great therapeutic potential. However, better designed clinical trials in the multicenter setting with a large sample and long duration of intervention are needed to identify the specific strain or combination of probiotics and prebiotics which will be more beneficial and effective in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.Lyme carditis (LC) is an early-disseminated manifestation of Lyme disease, most commonly presenting as high-degree atrioventricular block (AVB). The degree of AVB can fluctuate rapidly within minutes, and progression to third-degree AVB is potentially fatal if not recognized and managed promptly. However, the AVB in LC is often transient, and usually resolves with appropriate antibiotic therapy. LC should be on the differential diagnosis in young patients presenting with new high-degree AVB and factors that increase the index of suspicion for Lyme disease. The Suspicious Index in Lyme Carditis (SILC) score helps clinicians risk stratify for LC. A systematic approach to the diagnosis and treatment of LC minimizes the unnecessary implantation of permanent pacemakers. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.Lower extremity venous diseases or insufficiency include clinically deteriorating conditions with morphological and functional alterations of the venous system including venous hypertension, vascular wall structural abnormality, and venous valvar incompetency in association with a inflammatory process . In fact the same pathophysiological processes are the main underlying mechanisms of other venous insufficiencies in different vascular territories such as varicocele, pelvic varicosities or congestion syndrome and hemorrhoids.Regarding the anatomical continuity of lower extremity venous system, urogenital system (pampiniform plexus in male and broad ligament and ovarian veins in female) and anorectal venous system, it is reasonable to expect common symptoms such as pain, burning sensation, pruritis, swelling, which arises direclty from the involved tissue itself. High coexistence rate of peripheral varicose vein, varicocele/pelvic congestion syndrome and hemorrhoid between eachother undelines not only the same vascular wall abnormaility as an underlying etiology but also existence of common symptoms originating from the involved tissue in dilating venous disease. Accordingly, it might be reasonable to query the common symptoms of venous dilating disease in other venous vascular region in patients with complaints of any particular venous territory. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.AIMS To probe whether RDW can be used as a reliable indicator of subclinical disease in FMF patients. BACKGROUND Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an auto inflammatory disease with potentially devastating effects on the kidney, and the chronic subclinical inflammation may also be deleterious. Further, proteinuria has been associated with chronic inflammatory states. OBJECTIVE To probe whether RDW can be used as a reliable indicator of subclinical disease in FMF patients. METHOD Ninety-nine children with FMF, according to the new pediatric FMF criteria, were included in the present study.  https://www.selleckchem.com/TGF-beta.html  All were attack-free at the time of the study. They were compared with 44 healthy age-matched controls. For all patients and controls, the following tests were done Complete blood count (in the form of red cell count, leukocyte count, platelet count, hemoglobin, RDW and MCV), CRP, ESR, creatinine and an estimated glomerular filtration rate (e-GFR). For patients, serum and urine albumin and albumin/creatinine ratio were also determined. RESULT Group 1 consisted of 61 patients, who were not suffering from microalbuminuria, and Group 2 consisted of 38 patients who had confirmed albuminuria. RDW and ESR were significantly higher in patients with FMF without microalbuminuria than in controls, while MCV was smaller in controls (p less then 0.05). CONCLUSION RDW and ESR can be used as indicators of subclinical inflammation in children with FMF. The tests are easy to perform and cheaper than more sophisticated tests. Microalbuminuria may be silent and occur on the background of normal levels of acute phase reactants. All cases must be routinely checked for microalbuminuria. Other It is worth mentioning that, in developing countries sophisticated tests are often too costly. Improving the availability of simple, low cost laboratory tests continues to be an important issue that needs addressing. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.BACKGROUND Chikungunya fever is a challenging threat to human health in various parts of the world nowadays. Many attempts have been made for developing an effective drug against this viral disease and no effective antiviral treatment has been developed to control the spread of the Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) in humans. OBJECTIVE This research is aimed at the discovery of potential inhibitors against this virus by employing computational techniques to study the interactions between non-structural proteins of Chikungunya virus and phytochemicals from plants. METHOD Four non-structural proteins were docked with 2035 phytochemicals from various plants. The ligands having binding energies ≥ -8.0 kcal/mol were considered as potential inhibitors for these proteins. ADMET studies were also performed to analyze different pharmacological properties of these docked compounds and to further analyze the reactivity of these phytochemicals against CHIKV, DFT analysis was carried out based on HOMO and LUMO energies. RESULTS By analyzing the binding energies, Ki, ADMET properties and band energy gaps, it was observed that 13 phytochemicals passed all the criteria to be a potent inhibitor against CHIKV in humans. CONCLUSION A total of 13 phytochemicals were identified as potent inhibiting candidates which can be used against Chikungunya virus. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.