A diabetic foot ulcer is one of the most significant and devastating complications of diabetes. DFU is considered a major source of morbidity and mortality in patients with diabetes. Therefore, this study aimed to test the possibility of using Aloe Vera resin extract as an antibacterial agent (Libyan remedy) against isolated bacteria from a patient's foot. This study was concerned with the determination of the possible microbial cause of the diabetic foot ulcer; therefore, its design included microorganism isolation, identification, and finally, testing of the antibacterial activity of Aloe Vera resin against bacteria isolated from diabetic foot ulcers. Curiously, the results demonstrated that every antibiotic used in this experiment created inhibition zones against the bacteria that were isolated from patients' feet and had a pronounced resistance to the extract from aloe vera resin. In contrast, aloe vera resin extract created inhibition zones against bacteria isolated from healthy feet in comparison to the other widely used, well-known broad-spectrum antibiotics. The pathogen that was isolated from the patient's feet, according to our lab results, was Staphylococcus bacteria. Aloe Vera resin extract had no inhibition zones against Staphylococcus species bacteria that were collected from patient feet, which contradicted the hypothesis that Aloe Vera is a good antibacterial agent that could be used to prevent diabetic foot ulcers. Nonetheless, it demonstrated a slight antibacterial effect on normal flora foot bacteria. Bacterial resistance due to possible mutations could be the cause of this. It is also important to take into account the anti-inflammatory properties of aloe Vera resin extract.

The global pandemic Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19) is caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Many patients with life-threatening illness due to COVID-19 die from hypoxic respiratory failure, which appears to be related to a cytokine storm syndrome leading to Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). While steroids have some demonstrated benefits, supportive care remains the mainstay of treatment. However, in the absence of vaccines and proven treatments, during this current pandemic, we are considering repurposing currently available medications; one of the first is cotrimoxazole (CTX), which was one of the earliest medications for treating and preventing opportunistic infections caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), among other things. Cotrimoxazole in combination with folic acid is inexpensive, familiar to the public, and generally well tolerated, and treats secondary infections. Low cost and a good safety profile can make it an ideal candidate for the treatment of COVID-19 in a low-resource country like Libya. Here we report our observations with cotrimoxazole added to standard therapy in patients with severe COVID-19. Prospective data were gathered from consecutive newly diagnosed patients who presented to the Msallatah Isolation Center (Corona Center), Msallatah, Libya, between June and September of 2021 with critical COVID-19 on non-invasive ventilation and receiving standard therapy (ST) along with 480 mg oral cotrimoxazole (CTX). The first four days served as a control period during which patients with critical COVID-19 received only standard treatment. After a 4-day control period during which the patients received ST alone, nine patients (mean age ± SEM 40.5 ± 10.5 years, 66.66 percent male) were identified because they received CTX in addition to ST. We found that patients with critical COVID-19 who received CTX in addition to ST experienced significantly better outcomes, such as lower in-hospital mortality (0%), higher blood levels of D-Dimer (3735±579.9 mg/L versus 444.82±182.14 mg/L, p˂0.05), and improvements in respiratory rate (36.42±3.9 mg/L versus 25.6±2.9 mg/L, p˂0.05) and CRP at the fourth day of the experiment (142.12±34.7 mg/L versus 72.4±19.26 mg/L, p˂0.05). These results demonstrate the beneficial effects of using cotrimoxazole in patients with severe COVID-19; it could help to reduce the need for respiratory support for thousands of patients, saving valuable lives and decreasing the burden on the healthcare system in countries with limited resources. The mechanism of action of cotrimoxazole in this situation is not clear; however, these outcomes may be due to the antibiotic activity and/or the anti-cytokine effects of cotrimoxazole. Further trials are needed to test our observations.

Abstract

This study aimed to assess bariatric obesity surgery as an alternative to anti-obesity strategies. Forty-five bariatric patients were consecutively selected for participation. Information on each patient's demographics, weight, height, and comorbidities was gathered, followed by the use of the Bariatric Quality of Life Questionnaire. 60% of patients reported feeling exhausted prior to the procedure; however, this percentage dramatically decreased to only 33.33% after bariatric surgery. Furthermore, before surgery, 66% of patients had a history of sleep apnea and breathing cessation during sleep, and 46% of patients had a history of snoring. Following the bariatric procedure, these problems were fixed. The psychiatric assessment section indicated that 53.33% of patients experienced depression following gastric surgery. Additionally, 46.66% of patients reported persistent feelings of anger and anxiety. Post-operative concerns included fears of gastric leaks, loss of happiness, diminished passion, remorse after surgery, sleep disorders, and suicidal thoughts, each occurring at varying rates. Only 33.33% of participants had received psychological support. Patients frequently report significant improvements in their health and quality of life after bariatric surgery, which is the most long-lasting and successful treatment option for morbid obesity. However, a significant minority of patients experience psychological complications, including, but not limited to post post-gastric surgery depression, patients always feel angry and have anxiety.

Abstract :

Antibody tests can identify people with a resolving or past severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection and thereby help researchers and public health experts better understand the epidemiology of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. This study is a retrospective study that included 187 Libyan individuals, who attended Attshkhesy (the diagnostic) laboratory in Alkhoms City, Libya, between January 01, 2021, and August 28, 2021. The mean ages of males and females were 48.8 and 46.8, respectively. The study utilized the CLIA quantitative antibody test. To perform the CLIA quantitative antibody test, a high throughput assay apparatus known as the YHLO - iFlash 1800 Chemiluminescence Immunoassay Analyzer was utilized, along with assay reagents called iFlash-SARS-CoV-2 IgM/IgG (manufactured by YHLO Biotech, Shenzhen, China). In female subjects, the concentration of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 IgM was higher than that of IgG in all age groups. Interestingly, in male subjects, the results showed the opposite, where the concentration of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 IgG was much higher than that of IgM in all age groups. When male data were plotted against the female data, the concentration of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 IgM in females was much higher than that of IgM in males in all age groups. Merged IgM-male and IgM-female results showed that IgM concentrations were higher in females than males at all age groups, which means that the incidence of recent COVID-19 infection was higher in females than in males. On the other hand, the IgG antibody prevalence in females was always higher than in males except at age groups 41-50 years and 51-60 years, which can be used as an indicator of high acquired immunity among females due to possible reinfection of females with COVID-19 virus.

Abstract

Objective: The manual counting of gram stained bacteria examined under a microscope becomes difficult when a large number of bacterial cells exist in a microscopic field. The present study was aimed to ease this problem by applying ImageJ software to counting of gram stained bacteria.

Method: This experiment was conducted on Elmergib university, faculty of pharmacy laboratories (Al-Khoms city- Libya). In this study, a microscopic image of a gram stained bacterial cells captured using a student’s smartphone, treated and the bacterial cells were then easily and automatically counted using ImageJ.

Results: According to ImageJ reading, the total number of bacterial particles appeared in the field of a microscopic image were 332 cells.

Conclusion: Direct staining and visualization of organisms for counting can benefit greatly from the use of ImageJ software. This method is less expensive, less contamination and less laborious than other methods and is more rapid and reproducible than counting using manual microscopy methods.

Keywords: ImageJ, Bacterial cells, Automated cell counting

Abstract

The loss of cognitive function accompanying healthy aging is not associated with extensive or characteristic patterns of cell death, suggesting it is caused by more subtle changes in synaptic properties. In the hippocampal CA1 region, long-term potentiation requires stronger stimulation for induction in aged rats and mice and long-term depression becomes more prevalent. An age-dependent impairment of postsynaptic calcium homeostasis may underpin these effects. We have examined changes in presynaptic calcium signalling in aged mice using a transgenic mouse line (SyG37) that expresses a genetically encoded calcium sensor in presynaptic terminals. SyG37 mice showed an age-dependent decline in cognitive abilities in behavioural tasks that require hippocampal processing including the Barnes maze, T-maze and object location but not recognition tests. The incidence of LTP was significantly impaired in animals over 18 months of age. These effects of aging were accompanied by a persistent increase in resting presynaptic calcium, an increase in the presynaptic calcium signal following Schaffer collateral fibre stimulation, an increase in postsynaptic fEPSP slope and a reduction in paired-pulse facilitation. These effects were not caused by synapse proliferation and were of presynaptic origin since they were evident in single presynaptic boutons. Aged synapses behaved like younger ones when the extracellular calcium concentration was reduced. Raising extracellular calcium had little effect on aged synapses but altered the properties of young synapses into those of their aged counterparts. These effects can be readily explained by an age-dependent change in the properties or numbers of presynaptic calcium channels.

Genetically encoded calcium indicators (GECIs) have gained widespread use for measurement of neuronal activity but their low expression levels in transgenic mice tend to limit sensitivity. We have developed a transgenic mouse line (SyG37) that expresses a ratiometric calcium sensor, SyGCaMP2-mCherry, that is expressed throughout the brain but targeted to presynaptic terminals. Within the CA1 and CA3 regions of hippocampus of male and female mice, SyGaMP2 fluorescence responds linearly up to 10 electrical stimuli at frequencies up to 100 Hz and it can detect responses to a single stimulus. Responses in single boutons can be measured using multiphoton microscopy. The ensemble amplitude of SyGCaMP2 responses is a function of the number of stimuli applied and the number of contributing boutons. The peak responses and initial rates of calcium influx in single boutons in CA1 and CA3 were similar but the rate of calcium clearance from CA3 boutons after stimulation was significantly faster. In CA1, DNQX reduced SyGCaMP2 responses to Schaffer collateral stimulation to 86% of baseline indicating that 14% of the total response originated from presynaptic terminals of neurones synaptically driven via AMPA receptors. Theta burst stimulation induced long-term potentiation (LTP) of both SyGCaMP2 and fEPSP responses in both young and 18-month-old mice. The proportion of postsynaptically connected terminals increased significantly to 76% of the total after LTP induction. The SyG37 mouse allows stable optical detection of synaptic activation and connectivity at the single bouton level and can be used to characterize the contributions of presynaptic calcium to synaptic transmission and plasticity.

In this project we used a combination of electrophysiology and fluorescent imaging to monitor synaptic transmission and calcium signalling in synaptic terminals. The study as a whole intended to examine how presynaptic calcium contributes to normal synaptic transmission within different hippocampal neuronal pathways. To this end, we used a transgenic mouse strain known as SyG37 that stably expresses a calcium sensor, SyGCaMP2-mCherry that is expressed in subsets of CNS neurones under the control of the Thy1 promoter. Our findings indicate that this new ratiometric sensor, in the SyG37 mouse strain, provides an excellent tool for detecting neural activity in acute brain slices. First, we showed that evoked calcium transients can be detected in acute brain slices prepared from SyG37 mice where electrical activation of Schaffer collaterals or mossy fibres elicited large calcium transients in area CA1 and CA3, respectively. Using immunohistochemical techniques, SyGCaMP2-mCherry co-localised with presynaptic proteins such as Bassoon, VGLUT1 and VGAT, confirming that it is expressed presynaptically in both excitatory and inhibitory terminals. Blocking fast glutamatergic and GABA/Glycinerergic transmission reduced the size of calcium transients in CA1 and CA3 by only 25 and 20% respectively indicating that the majority of the signals originated from first order presynaptic terminals. Pharmacologically, manipulating the adenosine receptor signalling pathway showed that the actions of adenosine, via the A1 receptor subtype, were different in the CA3 region compared to those in CA1. Forskolin also caused a small, concentration dependent effect on SyGCaMP2 fluorescence in response to electrical stimulation within both CA1 and CA3 regions with pronounced effects on field potential recordings. Together, with this SyG37 strain of transgenic mouse, it is possible to detect neuronal activity with fast temporal and high spatial resolution without the need for pre-incubation with organic calcium dyes or invasive viral transduction procedures.