L. Jawdeh | American University of Beirut (original) (raw)
Papers by L. Jawdeh
International Journal of Immunopathology and Pharmacology, 2014
Churg-Strauss (CSS) syndrome is rare and of unknown etiology. It is associated with vasculitis, b... more Churg-Strauss (CSS) syndrome is rare and of unknown etiology. It is associated with vasculitis, blood eosinophilia and granulomatosis, and affects multiple organs and systems at various stages of the disease. Specific diagnostic and monitoring tests are not yet available. This study aims to assess the changes in MMP-2 and MMP-9 along with the histopathological alterations in two cases of CSS, as possible potential diagnostic and monitoring criteria. Two adult male patients were diagnosed with CSS in the otorhinolaryngology clinic in the University of Palermo, based on multiple clinical and histopathologic criteria. Biopsies of respiratory mucosa were taken after the consent of the patients, processed for routine histopathology and immunohistochemistry as well as quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Similar biopsies were also taken from a non-CSS patient. The Assessment of MMP-2 and MMP-9 was performed using both immunohistochemistry and qPCR techniques. Histopathological a...
Biomedical Papers, 2016
Background. Microbiota refers to the population of microorganisms (bacteria, viruses and fungi) t... more Background. Microbiota refers to the population of microorganisms (bacteria, viruses and fungi) that inhabit the entire gastrointestinal tract, more particularly the colon whose role is to maintain the integrity of the intestinal mucosa and control the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria. Alteration in the composition of the gut microbiota is called dysbiosis. Dysbiosis redisposes to inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn disease and indeterminate colitis. Methods. The purpose of this literature review is to elucidate the influence of diet on the composition of the gastrointestinal microbiota in the healthy gut and the role of diet in the development of dysbiosis. Conclusion. The "Western diet", in particular a low-fiber high fat/high carbohydrate diet is one factor that can lead to severe dysbiosis. In contrast, "mediterranean" and vegetarian diets that includes abundant fruits, vegetables, olive oil and oily fish are known for their anti-inflammatory effects and could prevent dysbiosis and subsequent inflammatory bowel disease.
Laboratory Animal Research, 2015
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a multifactorial disorder with many different putative influe... more Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a multifactorial disorder with many different putative influences mediating disease onset, severity, progression and diminution. Spontaneous natural IBD is classically expressed as Crohn's Disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC) commonly found in primates; lymphoplasmocytic enteritis, eosinophilic gastritis and colitis, and ulcerative colitis with neuronal hyperplasia in dogs; and colitis in horses. Spontaneous inflammatory bowel disease has been noted in a number of rodent models which differ in genetic strain background, induced mutation, microbiota influences and immunopathogenic pathways. Histological lesions in Crohn's Disease feature noncaseating granulomatous inflammation while UC lesions typically exhibit ulceration, lamina propria inflammatory infiltrates and lack of granuloma development. Intestinal inflammation caused by CD and UC is also associated with increased incidence of intestinal neoplasia. Transgenic murine models have determined underlying etiological influences and appropriate therapeutic targets in IBD. This literature review will discuss current opinion and findings in spontaneous IBD, highlight selected transgenic rodent models of IBD and discuss their respective pathogenic mechanisms. It is very important to provide accommodation of induced putative deficits in activities of daily living and to assess discomfort and pain levels in the face of significant morbidity and/or mortality in these models. Epigenetic, environmental (microbiome, metabolome) and nutritional factors are important in IBD pathogenesis, and evaluating ways in which they influence disease expression represent potential investigative approaches with the greatest potential for new discoveries.
Journal of biological regulators and homeostatic agents
Integrins can modulate the infiltration of inflammatory cells and the secretion of various inflam... more Integrins can modulate the infiltration of inflammatory cells and the secretion of various inflammatory mediators, essential players in the pathogenesis of colitis. This study explores the role of beta2 and beta3 integrin signaling and their possible role in experimental colitis. A total of 160 adult male Sprague-Dawly rats were divided into 4 equal groups: methylcellulose, bacteria, iodoacetamide and iodoacetamide plus bacteria. Clinical symptoms and signs of colitis were checked daily and colonic tissues were biopsied on days 3, 14, 28, and 56 post induction. Histological studies along with histochemical analysis and polymerase chain reaction of beta2, beta3 and alphavbeta3 were performed according to standard procedures. The symptoms and signs were consistent with previously reported data on active colitis. The highest expression of beta3 integrin was in the combined treatment mostly on platelets, endothelial and inflammatory cells. In the same group, the expression of alphavbeta...
Global Heart, 2006
Background: Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in Lebanon. This study set out... more Background: Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in Lebanon. This study set out to assess the knowledge and practices of the Lebanese regarding atherothrombosis and its risk factors. Methods: A total of 2010 interviews were conducted with adults aged 30 years and older throughout Lebanon between December 2003 and February 2004. Results: The responses revealed that 88.9% were aware of atherothrombosis however, only 23.6% correctly defined it. The main determinants of appropriate knowledge were regional distribution, and educational level. The respondents identified the majority of atherothrombosis risk factors and consequences however only half of the respondents mentioned alcohol and diabetes as risk factors and few mentioned peripheral arterial disease as a consequence. The television was the source of health information for 75.6% of the study population. However, only 27% considered they had enough knowledge about atherothrombosis. The health seeking behavior was satisfactory nevertheless there was a lack of a healthy lifestyle. Almost 70% of the respondents did not exercise and 58.5% were overweight and obese. Among the respondents 6.8% reported a previous atherothrombotic episode, and only 86.8% of them were on medications. The costs of the medications were the main reason for discontinuing medication use. Conclusion: There is a need for a national television campaign targeting lifestyle modification and risk factor knowledge on the one hand. On the other hand, target-specific campaigns are needed in underprivileged areas of Lebanon with high rates of illiteracy and poverty. In addition, policy makers need to address and improve socioeconomic characteristics as these play an important role in disease prevention.
Journal of biological regulators and homeostatic agents
Probiotics (PB) are living microorganisms that act as a commensal population in normal intestines... more Probiotics (PB) are living microorganisms that act as a commensal population in normal intestines and confer numerous beneficial effects on the host. The introduction of probiotics in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) prolongs remission. The aim of this study was to investigate the intestinal and hepatic effects of PB supplementation in an experimental IBD model in mice induced by 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS). In the first step of the experimental procedure, CD-1 male mice, 5 to 6 weeks old, were randomly divided into 3 groups and inoculated intrarectally with, respectively, saline, alcohol, or TNBS to assess the experimental IBD model. In the second step, mice treated, or not, with TNBS inoculation, were treated with PB (Lactobacillus Casei, Bifidobacterum Lactis) for 1, 2 or 3 weeks, on a daily basis. Large bowel (colon and rectum) and liver were processed for histological alterations, according to a scoring system. Large bowel was also assessed for a...
Ethnicity & disease, 2009
Diseases of the circulatory system are the main causes of death and drivers of health care costs ... more Diseases of the circulatory system are the main causes of death and drivers of health care costs in Lebanon. However, no study has yet tried to assess the burden of such diseases in Lebanon. This study set out to estimate the incidence and prevalence of major diseases of ...
World Journal of Gastroenterology, 2008
nued treatment groups: the animals showed slow rate of increase in body weight, diarrhea, bloody ... more nued treatment groups: the animals showed slow rate of increase in body weight, diarrhea, bloody stools, high colonic ulcer score, as well as histological alterations characteristic of UC, with an extensive inflammatory reaction. During the course of the experiment, the MPO activity was consistently elevated and the TNF-α gene expression was upregulated compared to the control animals. CONCLUSION: The experimental ulcerative colitis model used in the present study resembles, to a great extent, the human disease. It is reproducible with characteristics indicative of chronicity.
Molecular Pharmaceutics, 2004
This investigation focused on studying the effects of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and ins... more This investigation focused on studying the effects of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and insulin treatment on absorption of glycylsarcosine (Gly-Sar) across the Sprague-Dawley rat jejunum, using in situ perfusion in a physiologic acidic microenvironment at pH 6.0. Rats were divided into five groups: normal controls in group I, normal colchicine-treated rats in group II, normal cytochalasin-treated rats in group III, streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats in group IV, and insulin-treated diabetic rats in group V. Histologic studies of the five different groups showed morphologic changes upon induction of diabetes and treatments with colchicine and cytochalasin and several variations in post-1 month diabetic rats treated with insulin. The rate of uptake of Gly-Sar was significantly reduced in the diabetic state. The comparison of colchicine-treated and cytochalasin-treated rats to the diabetic group suggests that an intact cytoskeleton and tight junctions may play a role in jejunal dipeptide absorption. In the diabetic and insulin-treated group, the dipeptide influx rate was significantly increased compared to that of the nontreated controls. The regulation of the PepT 1 symporter was further assessed by immunostaining and Western blot analyses in the normal, diabetic, and diabetic and insulin-treated groups. Our results showed that a downregulation of PepT 1 in the diabetics seemed to be due in part to the low systemic insulin levels, and not necessarily to hyperglycemia. In addition, the results suggest a probable role of systemic insulin binding at the vascular site of the jejunal epithelium, and the role that this hormone may be playing in the regulation and probably cellular trafficking of PepT1.
Journal of Human Hypertension, 2005
Hypertension is a well-known major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. This study has been d... more Hypertension is a well-known major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. This study has been designed to assess the prevalence of hypertension, its cooccurrence with other cardiovascular risk factors and its association with cardiovascular diseases in a representative sample of Lebanese population. A pretested questionnaire was administered to 2125 adults aged equal or above 30 years old from all regions in Lebanon and proportionate with the respective population density. Data revealed that 23.1% of the respondents admitted being hypertensive, with no statistically significant difference between male and female patients. Prevalence of hypertension increased with age (Po0.01) and hypertension tended to occur more in the less educated and the unemployed (Po0.01). Only 45.7% of hypertensive patients followed a low fat diet while 14.7% exercised daily. The prevalence of hypertension increased significantly with an increase in body mass index particularly in female patients. Among the hypertensive respondents, 23.9% were diabetic, 38.1% were hyperlipidaemic and 9.1% were both diabetic and hyperlipidaemic. Co-occurrence of hypertension with diabetes, hyperlipidaemia or both was more common in female patients compared to male patients. In addition, stroke, myocardial infarction (MI) and atherothrombosis occurred in hypertensive respondents at rates of 2.4, 4.3 and 9.5%, respectively. Hypertensive female patients reported more stroke and atherothrombotic episodes compared to male patients, whereas hypertensive male patients had more MIs. Based on these results it is very important to address the issue of lifestyle modification for the prevention and treatment of hypertension and awareness campaigns should stress the fact that cardiovascular diseases are not only restricted to men.
Arthritis & Rheumatism, 1979
Low pH eluates were prepared from trophoblasts derived from 8 term human placentas. A qualitative... more Low pH eluates were prepared from trophoblasts derived from 8 term human placentas. A qualitative analysis for immunoglobulins revealed the presence of IgG, IgA, and IgM in these eluates. IgC-rich fractions were obtained by DEAE-cellulose chromatography of ammonium sulfate-concentrated eluates. These fractions were able to neutralize, in vitro, the catalytic activity of reverse transcriptases (RT) from several retroviruses. RT from baboon endogenous virus (BEV) seemed to be more susceptible to the neutralizing activity of some eluates. This was in contrast to RT from feline leukemia virus (FeLV) which were neutralized by eluates of leukocytes from chronic myelogenous leukemia. In contrast to previous and present results with purified IgG from leukemic leukocytes, the purified IgG from placenta eluates was incapable of RT neutralization. However, such purified IgG fractions inhibited mixed lymphocyte reactions.
The purpose of this work is to investigate the link between an altered intestinal mcro-biota or d... more The purpose of this work is to investigate the link between an altered intestinal mcro-biota or dysbiosis and chronic inflammatory disorders, in particular inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Along with probiotics, faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) opts to be a promising therapeutic treatment for restoring the bacterial homeostasis of the human intestine and reducing the risk of colorectal carcinogenesis. Microbiota is the complex microbial flora that resides in the gut establishing a mutually beneficial relationship. Alteration of the microbiota's composition, termed as dysbiosis, may lead to pathological conditions. Treatment with probiotics can restore the normal commensal flora in IBD. Intestinal microbiota affects the circadian rhythm which in turn regulates the expression of different genes in GALT (gut associated lymphoid tissue) playing a role in the prevention of inflammation and colorectal cancer (CRC) progression. This article highlights the involvement of differe...
Biomedical Papers, 2016
Background. Microbiota refers to the population of microorganisms (bacteria, viruses and fungi) t... more Background. Microbiota refers to the population of microorganisms (bacteria, viruses and fungi) that inhabit the entire gastrointestinal tract, more particularly the colon whose role is to maintain the integrity of the intestinal mucosa and control the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria. Alteration in the composition of the gut microbiota is called dysbiosis. Dysbiosis redisposes to inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn disease and indeterminate colitis. Methods. The purpose of this literature review is to elucidate the influence of diet on the composition of the gastrointestinal microbiota in the healthy gut and the role of diet in the development of dysbiosis. Conclusion. The "Western diet", in particular a low-fiber high fat/high carbohydrate diet is one factor that can lead to severe dysbiosis. In contrast, "mediterranean" and vegetarian diets that includes abundant fruits, vegetables, olive oil and oily fish are known for their anti-inflammatory effects and could prevent dysbiosis and subsequent inflammatory bowel disease.
Intra-abdominal desmoplastic small round cell tumors are rare aggressive neoplasms, with a very p... more Intra-abdominal desmoplastic small round cell tumors are rare aggressive neoplasms, with a very poor prognosis, observed in young adults with a male predominance. Their etiology is unknown and the diagnosis is based on histopathology, immunohistochem-istry and cytogenetics. Histological analysis shows typically clusters of round cells separated by abundant desmoplastic stroma. These tumors exhibit a multi-marker im-munohistochemistry profile expressing the three embryonic lineages: epithelial, neural and mesenchymal. They are positive for desmin and cytokeratin and are characterized by a specific recurring translocation t (11: 22) (q12-p13), which involves EWSR1 WT1 gene. They are usually fatal despite an aggressive multidisciplinary therapeutic approach. Hereby we report the case of a 39 year old man who presented with an in-tra-abdominal desmoplastic small round cell tumor. The diagnosis was made by radiological , histological and immunohistochemistry profile analyses of a CT scanguided biopsy. This article also includes a mini review of the literature.
International Journal of Immunopathology and Pharmacology, 2014
Churg-Strauss (CSS) syndrome is rare and of unknown etiology. It is associated with vasculitis, b... more Churg-Strauss (CSS) syndrome is rare and of unknown etiology. It is associated with vasculitis, blood eosinophilia and granulomatosis, and affects multiple organs and systems at various stages of the disease. Specific diagnostic and monitoring tests are not yet available. This study aims to assess the changes in MMP-2 and MMP-9 along with the histopathological alterations in two cases of CSS, as possible potential diagnostic and monitoring criteria. Two adult male patients were diagnosed with CSS in the otorhinolaryngology clinic in the University of Palermo, based on multiple clinical and histopathologic criteria. Biopsies of respiratory mucosa were taken after the consent of the patients, processed for routine histopathology and immunohistochemistry as well as quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Similar biopsies were also taken from a non-CSS patient. The Assessment of MMP-2 and MMP-9 was performed using both immunohistochemistry and qPCR techniques. Histopathological a...
Biomedical Papers, 2016
Background. Microbiota refers to the population of microorganisms (bacteria, viruses and fungi) t... more Background. Microbiota refers to the population of microorganisms (bacteria, viruses and fungi) that inhabit the entire gastrointestinal tract, more particularly the colon whose role is to maintain the integrity of the intestinal mucosa and control the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria. Alteration in the composition of the gut microbiota is called dysbiosis. Dysbiosis redisposes to inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn disease and indeterminate colitis. Methods. The purpose of this literature review is to elucidate the influence of diet on the composition of the gastrointestinal microbiota in the healthy gut and the role of diet in the development of dysbiosis. Conclusion. The "Western diet", in particular a low-fiber high fat/high carbohydrate diet is one factor that can lead to severe dysbiosis. In contrast, "mediterranean" and vegetarian diets that includes abundant fruits, vegetables, olive oil and oily fish are known for their anti-inflammatory effects and could prevent dysbiosis and subsequent inflammatory bowel disease.
Laboratory Animal Research, 2015
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a multifactorial disorder with many different putative influe... more Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a multifactorial disorder with many different putative influences mediating disease onset, severity, progression and diminution. Spontaneous natural IBD is classically expressed as Crohn's Disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC) commonly found in primates; lymphoplasmocytic enteritis, eosinophilic gastritis and colitis, and ulcerative colitis with neuronal hyperplasia in dogs; and colitis in horses. Spontaneous inflammatory bowel disease has been noted in a number of rodent models which differ in genetic strain background, induced mutation, microbiota influences and immunopathogenic pathways. Histological lesions in Crohn's Disease feature noncaseating granulomatous inflammation while UC lesions typically exhibit ulceration, lamina propria inflammatory infiltrates and lack of granuloma development. Intestinal inflammation caused by CD and UC is also associated with increased incidence of intestinal neoplasia. Transgenic murine models have determined underlying etiological influences and appropriate therapeutic targets in IBD. This literature review will discuss current opinion and findings in spontaneous IBD, highlight selected transgenic rodent models of IBD and discuss their respective pathogenic mechanisms. It is very important to provide accommodation of induced putative deficits in activities of daily living and to assess discomfort and pain levels in the face of significant morbidity and/or mortality in these models. Epigenetic, environmental (microbiome, metabolome) and nutritional factors are important in IBD pathogenesis, and evaluating ways in which they influence disease expression represent potential investigative approaches with the greatest potential for new discoveries.
Journal of biological regulators and homeostatic agents
Integrins can modulate the infiltration of inflammatory cells and the secretion of various inflam... more Integrins can modulate the infiltration of inflammatory cells and the secretion of various inflammatory mediators, essential players in the pathogenesis of colitis. This study explores the role of beta2 and beta3 integrin signaling and their possible role in experimental colitis. A total of 160 adult male Sprague-Dawly rats were divided into 4 equal groups: methylcellulose, bacteria, iodoacetamide and iodoacetamide plus bacteria. Clinical symptoms and signs of colitis were checked daily and colonic tissues were biopsied on days 3, 14, 28, and 56 post induction. Histological studies along with histochemical analysis and polymerase chain reaction of beta2, beta3 and alphavbeta3 were performed according to standard procedures. The symptoms and signs were consistent with previously reported data on active colitis. The highest expression of beta3 integrin was in the combined treatment mostly on platelets, endothelial and inflammatory cells. In the same group, the expression of alphavbeta...
Global Heart, 2006
Background: Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in Lebanon. This study set out... more Background: Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in Lebanon. This study set out to assess the knowledge and practices of the Lebanese regarding atherothrombosis and its risk factors. Methods: A total of 2010 interviews were conducted with adults aged 30 years and older throughout Lebanon between December 2003 and February 2004. Results: The responses revealed that 88.9% were aware of atherothrombosis however, only 23.6% correctly defined it. The main determinants of appropriate knowledge were regional distribution, and educational level. The respondents identified the majority of atherothrombosis risk factors and consequences however only half of the respondents mentioned alcohol and diabetes as risk factors and few mentioned peripheral arterial disease as a consequence. The television was the source of health information for 75.6% of the study population. However, only 27% considered they had enough knowledge about atherothrombosis. The health seeking behavior was satisfactory nevertheless there was a lack of a healthy lifestyle. Almost 70% of the respondents did not exercise and 58.5% were overweight and obese. Among the respondents 6.8% reported a previous atherothrombotic episode, and only 86.8% of them were on medications. The costs of the medications were the main reason for discontinuing medication use. Conclusion: There is a need for a national television campaign targeting lifestyle modification and risk factor knowledge on the one hand. On the other hand, target-specific campaigns are needed in underprivileged areas of Lebanon with high rates of illiteracy and poverty. In addition, policy makers need to address and improve socioeconomic characteristics as these play an important role in disease prevention.
Journal of biological regulators and homeostatic agents
Probiotics (PB) are living microorganisms that act as a commensal population in normal intestines... more Probiotics (PB) are living microorganisms that act as a commensal population in normal intestines and confer numerous beneficial effects on the host. The introduction of probiotics in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) prolongs remission. The aim of this study was to investigate the intestinal and hepatic effects of PB supplementation in an experimental IBD model in mice induced by 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS). In the first step of the experimental procedure, CD-1 male mice, 5 to 6 weeks old, were randomly divided into 3 groups and inoculated intrarectally with, respectively, saline, alcohol, or TNBS to assess the experimental IBD model. In the second step, mice treated, or not, with TNBS inoculation, were treated with PB (Lactobacillus Casei, Bifidobacterum Lactis) for 1, 2 or 3 weeks, on a daily basis. Large bowel (colon and rectum) and liver were processed for histological alterations, according to a scoring system. Large bowel was also assessed for a...
Ethnicity & disease, 2009
Diseases of the circulatory system are the main causes of death and drivers of health care costs ... more Diseases of the circulatory system are the main causes of death and drivers of health care costs in Lebanon. However, no study has yet tried to assess the burden of such diseases in Lebanon. This study set out to estimate the incidence and prevalence of major diseases of ...
World Journal of Gastroenterology, 2008
nued treatment groups: the animals showed slow rate of increase in body weight, diarrhea, bloody ... more nued treatment groups: the animals showed slow rate of increase in body weight, diarrhea, bloody stools, high colonic ulcer score, as well as histological alterations characteristic of UC, with an extensive inflammatory reaction. During the course of the experiment, the MPO activity was consistently elevated and the TNF-α gene expression was upregulated compared to the control animals. CONCLUSION: The experimental ulcerative colitis model used in the present study resembles, to a great extent, the human disease. It is reproducible with characteristics indicative of chronicity.
Molecular Pharmaceutics, 2004
This investigation focused on studying the effects of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and ins... more This investigation focused on studying the effects of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and insulin treatment on absorption of glycylsarcosine (Gly-Sar) across the Sprague-Dawley rat jejunum, using in situ perfusion in a physiologic acidic microenvironment at pH 6.0. Rats were divided into five groups: normal controls in group I, normal colchicine-treated rats in group II, normal cytochalasin-treated rats in group III, streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats in group IV, and insulin-treated diabetic rats in group V. Histologic studies of the five different groups showed morphologic changes upon induction of diabetes and treatments with colchicine and cytochalasin and several variations in post-1 month diabetic rats treated with insulin. The rate of uptake of Gly-Sar was significantly reduced in the diabetic state. The comparison of colchicine-treated and cytochalasin-treated rats to the diabetic group suggests that an intact cytoskeleton and tight junctions may play a role in jejunal dipeptide absorption. In the diabetic and insulin-treated group, the dipeptide influx rate was significantly increased compared to that of the nontreated controls. The regulation of the PepT 1 symporter was further assessed by immunostaining and Western blot analyses in the normal, diabetic, and diabetic and insulin-treated groups. Our results showed that a downregulation of PepT 1 in the diabetics seemed to be due in part to the low systemic insulin levels, and not necessarily to hyperglycemia. In addition, the results suggest a probable role of systemic insulin binding at the vascular site of the jejunal epithelium, and the role that this hormone may be playing in the regulation and probably cellular trafficking of PepT1.
Journal of Human Hypertension, 2005
Hypertension is a well-known major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. This study has been d... more Hypertension is a well-known major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. This study has been designed to assess the prevalence of hypertension, its cooccurrence with other cardiovascular risk factors and its association with cardiovascular diseases in a representative sample of Lebanese population. A pretested questionnaire was administered to 2125 adults aged equal or above 30 years old from all regions in Lebanon and proportionate with the respective population density. Data revealed that 23.1% of the respondents admitted being hypertensive, with no statistically significant difference between male and female patients. Prevalence of hypertension increased with age (Po0.01) and hypertension tended to occur more in the less educated and the unemployed (Po0.01). Only 45.7% of hypertensive patients followed a low fat diet while 14.7% exercised daily. The prevalence of hypertension increased significantly with an increase in body mass index particularly in female patients. Among the hypertensive respondents, 23.9% were diabetic, 38.1% were hyperlipidaemic and 9.1% were both diabetic and hyperlipidaemic. Co-occurrence of hypertension with diabetes, hyperlipidaemia or both was more common in female patients compared to male patients. In addition, stroke, myocardial infarction (MI) and atherothrombosis occurred in hypertensive respondents at rates of 2.4, 4.3 and 9.5%, respectively. Hypertensive female patients reported more stroke and atherothrombotic episodes compared to male patients, whereas hypertensive male patients had more MIs. Based on these results it is very important to address the issue of lifestyle modification for the prevention and treatment of hypertension and awareness campaigns should stress the fact that cardiovascular diseases are not only restricted to men.
Arthritis & Rheumatism, 1979
Low pH eluates were prepared from trophoblasts derived from 8 term human placentas. A qualitative... more Low pH eluates were prepared from trophoblasts derived from 8 term human placentas. A qualitative analysis for immunoglobulins revealed the presence of IgG, IgA, and IgM in these eluates. IgC-rich fractions were obtained by DEAE-cellulose chromatography of ammonium sulfate-concentrated eluates. These fractions were able to neutralize, in vitro, the catalytic activity of reverse transcriptases (RT) from several retroviruses. RT from baboon endogenous virus (BEV) seemed to be more susceptible to the neutralizing activity of some eluates. This was in contrast to RT from feline leukemia virus (FeLV) which were neutralized by eluates of leukocytes from chronic myelogenous leukemia. In contrast to previous and present results with purified IgG from leukemic leukocytes, the purified IgG from placenta eluates was incapable of RT neutralization. However, such purified IgG fractions inhibited mixed lymphocyte reactions.
The purpose of this work is to investigate the link between an altered intestinal mcro-biota or d... more The purpose of this work is to investigate the link between an altered intestinal mcro-biota or dysbiosis and chronic inflammatory disorders, in particular inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Along with probiotics, faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) opts to be a promising therapeutic treatment for restoring the bacterial homeostasis of the human intestine and reducing the risk of colorectal carcinogenesis. Microbiota is the complex microbial flora that resides in the gut establishing a mutually beneficial relationship. Alteration of the microbiota's composition, termed as dysbiosis, may lead to pathological conditions. Treatment with probiotics can restore the normal commensal flora in IBD. Intestinal microbiota affects the circadian rhythm which in turn regulates the expression of different genes in GALT (gut associated lymphoid tissue) playing a role in the prevention of inflammation and colorectal cancer (CRC) progression. This article highlights the involvement of differe...
Biomedical Papers, 2016
Background. Microbiota refers to the population of microorganisms (bacteria, viruses and fungi) t... more Background. Microbiota refers to the population of microorganisms (bacteria, viruses and fungi) that inhabit the entire gastrointestinal tract, more particularly the colon whose role is to maintain the integrity of the intestinal mucosa and control the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria. Alteration in the composition of the gut microbiota is called dysbiosis. Dysbiosis redisposes to inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn disease and indeterminate colitis. Methods. The purpose of this literature review is to elucidate the influence of diet on the composition of the gastrointestinal microbiota in the healthy gut and the role of diet in the development of dysbiosis. Conclusion. The "Western diet", in particular a low-fiber high fat/high carbohydrate diet is one factor that can lead to severe dysbiosis. In contrast, "mediterranean" and vegetarian diets that includes abundant fruits, vegetables, olive oil and oily fish are known for their anti-inflammatory effects and could prevent dysbiosis and subsequent inflammatory bowel disease.
Intra-abdominal desmoplastic small round cell tumors are rare aggressive neoplasms, with a very p... more Intra-abdominal desmoplastic small round cell tumors are rare aggressive neoplasms, with a very poor prognosis, observed in young adults with a male predominance. Their etiology is unknown and the diagnosis is based on histopathology, immunohistochem-istry and cytogenetics. Histological analysis shows typically clusters of round cells separated by abundant desmoplastic stroma. These tumors exhibit a multi-marker im-munohistochemistry profile expressing the three embryonic lineages: epithelial, neural and mesenchymal. They are positive for desmin and cytokeratin and are characterized by a specific recurring translocation t (11: 22) (q12-p13), which involves EWSR1 WT1 gene. They are usually fatal despite an aggressive multidisciplinary therapeutic approach. Hereby we report the case of a 39 year old man who presented with an in-tra-abdominal desmoplastic small round cell tumor. The diagnosis was made by radiological , histological and immunohistochemistry profile analyses of a CT scanguided biopsy. This article also includes a mini review of the literature.