Medical Technologies Journal

CcMP-II Metalloproteinase from Cerastes Cerastes Snake Venom Acts both on Blood Vessel ECM and Platelets

Amel Bennacer — 2024-01-29

Background: Snake venoms contain various metalloproteinases that are highly toxic, inducing in severe bleeding by interfering with the blood coagulation and degrading the basement membrane or extracellular matrix (ECM) components. It has been suggested that hemorrhagic metalloproteinases interact in a specific way with platelet surface proteins resulting in an alteration of platelet function. Hemorrhage and tissue necrosis are common manifestations of viper envenomations in humans, largely due to the actions of prominent metalloproteinases. CcMP-II a weak hemorrhagic metalloproteinase purified from Cerastes cerastes venom belongs to the class P-II snake venom metalloproteinase.
Methods: In this study, we characterized the biological effects of CcMP-II, including the ability of the enzyme to hydrolyze extracellular matrix components and plasma proteins, as well as its histopathological effects induced in capillaries. Then a study of the anti-aggregating activity was carried out and controlled for 10 min using our Chrono-log aggregometer (ServiBIO) (USTHB, Faculty of Biological Sciences, BP 32, El-Alia Bab Ezzouar, 16111, Algiers, Algeria in 2019). The histopathological changes induced by CcMP-II were also analyzed and the 1 μm semi-thin sections are then stained with Toluidine Blue and the observation of these sections was realized using a photomicroscope. Toluidine Blue, magnification: 100x.
Results: Obtained results showed that CcMP-II metalloproteinase hydrolyzed selectively the A α-chain of fibrinogen. This enzyme hydrolyzed also laminin and type IV collagen in time- and dose-dependent manner. CcMP-II inhibits collagen-induced platelet aggregation of human PRP with an IC50 value of 0.11 nM. Pathological changes induced by CcMP-II after intramuscular injection in mice gastrocnemius were also studied. Histological study showed that the main morphological alterations in capillary vessels are characterized by a separation of endothelial cells from the surrounding basement membrane and reduction in the width of these cells, together with loss of basement membrane in some areas, through which erythrocytes and plasma are extravasated.
Conclusion: In conclusion, CcMP-II, as a member of the P-II class of SVMPs, presents a selective specificity toward fibrinogen, laminin and type IV collagen. It was an α- fibrinogenase metalloproteinase, which inhibits collagen-stimulated platelet aggregation. This study will contribute to understanding better the functional mechanisms of the metalloproteinases that may be useful in the development of therapeutic agents related to thrombotic disorders.

Detection of Biofilm Formation of Klebsiella Pneumoniae Isolated from Medical Devices at the University Hospital of Tlemcen, Algeria

Samia Bellifa — 2024-01-29

Background: Klebsiella pneumoniae is a major cause of community-acquired and nosocomial infections. This germ is responsible for acute and chronic infections, most of which are due to its ability to adhere to medical implants and form a biofilm. The objective of this work is to study the interaction between clinical isolates of K. pneumoniae and abiotic surfaces (medical devices) and some factors influencing biofilm formation.
Methods: Over a period of 2 years, 115 strains of K. pneumoniae were isolated from medical devices CHU Tlemcen, most of which had a high level of resistance to cephalosporins 1st, 2nd, and 3rd generation. Their capacity to form biofilm was assessed using 3 techniques: TCP, TP, and RCA. We determined in vitro the effects of three antimicrobial agents against planktonic and biofilm forms of K. pneumoniae. The presence of MrkD genes was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
Results: According to the studied (TCP, TP, RCA) strains of K .pneumoniae isolated from urinary catheters have proved very good, forming the biofilm to those isolated from other medical devices. 24 of 115 isolated strains showed a clear difference in antibiotic susceptibility between planktonic populations and biofilm populations. They were 10-20 times higher. All strains presented a highly hydrophilic character and adhesion 2-10 times greater in PVC with respect to glass support. The MrkD gene (detected by PCR) responsible for biofilm formation was found in 22 strains of K. pneumoniae, which may explain their adhesion and therefor their pathogenicity.
Conclusion: Our results show the great ability of K.pneumoniae strains to form a biofilm on medical devices, and the isolates were at least 10 times more resistant than their planktonic counterparts. In addition, we showed that the presence of type 3-encoding gene mrkD was associated with high adhesion indexes.

Study of the Biological Activities of the Seeds of the Plant Ceratonia Siliqua L. Recovered in the Bejaia Region

Nabahat Benmansour — 2024-01-29

Background: Ceratonia siliqua is a plant that belongs to the Fabaceae family. It is frequently used in our culinary and medical traditions to fight cholesterol, acute diarrhea and digestive disorders.
Methods: The hydrogen atom or electron donation abilities of the corresponding extracts and some pure compounds were measured from the bleaching of the purple-colored methanol solution of 2, 20-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH), studying the anti-inflammatory effect by measuring the volume of the edema of the paw that has received carrageenan 1%. Antimicrobial activity in vitro was screened by using disc diffusion and micro-dilution methods.
Results: The determination of the polyphenols of the methanolic extracts of the seeds reveals the richness of our extracts in polyphenols is 30 mg of gallic acid / g of extract. The aqueous and methanolic extract flavonoid assay shows that they contain high levels of flavonoids with contents of 07 and 10 mg equivalent of quercetin / g of extract respectively. The aqueous and methanolic extracts of Ceratonia siliqua seeds from the Bejaia region could bring the stable free radical 2.2 diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) to yellow-colored diphenylpicrylhydrazine with respective IC 50 values of 0.7 mg/ml and 0.2 mg/ml. They exhibit lower antioxidant activity than ascorbic acid (0.038 μg / ml). Determination of anti-inflammatory activity revealed that our aqueous and methanolic extracts of Ceratonia siliqua L seeds are able to reduce edema up to 81.89%. The methanoid extracts of Ceratonia siliqua L. seeds have a medium antibacterial action against bacteria: E. coli (13 mm), Staphylococcus aureus (12 mm) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (12 mm). On the other hand, the aqueous extracts of the seeds of Ceratonia siliqua L have a weak antibacterial action against the same bacteria with a diameter of inhibition of 9 mm. However, the aqueous extracts of Ceratonia siliqua L seeds are endowed with a very important inhibitory action against candida albicans and it is similar to that of the antibiotic, antifungal Econazole (1%).
Conclusion: According to the results observed, the two extracts of the seeds and pods have a potential anti-free radical and antioxidant measured compared to the standard antioxidant used. The results of the antimicrobial activity carried out in vitro on the 3 bacterial strains indicate that the two methanolic extracts of this plant have low antibacterial activity.

Kidney Sensitivity to the Non-Toxic Fraction F1 in Physiological and Non-Physiological State

Nadjia Bekkari — 2024-01-29

Background: Scorpion venom contains several bioactive components that could be useful in therapeutics.
Methods: In this study, the effects of the repeated administration of the nontoxic fraction of Androctonus australis hector (Aah) venom after carcinogenesis induced by N-Nitrosodiethylamine (DEN) were investigated on rats. Metabolic parameters and oxidative stress markers were evaluated in sera and kidney.
Results: The obtained result revealed that DEN had disturbed the metabolic activities (an increase of transaminases and LDH activities) and had led to oxidative stress (a significant increase of NO and MDA levels and depletion of GSH rate) compared to the control. However, repeated injection of F1 shows a kind of modulatory effect on metabolism and oxidative stress. It shows a variable effect on metabolic markers (turn ASAT activity to normal level, recovered ALAT, and activities). A decrease of MDA level in sera and kidney and an increase of GSH level in the kidney were observed.
Conclusion: F1 fraction purified from Aah venom contains many bioactive components. These biomolecules lead to enzymatic activity changes and to modulate oxidative stress in the kidney in normal and carcinogenic model. These changes seem to be beneficial in the pathological case.

Removal of Drugs from Hospital Wastewater by Photodegradation

Assia Keniche — 2024-01-29

Background: Hospital wastewater (WWs) represents a particular type of effluent, compared with urban wastewater. Hospitals generate on average 750 L of wastewater by the bed and by day so they are 2-5 times higher than urban flow rates, which refer to one inhabitant equivalent (typically included in the interval 120-250 L). This significant quantity of water per day for different purposes and services depending on the activities which take place within the structure.
Methods: In our work, we proposed two methods; the first one is the complexation with CD for the treatment of drugs from Hospital WWs, which makes solid precipitate that can be filtered later. Our second method is the photodegradation of most drugs found in Hospital WWs with a UV lamp and time for each type of drug elimination.
Results: Our result for the first method is the formation of a CD-drug complex as a solid precipitate which will be filtered later and eliminate the solution to be purified. For the second method, the use of the UV lamp at 300 nm gave a degradation of 70% of the drug of the solution after 30 minutes of irradiation. The follow-up of the photodegradation was carried out by UV spectroscopy.
Conclusion: The elimination of drugs from hospital waters is essential, the method we have developed on a small scale can be standardized in Algerian hospitals that do not contain hospital water treatment policies, before reaching urban waters. This congress will be the occasion to discuss this national problem and a call of installation of ministry at the level of each hospital.

Study of the Anti-Inflammatory and Healing Properties of the Rhizomes of Carthamus Caeruleus L. (Asteraceae) Harvested in the Region of Tipaza

Nabahat. Benmansour — 2024-01-29

Background: In some regions of Algeria, in Tipaza, natural medicine still occupies a place of choice in the treatment of many pathologies. Among these natural remedies are extracts of the rhizomes of Carthamus caeruleus L are used to treat burns with its astringent properties. Medicinal plant extracts contain a variety of phenolic compounds that are attributed to various biological activities (antioxidant and antimicrobial activity).
Methods: Our present study was conducted on the roots of Carthamus caeruleus L. harvested in the Tipaza region during the spring season. In order to promote this plant, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory activity and healing activity of the aqueous extract of the powder of the roots of Carthamus caereulus L., studying the anti-inflammatory effect by measuring the volume of the edema of the paw that has received carrageenan 1%. Circular incision of 2 cm in diameter was made in Wistar rats to evaluate the healing activity of the aqueous pasty extract of the rhizomes of Carthamus caeruleus L at 100 mg/kg.
Results: They show that aqueous extracts of Carthamus caeruleus L rhizomes at the dose of 100 mg/kg are opposed to the increased edema induced by the carrageenan 1% in rats with a percentage of inhibition of edema volume of 87.34% at the 6th hour. Concerning the healing activity, the results show that the application of the aqueous extracts of the roots of Carthamus caereulus L.at dose of 100 mg/kg on the wounds causes their healing at the end of 14 days.
Conclusion: Aqueous extracts of the roots of Carthamus caereulus L. show healing properties and anti-inflammatory effects. These results could justify the use of this plant in traditional medicine against inflammatory diseases.

Predicting Failure to Pass Medical College Graduation Exam: Prediction of senior year medical students who do not pass the graduation exam by logistic analysis using data on gender, experience of repetition, and results of previous exams

Kazuo Goto — 2024-01-29

Background: The number of students who must repeat an academic year due to an inability to attain enough credits has been increasing in Japan. It is important for universities to be able to identify these students in advance to ensure that they pass their examinations without need of repetition. In this study, we tried to predict the likelihood of students’ repetition of their senior year using the factors of gender, experience of repetition up to the junior year, and scores on tests conducted four times before their graduation exam in the senior year.
Methods: Seventy-three students belonging to the senior class of a medical technology college in Tokyo were studied. The students were divided into three groups: Group 1, composed of students who passed the graduation exam on the first attempt (n=35); Group 2, composed of students who failed to pass the graduation exam at the first attempt, but passed the graduation re-exam (n=26); and Group 3, composed of students who did not pass the graduation exam or the re-exam (n=12).
Results: We found that gender was not a factor of senior-year repetition. Students who had experienced repetition prior to junior year tended to be six times more likely to fail the graduation exam than those who did not (OR=6.52, 95% CI: 1.17 – 32.44, P=0.03). Low scores on Test 4, administered two months before the graduation exam, were associated with students who fail to pass the graduation exam (OR=15.2, 95% CI: 3.29 – 70.14, P=0.00). The graduation exam score was associated with students who fail to pass the re-exam (OR=55.2, 95% CI: 1.13 – 2679.86, P=0.04).
Conclusion: This study suggests that we need to support senior-year students based on the results of pre-graduation testing, and we need to increase support for students with repetition experience before junior year.

Removal of Copper from Industrial Wastewater and its Relationship with Wilson’s Disease

Keniche Assia — 2024-01-29

Background: Wilson’s illness, or hepato-lenticular degeneration, is an autosomal passive issue that outcomes from an accumulation of copper prevalently in the liver and brain. The aggregation is happen because of imperfect biliary discharge of copper. Current information demonstrates that grown-up people need to ingest about 0.75 mg of copper every day to continue a parity. Because of a hereditary imperfection, people with Wilson’s ailment cannot discharge the abundance copper, bringing about a progressive develop of copper in the body. Substantial metals are the most hurtful of the concoction toxins and are of specific worry because of their poison levels to people. From this poisonous metal copper, which has impacts in drinking water on the gastrointestinal tract, yet there is some with respect to the drawn out impacts of copper on delicate populaces, for example, bearers of the quality for Wilson’s malady and other metabolic issue of copper homeostasis.
Method: We picked as a characteristic adsorbent in this work the Moringa Oleifera Seeds (MOSs) from Mali assortment, which could be a practical and earth safe strategy for water sanitization. All examinations were directed at room temperature, and after being permitted to represent two hours, the examples were broke down utilizing the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). The seeds of Moringa were set up by taking around 1 g of the seed squashed and blending it in with around 20 cm3 of water to be decontaminated in three distinct measuring utensils.
Result: The different arrangements after filtration, indicated an expanded thickness in the amount of copper, which demonstrates the viability of the cleansing intensity of the seeds of MO. The best consequences of absorption were for 30 min of contact time. We had half copper evacuation. The impact of contact time is significant in biosorption investigations to decide the harmony time required for the take-up of metal particles by the MOSs.
Conclusion: In this investigation, the MOS from Mali were demonstrated to be a proficient regular adsorbent material of copper from fluid arrangements. The limit of the MOS to evacuate copper relies upon numerous models as; plant assortment and states of examinations. Our examination is going on the investigation of evacuation parameters, for example, contact time, pH, temperature, molecule size, sorbent portion, and introductory metal fixation.