Modern Health Science

Gastric Cancer and Epstein-Barr Virus Infection

Ilija Barukčić — 2018-08-29

Background: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has an important role in the oncogenesis of several malignant diseases. Reports even demonstrated the presence of Epstein-Barr virus in gastric carcinoma (GC). However, the pathogenic role of EBV in GC is uncertain. The present investigation was carried out to investigate a possible causal relationship between GC and EBV.

Statistical Analysis: The method of the conditio sine qua non relationship was used to proof the hypothesis whether gastric cancer is a necessary condition (a conditio sine qua non) of the presence of EBV in human gastric tissues. In other words without GC no EBV in human stomach. The mathematical formula of the causal relationship k was used to proof the hypothesis, whether there is a cause effect relationship between gastric cancer and EBV. Significance was indicated by a p-value (two sided) of less than 0.05.

Results: In toto 26 ISH based studies with a sample size of N = 11860 were re-analyzed. All the studies analyzed support the null-hypothesis without GC no EBV positivity in human stomach. In other words, gastric cancer itself is a conditio sine qua non of EBV positivity in stomach tissues while the cause effect relationship between gastric cancer and EBV was highly significant.

Conclusions: Epstein-Barr virus is neither a cause, nor the cause of human gastric cancer.

Human Cytomegalovirus is the Cause of Glioblastoma Multiforme

Ilija Barukčić — 2018-09-19

Objective: The relationship between Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is investigated.

Methods: A systematic review and re-analysis of some impressive key studies was conducted aimed to answer the following question. Is there a cause-effect relationship between HCMV and GBM? The method of the conditio sine qua non relationship was used to proof the hypothesis whether the presence of HCMV guarantees the presence of GBM. In other words, without HCMV no GBM. The mathematical formula of the causal relationship k was used to proof the hypothesis, whether there is a cause-effect relationship between HCMV and GBM. Significance was indicated by a p-value of less than 0.05.

Results: The studies analysed were able to provide strict evidence that HCMV is a necessary condition (a conditio sine qua non) of GBM. Furthermore, the cause-effect relationship between HCMV and GBM (k ~ + 0.8608, p value < 0.0001) was highly significant.

Conclusion: Without a human cytomegalovirus infection no glioblastoma multiforme. Human cytomegalovirus is the cause of glioblastoma multiforme.

Infective Endocarditis by Rare Organism Granulicatella Adiacens

Ali Hamoudi — 2018-12-03

Infective endocarditis (IE) is a life-threatening infection of the cardiac valves especially in patients with preexisted valvular disease. Having a rheumatic heart disease, congenital heart disease, prosthetic valves or previous episodes of IE are some of the traditional risk factors for infective endocarditis (Hoen & Duval, 2013).

Although most cases were reported by streptococci especially streptococcus viridans, which is one of the commensal bacteria isolated from the mouth, some of the cases of IE can be caused by fastidious extracellular bacteria such as Abiotrophia, HACEK group bacteria, Clostridium, Brucella, Legionella, Mycobacterium, and Bartonella spp. These organisms need supplemented media, prolonged incubation time, and special culture conditions to grow and be isolated.

Abiotrophia was reclassified in a new genus Granulicatella, as Granulicatella adiacens, balaenopterae, elegans and G. para adiacens. The genus Abiotrophia consists of only one species -A.defectiva.

Hepatotoxicity and Histological Evaluation of Aqueous and Methanolic Leaf Extracts of Thaumatococcus Daniellii and Alchornea Cordifolia in Wistar Rat Models

Okafor I. J. — 2019-01-04

This study was carried out to ascertain the hepatotoxic potential of T.daniellii (T.d) and A. cordifolia (A.c). Investigations were conducted using standard methods. Oral administration of 200mg/kg aqueous leaf extracts of T.daniellii caused a non-significant increase in the activity of ALT (5.43±0.60IU/L), AST (16.93±0.26 IU/L) and ALP (160.70±1.04 IU/L) compared to the values recorded on the normal control (group I) ALT (3.84±0.16 IU/L), AST (14.19±0.52 IU/L) and ALP (157.26±0.64 IU/L). Group III administered with 200mg/kg methanolic leaf extract of T. daniellii manifested a significant elevation in the activity of ALT (13.15±0.89 IU/L), AST (22.84±0.38 IU/L) and ALP (170.40±0.44 IU/L) compared to the normal control. Similarly, groups IV and V which were orally administered with 200mg/kg aqueous and methanolic leaf extracts of A. cordifolia showed significant increase in the activity of ALT (6.32±0.33U/L), AST (17.70±0.030U/L) and ALP (161.13±0.09U/L) and ALT (7.55±0.59U/L), AST (19.35±0.26U/L) and ALP (165.38±0.35U/L) respectively compared to the values recorded on the control (group I). In conclusion, drug development protocols involving T. daniellii leaf should preferably use water as an ideal solvent. On the other hand, the hepatotoxicity associated with both aqueous and methanolic extracts of A. cordifolia could imply the presence of hepatotoxins in the leaf of the said plant.