The Libyan journal of medicine
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Background: Chronic periodontitis (CP) is triggered by periodontal pathogens influenced by genetic and environmental factors. Recent studies have suggested that anti-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin 17 (IL-17) play a prominent role in the pathogenesis of CP. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the association between eight sub-gingival pathogens and interleukin 17F (IL-17F) gene single nucleotide polymorphisms with CP among Libyans. ⋯ A novel variant in the c. *34 G>A in IL-17F gene caused a change in glutamic amino acid to lysine amino acid, position on chromosome number (6) in the third exon, mRNA/genomic position 597, found in 14.6% of CP patients (p-value = 0.010) while the IL-17F (rs763780) SNP showed no association with CP (p-value = 0.334). Conclusion: P. intermedia appear as keystone pathogen for CP in the Libyan population. A novel variant in the IL-7F gene may be related to the severity of CP.
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Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is associated with increased cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) even in patients with viral suppression by combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). Arterial stiffness is an independent predictor of CVDs in diseased individuals and the general population. Cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) is an index of arterial stiffness that has been shown to predict target organ damage. ⋯ In a periurban hospital in Ghana, compared to non-HIV controls or cART-naïve HIV patients, cART-treated HIV patients had increased arterial stiffness measured as CAVI. CAVI is associated with metabolic abnormalities in non-HIV controls and cART-naïve HIV patients, but not in cART-treated HIV patients. Patients on TDF-based regimens had decreased CAVI.
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Objectives: Benign category of Bethesda classification is generally well known to carry a false-negative rate of 0-3%. The current study was designed to investigate the rate of false-negative cytology in patients who underwent thyroidectomy for presumably benign thyroid diseases. Predictive risk factors for false results and malignancy were evaluated along with cytology-histology discrepant cases. ⋯ Conclusions: Risk of malignancy in a presumably benign thyroid disease should not be ignored. Radiology-cytology correlation by an experienced dedicated team may help in decreasing sampling errors. Physiologic changes caused by pregnancy may shade malignant transformation in thyrocytes, and it would be appropriate to be cautious about benign FNA taken during this period.
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Etomidate is an anesthetic agent used in hemodynamically unstable patients, but its use has been controversial in septic patients. The response of high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), a late-phase lethal cytokine in sepsis, to etomidate has not been reported. This study investigated the effects of etomidate on the expression and release of HMGB1 and the underlying mechanism using a cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) model. ⋯ Immunohistochemical staining also revealed that etomidate treatment inhibited HMGB1 expression. Etomidate inhibited the systemic release of HMGB1 and its expression in various organs. The mechanism may be associated with the inhibitory effects of etomidate on pro-inflammatory cytokine release and NF-ĸB activity.
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COVID-19 pandemic has triggered psychological stress such as anxiety and depression among people around the globe. Due to the nature of the job, healthcare professionals (HCPs) are at high risk of infection and are facing social stigma as well. This research was conducted with the objective to evaluate the psychological influence of the COVID-19 pandemic among HCPs in Yemen and the coping strategies adopted thereof. ⋯ The physician and pharmacist had a significant positive association with brief COPE scores at the 50th centile compared to other HCPs. The female respondents had statistically significant higher mean Brief COPE scores than male respondents (78.11 vs. 69.50 respectively). Our findings illustrate the requirement for efficient policies through administrative, clinical, and welfare perspectives from the regulatory body in preparedness and preventive measures towards such a pandemic that aids HCPs to provide service in a stress-free condition and assurance of a better healthcare system..