Most Viewed Articles

The purpose of the present study was to define the period of time in which aerobic training does not increase further serum S-Klotho levels in untrained young adult males, and to examine the relation between plasma S-Klotho concentration and maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max). Methods: Sixty (60) untrained subjects (27.05±1.1 years) were divided into 2 groups, both exercised six months 4×wk-1 for the duration of 45 min×session. One group (LTI) exercised below the anaerobic threshold at 40-50% of VO2max, while the second group (HTI) worked above the anaerobic threshold at 65-70% of VO2max. Testing sessions were performed at 0, 2, 4, and 6 months. Blood samples were drawn after overnight fasting; S-Klotho was analyzed using an ELISA kit. Results: Following 2 and 4 months, significant (p≤0.05) increases were noted in the HTI group, at the fourth testing session, S-Klotho leveled off. In the LTI group, S-Klotho remained almost unchanged. Findings of the present study, support emerging evidence suggesting that a relation between plasma S-Klotho concentration and VO2max exists. Conclusion: Data suggest that increases in S-Klotho is tidally associated with VO2max levels. In addition, the S-Klotho increase levels-off following 4 months of aerobic training. Exercising below the anaerobic threshold does not increase VO2max and thus, does not increase S-Klotho.  

Acute dizziness/vertigo is among the most common causes for visiting the emergency department or primary care physician. Although the majority of these presentations represent an acute peripheral vestibulopathy (APV), lateral medullary, lateral pontine, and inferior cerebellar infarctions can mimic APV very closely. We present an atypical presentation of an aggressive APV and outline how a well-constructed bedside neurotologic evaluation can distinguish central from peripheral vertigo in the acute setting.

Introduction: Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors such as empagliflozin (EMPA) protect against diabetic kidney disease. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) the main renal product of cyclooxygenase-2, inhibits vasopressin (AVP)-water reabsorption in the collecting duct (CD). The novelty of this study is that for the first time, we examined if EMPA affects the renal PGE2/EP receptor system and determined if CD responses to EMPA prevent water loss. Methods: Four groups of adult male mice were studied after 6 weeks of treatment: control (db/m), db/m+EMPA (10 mg/kg/day in chow), type 2 diabetic diabetic/dyslipidemia (db/db), and db/db+EMPA. Tubules were microdissected for quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and CD water transport was measured in response to AVP, with or without PGE2. Results: Hyperglycemia and albuminuria were attenuated by EMPA. Renal mRNA expression for COX, PGE synthase, PGE2 (EP) receptor subtypes, CD AVP V2 receptors and aquaporin-2 was elevated in db/db mice, but unchanged by EMPA. Urine PGE2 levels increased in db/db but were unchanged by EMPA. AVP-water reabsorption was comparable in db/m and db/m+EMPA, and equally attenuated to 50% by PGE2. In db/db mice, AVP-water reabsorption was reduced by 50% compared to non-diabetic mice, and this reduction was unaffected by EMPA. In db/db mice, AVP-stimulated water transport was more significantly attenuated with PGE2 (62%), compared to non-diabetic mice, but this attenuation was reduced in response to EMPA, to 28%. Conclusion: In summary, expression of renal PGE2/EP receptors is increased in db/db mice, and this expression is unaffected by EMPA. However, in diabetic CD, PGE2 caused a greater attenuation in AVP-stimulated water reabsorption, and this attenuation is reduced by EMPA. This suggests that EMPA attenuates diabetes-induced excess CD water loss.

A spatial survey to investigate the effects of the use of poultry, sheep, and horse manure on intermediate harvests and maize growth restrictions was conducted on the research farm of Woillu Woreda, Ethiopia during the 2017 planting season. Treatment was performed with Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three responses. The measured variables were plant length, number of leaves, location indicator (LAI), stem girth, and grain yield obtained. The data collected is subject to variance analysis (ANOVA). Methods were categorized using LSD at a 5% significance level.The results obtained showed that the growth and yield of Maize were significantly lower in treatment control, indicating that the manure used in the study, especially the chicken manure, had a positive effect on the performance and yield of Maize. The results also revealed that poultry-cleaned sites offer the highest number of leaves per plant, the thick stem, the highest LAI, and the grain yield of 5.7 t/ha. In comparison, a small grain yield of 4.2 t/ha was obtained with the application of horse manure. Sheep manure produced 3.9 t/ha of maize and a small yield of 2.8t/ha of maize was recorded in the control management. Based on the results of the study it can be found that chicken manure seems to promote the growth of maize yield. Therefore, it should be recommended for maize growers in the study area.

Background: Lupus Nephritis (LN) occurs in approximately half of all patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and it is the most common cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with SLE. Factors associated with poor renal outcome vary among studies, and researches coming from Brazil are scarce. Objectives: To identify the prognostic factors associated to the development of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) in LN patients followed in a tertiary hospital. Design and Settings: We conducted a retrospective cohort study set in a tertiary hospital in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. Methods: We compiled a total of 214 LN patients diagnosed between 1983 and 2015. Data was collected from medical records and further analyzed using logistic regression. Results: LN prevalence was 53.9%. The cohort had a mean follow-up of 11.2 years (SD ± 7.2 years). At the end of follow-up, 93 of 197 patients (47.2%) had CKD, and 49 of 191 (25.6%) were on regular dialysis. The main factors associated for developing CKD after logistic regression analysis were the following predictors: hypertension (HR 2.80; 95% CI 1.30-6.01; p = 0.008), time between diagnosis of SLE and diagnosis of LN (HR 0.98; 95% CI 0.97-0.99; p = 0.009) and discontinuation of medications (HR 2.41; 95% CI 1.08-5.37; p = 0.03). Conclusion: Hypertension, discontinuation of medications, and time between diagnosis of SLE and diagnosis of LN are independent variables associated with the development of CKD and ESDR in our study. 

Remote sensing methods are receiving more and more attention during vegetation studies, thanks to the rapid development of drones. The use of indices created using different bands of the electromagnetic spectrum is currently a common practice in agriculture e.g. normalized vegetation index (NDVI), for which, in addition to the red (R), green (G) and blue (B) bands, in different infrared (IR) ranges used bands are used. In addition, there are many indices in the literature that can only be calculated from the red, green, blue (RGB) bands and are used for different purposes. The aim of our work was to objectively compare and group the RGB indices found in the literature (37 pcs) using an objective mathematical method (structured similarity index; SSIM), as a result of which we classified the individual RGB indices into groups that give the same result. To do this, we calculated the 37 RGB indexes on a test image, and then compared the resulting images in pairs using the structural similarity index method. As a result, 28 of the 37 indexes examined could be narrowed down to 7 groups - that is, the indexes belonging to the groups are the same - while the remaining 9 indexes showed no similarity with any other index.

Background: Early childhood caries may develop as soon as teeth erupt. Promoting oral health care programs is very important and helps to reduce dental caries in young children. The aim of this study was to assess the infant/child oral health (IOH) related knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of parents in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 327 parents. Visiting the family medicine center at prince sultan military medical city, Riyadh Saudi Arabia. A 39-item questionnaire covering socio-demographic characteristics and questions pertaining to KAP regarding OH care will be used to collect the data. Descriptive statistics, Student’s t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and Scheffe’s test will use for the statistical analysis (p ≤ 0.05). Results: The result showed that the majority of the parents had good knowledge regarding OH, knowledge of cleaning (92.4.%), and knowledge of the amount of sugar (88.1.%). the parent’s age group (30 to 39) years (n =147) reported the highest mean (knowledge, attitudes, and practice) scores among all other age groups with a knowledge mean score of (6.80 ± 1.73), an attitude mean score of (8.86 ± 1.37), and a practice mean score of (5.14 ± 1.86).  Female parents showed significantly higher mean knowledge, attitude, and practice scores than male parents. In addition, the middle-income level parents’ group (n = 295) reported higher knowledge mean score compared to the low-income parents’ group (n = 15) with a mean difference of d = 1.15, p = .041.  Conclusion: Parents’ knowledge about maintaining oral and dental health care for infants/children was inadequate. Essentially, medical professionals are the initial ones to interact with expecting and new moms. Therefore, need to raise parents’ awareness about oral and dental health for infants/children, through the development and implementation of long-term education and promotions programs.

Left ventricular outflow tract obstruction is a well-recognized feature in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy but can occur in other clinical scenarios when anatomically susceptible heart is subjected to permissive physiological conditions that provoke systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve (SAM): ie, reduced preload, increased inotropic state, and decreased afterload. This report describes a case of hemodynamically significant latent LVOTO that was associated with hypotension, syncope, acute myocardial ischemic ECG changes, and an increase in cardiac enzymes. (Type II myocardial infarction) in a non HCM patient with excessive anterior mitral valve tissue.

During this period of time, mushroom experience changes in functional aspects and consumption areas. Due to its magnificent role in promoting health, it was considered one of the most healthy sources of food. Agaricus spp., Marcrolepoita spp., Auricularia spp, Armillaria spp, Pholoita, Hericium, Grifola spp, Flammulina, and Hypsizygus spp. are some most commonly consumed mushrooms in the world. They provide inexpensive means of nutritious and tasty food worldwide. However, ancient people are also very much aware of their holistic function towards health and that was why they used mushrooms for medicinal purposes in the past onwards. Mushroom plays an important role in the treatment of some lethal diseases like cancer, inflammation, autoimmune disorders, allergy, hypertension, arthritis, hyperglycemia, atherosclerosis, and many more. Meanwhile, researchers still focus on other functions of mushrooms in health science and also explore their anticancerous activity. However, many findings are left to be found in the future. This review paper throws light on the various important mushrooms and their functions related to human health, and also ongoing research towards treating some critical diseases.

Xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis is a rare benign inflammatory disease of gallbladder that may be misdiagnosed as carcinoma of the gallbladder intraoperative or in pre-operative imaging. Intramural accumulation of lipid-laden macrophages and acute and chronic inflammatory cells is the hallmark of the disease. The xanthogranulomatous inflammation can be very severe and can spill over to the neighboring structures like liver, bowel and stomach resulting in dense adhesions, abscess formation, perforation, and fistulous communication with adjacent bowel [1-3]. Cholecysto-colic fistula is a rare and late complication of gallstones roughly found 1 in every 1,000 cholecystectomies. Clinical featuresThe clinical features are variable and non-specific. Patients with cholecysto-colonic fistula often present with symptoms of acute cholecystitis and preoperative diagnostic tools often fail to show the fistula. Hence most cases it is an on table diagnosis. ManagementTreatment involves closing the fistula and performing an open or laparoscopic cholecystectomy.