. Short-term evaluation of autologous transplantation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells in patients with cirrhosis: Egyptian study.Abstract: Background: Stem cell-based therapy has received attention as a possible alternative to organ transplantation. The aim of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of autologous transplantation of bone marrow (BM)-derived stromal cells in post-HCV liver cirrhosis patients. Methodology: 10 9 10 6 of isolated human bone marrow (HBM)-stromal cells in 10 mL normal saline were injected in the spleen of 20 patients with end-stage liver cirrhosis guided by the ultrasonography, and then patients were followed up on monthly basis for six months. Results: A statistically significant decrease was detected in the total bilirubin, aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT) (p-value<0.01), prothrombin time (PT), and international normalized ratio (INR) levels (p-value<0.05), while a statistically significant increase in the albumin and PC (p-value<0.05) after follow-up. Conclusion: This study suggested the safety, feasibility, and efficacy of the intrasplenic injection of autologous BM stromal cells in improving liver function in Egyptian patients with cirrhosis.

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The essential oil of the oleogum resin "Olibanum" was prepared by direct steam distillation as well as by steam distillation of an N-hexane extract. Physical and chemical constants of the oil were determined. GC-MS was used for the analysis of the oil. Thirty-three components were identified in the steam distilled oil by their Kováts indices on stabilized OV-1 columns and by mass spectral data. The oil contains 62.1% esters, 15.4% alcohols, 9.9% monoterpene hydrocarbons, and 7.1% diterpenes. Certain minor constituents of the steam distilled oil failed to show up in the oil prepared by steam distillation of the N-hexane extract. Both oils exhibit antimicrobial activity, the activity of the steam distilled oil being higher than that of the oil prepared by steam distillation of the N-hexane extract.

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Objective: To study the impact of shisha smoking on the extent of coronary artery disease. Methods: Patients who underwent coronary angiography were included in this observational cohort study and were divided to four groups according to the smoking pattern: shisha smokers, cigarettes smokers, mixed smokers (shisha and cigarettes) and non-smokers. Coronary angiography was done and the severity of coronary artery disease was defined according to Duke Jeopardy Score (DJ). Results: The study comprised of 287 consecutive patients; 22% were shisha smokers, 35% cigarette smokers, 5% mixed smokers and 38% non-smokers. Significant elevation of systolic blood pressure (p=0.009) and heart rate (p<0.001) were observed among mixed smokers followed by shisha smokers, cigarettes smokers and non-smokers respectively. The mean value of DJ score was highest among shisha smokers than mixed smokers, cigarettes smokers and non-smokers respectively (p=0.012). We also compared DJ score in shisha smokers with CAD vs nonshisha smokers with CAD and we found that 71.43% of shisha smokers had an advanced DJ score (>6) which was statistically significant (p=0.008) where shisha smokers showed significantly higher resting pulse (p<0.001) and systolic blood pressure (p=0.001) compared to nonshisha smokers and mean DJ score was significantly higher among shisha smokers (6.961±3.238) vs non-shisha smokers (5.762±3.062) (p=0.004). Conclusion: Shisha smoking is associated with severe coronary artery disease that calls for the need to enroll them in tobacco cessation courses. (Anadolu Kardiyol Derg 2013; 13: 647-54) Key words: Coronary artery disease, shisha smoking, Duke Jeopardy score Original Investigation Özgün Araşt›rma 647ÖZET Amaç: Nargile içiminin koroner arter hastalığının (KAH) yaygınlığına etkisini araştırmak.Yöntemler: Bu gözlemsel kohort çalışmaya koroner anjiyografi yapılan hastalar dahil edildi ve sigara içme alışkanlıklarına göre dört gruba ayrıldı; nargile içenler, sigara içenler, karışık içenler (nargile ve sigara) ve sigara içmeyenler. Koroner anjiyografi yapıldı ve koroner arter hastalığının ciddiyetini belirlemek için Duke Jeopardy skorlaması (DJS) kullanıldı. Bulgular: Ardışık 287 hastadan oluşan çalışmanın; %22'si nargile içenler, %35'i sigara içenler, %5'i karışık içenler ve %38'i sigara içmeyenlerdir. Sırasıyla; karışık içenler, nargile içenler, sigara içenler ve içmeyenlerin sistolik kan basıncı (p=0,009) ve kalp hızında (p<0,001) önemli yükselmeler gözlenmiştir. Ortalama DJ score nargile içenler arasında; sırasıyla karışık içenler, sigara içenler ve içmeyenlerden daha yüksektir (p=0,012). Ayrıca, KAH'lı nargile içen hastaların DJ score'u ile nargile içmeyen KAH'lı hastaların scorlarını karşılaştırdık ve nargile içenlerin %71,43'ünün içmeyenle-re göre istatistik anlamda (p=0,008) ileri DJ score'u (>6) vardı. Buna karşılık nargile içenler; nargile içmeyenlerle karşılaştırıldığında istirahat nabzı (p<0,001) ve sistolik kan basıncı (p=0,001) önemli derecede daha yüksekti; ortalama DJ score nargile içmeyenlere göre (5...