique was used to recruit all the 68 diabetic patients receiving treatment in the out-patients’ male and female wards. Data were collected using administered questionnaire. Data were analyzed and presented with percentages, tables and graphs.Results: The result showed low level of compliance among 37 (54.4%) of the diabetic patients treated in federal medical center Owerri. Factors that influenced compliance as indicated by the respondents include; drugs that are taken for a long time 23 (33.8%), long waiting time before seeing a doctor as well as the distance covered to the facility and diet restriction 22 (32.3%) respectively. Other factors that contributed to poor compliance included: inability to afford monitoring machine 16 (23.5%), and unaffordability of diabetic drugs 15 (23.5%). Majority (73.5%) of the patients suggested good communication as the best measure to promote patient’s compliance.Conclusions: This study identified that several factors contributed to lack of diabetic patients’ compliance to medical regimen and that only good communication can encourage patients’ compliance. Therefore, good communication between the health care givers and diabetic patients should be encouraged.

Viral hauntology: Specters of AIDS in infrastructures of gay sexual sociability

In recent years, HIV treatment has become so effective that a patients’ viral load can become so low that it is undetectable, which in turn reduces the risk of viral transmission to zero. At the same time for people who are HIV negative, the use of the medical regimen “pre-exposure prophylaxis”, or “PrEP”, reduces the risk of HIV infection by 92%-99%. In case studies of "the PrEP whore" and health disclosure on gay hookup apps, we think about HIV/AIDS not only as a somatic condition affecting a body, but also as a socio-technical matter. We argue that our concept of "viral hauntology" allows us to think deeply about how “old” technologies and their social lives fold over and into new ones, and how the folding process “drags” in order to imagine other, more inclusive, gay socio-sexual futures.

Comparison between provocative test-based and long-term intraocular pressure parameters in patients with stable open-angle glaucoma

Purpose: To compare provocative test-based and long-term intraocular pressure variation parameters in patients with stable open-angle glaucoma. Methods: A prospective observational study was carried out in which stable open-angle glaucoma patients (⩾3 years of follow-up without any changes on current medical regimen) were consecutively enrolled. All patients were submitted to a water-drinking test. Long-term intraocular pressure parameters were obtained from isolated intraocular pressure measurements from each visit (⩾5 visits). We investigated the correlation and agreement between the following water-drinking test and long-term intraocular pressure parameters: mean, peak, and fluctuation. In addition, the percentage of eyes with significant intraocular pressure peaks during the water-drinking test (defined as a difference ⩾25% between water-drinking test intraocular pressure peak and mean long-term intraocular pressure) was assessed. Results: Sixty-three eyes from 63 open-angle glaucoma patients (mean age, 60.7 ± 11.8 years) were included. Mean and water-drinking test intraocular pressure peak correlated significantly with mean ( r = 0.67) and maximum long-term intraocular pressure ( r = 0.52), respectively ( p < 0.01). The correlation between water-drinking test intraocular pressure fluctuation and long-term intraocular pressure fluctuation was not significant ( p = 0.45). Limits of agreement from Bland–Altman plots exceeded the maximum allowed difference between methods (3 mm Hg) for all the intraocular pressure parameters analyzed, suggesting poor agreement between water-drinking test–derived and long-term intraocular pressure values. Overall, significant water-drinking test intraocular pressure peaks were observed in 39.7% of these eyes with stable open-angle glaucoma. Conclusion: Although some water-drinking test–based and long-term intraocular pressure parameters correlate significantly, water-drinking test results may not reflect the long-term intraocular pressure profile of stable open-angle glaucoma patients, as their agreement is poor. Many of these patients may experience significant water-drinking test intraocular pressure peaks, despite long-standing stable disease and unchanged medical regimen.