Long-term statin therapy affects the severity of chronic gastritis

Background: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a major cause of chronic gastritis. Statins have several pleotropic effects and their mechanisms of action could be related to anti‐inflammatory, antioxidants, and immunomodulatory effects. Aim: To determine whether statin therapy affects the severity of chronic gastritis. Materials and Methods: In a retrospective study, we evaluated 516 patients who underwent upper endoscopy. One‐hundred and ninety‐eight patients had chronic gastritis, The 198 patients with chronic gastritis were divided into two groups: group 1 comprised patients with a history of statin therapy and group 2 comprised patients with no history of statin therapy. Both groups were compared for age, gender, body mass index (BMI), underlying diseases, drug therapy, alcohol consumption, smoking and the serum levels of C‐reactive protein (CRP). The presence of H. pylori was determined by gastric biopsy and rapid urease test. The grade and severity of gastritis were assessed using the updated Sydney classification system in two gastric biopsy specimens that were taken from each participant in each group. Results: Of the 198 patients with chronic gastritis, 49% of the patients had mild gastritis and 51% had moderate to severe gastritis. From the results of a multiple logistic regression analysis after adjusting for confounding variables that included age, gender, and BMI, we found that elevated serum CRP levels (odds ratio (OR) 2.33; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.8–2.6, p = .02), H. pylori (OR 1.99; CI 0.14–2.4, p = .04), and the use of statin (OR 1.64; CI = 0.71–1.77, p = .05) independently predict the severity of chronic gastritis. Conclusion: Long‐standing statin therapy may reduce the severity of chronic gastritis. Mild increased CRP levels in absence of obvious source can predict the severity of chronic gastritis. Further researches are needed to assess the effect of statin in chronic gastritis.     

Correlative Analysis of Cochliobolus sativus Pathogenicity and in vitro Xylanase Activity

Spot blotch (SB) caused by Cochliobolus sativus has been the major yield‐reducing factor for barley production during the last decade. In this study, the correlation between aggressiveness and in vitro xylanase production of 29 isolates of C. sativus was investigated. Isolate aggressiveness was evaluated in term of lesion form in barley leaves. Additionally, the isolates were compared for their ability to produce in vitro significant levels of xylanase activities when grown in a liquid medium. Aggressive isolates released more xylanase of weakly aggressive isolates. Correlation tests analysis revealed a significant relationship (r = 0.84, r = 0.50; P < 0.01) between the xylanase (per unit fungal mass) and aggressiveness on the two barley cultivars Arabi Abiad and Bowman, respectively. Correlation between the production of this enzyme and the origin of the isolates was not found. The results indicate that the production of xylanase influences the aggressiveness of the isolates of C. sativus towards barley seedlings.     

Apoptosis in developmental and repair-related human tooth remodeling: a view from the inside

Apoptosis is a key phenomenon in the regulation of the life span of odontoblasts, which are responsible for dentin matrix production of the teeth. The mechanism controlling odontoblasts loss in developing, normal, and injured human teeth is largely unknown. A possible correlation between apoptosis and dental pulp volume reduction was examined. Histomorphometric analysis was performed on intact 10 to 14 year-old premolars to follow dentin deposition and evaluate the total number of odontoblasts. Apoptosis in growing healthy teeth as well as in mature irritated human teeth was determined using a modified TUNEL technique and an anti-caspase-3 antibody. In intact growing teeth, the sequential rearrangement of odontoblasts into a multi-layer structure during tooth crown formation was correlated with an apoptotic wave that leads to the massive elimination of odontoblasts. These data suggest that apoptosis, coincident with dentin deposition changes, plays a role in tooth maturation and homeostasis. Massive apoptotic events were observed after dentin irritation. In carious and injured teeth, apoptosis was detected in cells surrounding the lesion sites, as well as in mono-nucleated cells nearby the injury. These results indicate that apoptosis is a part of the mechanism that regulate human dental pulp chamber remodeling during tooth development and pathology.     

Distribution and variability of deformed wing virus of honeybees (Apis mellifera) in the Middle East and North Africa

Three hundred and eleven honeybee samples from 12 countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) (Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Yemen, Palestine, and Sudan) were analyzed for the presence of deformed wing virus (DWV). The prevalence of DWV throughout the MENA region was pervasive, but variable. The highest prevalence was found in Lebanon and Syria, with prevalence dropping in Palestine, Jordan, and Egypt before increasing slightly moving westwards to Algeria and Morocco Phylogenetic analysis of a 194 nucleotide section of the DWV Lp gene did not identify any significant phylogenetic resolution among the samples, although the sequences did show consistent regional clustering, including an interesting geographic gradient from Morocco through North Africa to Jordan and Syria. The sequences revealed several clear variability hotspots in the deduced amino acid sequence, which furthermore showed some patterns of regional identity. Furthermore, the sequence variants from the Middle East and North Africa appear more numerous and diverse than those from Europe.     

RNase HI overproduction is required for efficient full-length RNA synthesis in the absence of topoisomerase I in Escherichia coli

It has long been known that Escherichia coli cells deprived of topoisomerase I (topA null mutants) do not grow. Because mutations reducing DNA gyrase activity and, as a consequence, negative supercoiling, occur to compensate for the loss of topA function, it has been assumed that excessive negative supercoiling is somehow involved in the growth inhibition of topA null mutants. However, how excess negative supercoiling inhibits growth is still unknown. We have previously shown that the overproduction of RNase HI, an enzyme that degrades the RNA portion of an R-loop, can partially compensate for the growth defects because of the absence of topoisomerase I. In this article, we have studied the effects of gyrase reactivation on the physiology of actively growing topA null cells. We found that growth immediately and almost completely ceases upon gyrase reactivation, unless RNase HI is overproduced. Northern blot analysis shows that the cells have a significantly reduced ability to accumulate full-length mRNAs when RNase HI is not overproduced. Interestingly, similar phenotypes, although less severe, are also seen when bacterial cells lacking RNase HI activity are grown and treated in the same way. All together, our results suggest that excess negative supercoiling promotes the formation of R-loops, which, in turn, inhibit RNA synthesis.     

Cytomorphology of verrucous carcinoma of the cervix. A case report

BACKGROUND: Verrucous carcinoma of the uterine cervix is rare. Cytology is thought not to be helpful in the diagnosis of this lesion due to its bland morphology. The cytologic features of this lesion remain poorly defined. CASE: The cytologic findings in a Pap smear facilitated the diagnosis of verrucous carcinoma of the cervix. The features included atypical polygonal and spindle cells with abundant, keratinizing cytoplasm; atypical squamous cells with pearl formation; and frequent, nonkoilocytic cytoplasmic vacuolization. CONCLUSION: There are 30 published reports on verrucous carcinoma involving the cervix and vagina that include the cytologic findings. In 70% of these cases, cytology was abnormal. Recognition of the cytologic characteristics may help in identifying this lesion on cytology, prevent delays in diagnosis and ensure that patients receive appropriate therapy.