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Background: Proteases are a group of enzymes that catalyze the cleavage of peptide bonds in proteins found in nature. Microbial protease constitutes one of the most important for industrial aplications. Proteases play a crucial role in numerous pathologic processes as well. KCl is an unnatural salt. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of this salt on protease production under different agitation and heat conditions. Methods: The effects of KCl (rpm/heat) on the production of a protease, of E. coli, P. aeruginosa and E. faecalis strain, were investigated. The decrease in protease production at 37 °C was also observed in this work that proved that heat plays a major role in enzyme production. Results: The presence of KCl also caused a decrease in protease production in three bacterial species. The use of KCl appears to be a viable alternative when it is necessary to reduce protease activity outside of industrial applications (such as health care). This unique property makes it attractive and useful to be used in health industries. In the future we think that it will contribute to clarification of the matter in this way.

The neuromuscular disorders may be hereditary, autoimmune, and in some cases with unknown etiology. These diseases are characterized by progressive course, muscle weakness, and in an advanced stage with binding the patient to a wheelchair. This group includes a number of diseases, but from the dental perspective, the most interesting are muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis and myasthenia gravis. Neuromuscular disorders affect the oral cavity and the impact on oral hygiene procedures should be monitored with great attention.

Hypertension is one of the most common chronic diseases of human, affecting more than one billion people worldwide. When it becomes chronic, hypertension leaves behind cardiac hypertrophy, heart failure, stroke, and kidney disease, resulting in substantial morbidity and mortality. Treatments that effectively reduce blood pressure can prevent these complications. Abnormalities in the production of urine by the kidneys have been implicated in increased vascular resistance, leading to high blood pressure and increased cardiac mass. By matching urinary excretion of salt and water with dietary intake, balance is usually attained, thereby maintaining a constant extracellular fluid volume and blood pressure. Based on the capacity for the kidney to excrete sodium, this blood pressure-altering mechanism should have sufficient advantage to limit intravascular volume and consequently lower blood pressure in response to a range of stimuli from elevated heart rate to increase peripheral vascular resistance. A major determinant of the level of intra- and extra- renal blood pressure is therefore sodium handling, and it is controlled by complex physiological mechanism by hormones, inflammatory mediators, and the sympathetic nervous system. Homoeostasis and favourable influence sodium balance are a basic mechanism of efficacy for diuretics and dietary sodium restriction in hypertension. Renin Angiotensin System (RAS) inhibitors, vasodilators, and β-blockers work to facilitate pressure-natriuresis. Also, WNK signaling pathways, soluble inflammatory mediators, and pathways regulating extra-renal sodium disposition may be the focus towards elimination of sodium and reducing blood pressure in hypertension.

In this study, ceramic pot filters are made from clay and burn-out materials (sawdust) that give pore sizes capable of capturing contaminants. Manufacturing specifications were selected to achieve some results. Clay and sawdust are mixed in a 50% volume ratio each and sawdust was subjected to hot water extraction to give a treated sample. Filters produced comprised of untreated, treated, and a mixture of treated and untreated sawdust samples, some of which were dipped in a solution of silver nanoparticles while others were not dipped (treated undipped, treated dipped, mixed dipped, mixed undipped, untreated undipped, untreated dipped). The effectiveness of the produced filters for the removal of contaminants such as dissolved solids, turbidity, and metals was tested using water collected from the Ikeji Arakeji River in Osun, Nigeria. The results showed the filter with treated sawdust undipped in a solution of silver nano gave the best result in the removal of the contaminants. Also, the filter with the mixtures of treated and untreated sawdust gave a better result compared to the standard. While the standard gave a better result than the untreated undipped ceramic filter pot. In conclusion, with proper cleaning and maintenance of the filters, they can effectively provide treated water suitable for drinking to rural people affected by polluted water sources.

Objectives: The clinical impact of drug-eluting balloon (DEB) coronary intervention for drug-eluting in-stent restenosis (DES-ISR) is not fully known. To further evaluate this impact, we aimed to describe the incidence of symptom-driven coronary angiography (SDCA), an under-reported but potentially informative outcome metric in this cohort of patients. Methods: We retrospectively identified all patients (n=28) who had DEB-treated DES-ISR at University Hospital Limerick in between 2013-2015 and evaluated the incidence of subsequent SDCA as the primary endpoint. Data were expressed as mean ± SD and %. Results: Baseline demographics demonstrate a mean age 63±9 years with 61% of DEB-treated DES-ISR presenting with acute coronary syndrome. Mean number of ISR per patient and number of DEB per lesion was 1.2±0.6 lesions and 1.2±0.6 balloons, respectively. The incidence of SDCA was 54% after mean follow-up duration of 179±241 days. 67.8% of patients had follow-up data beyond 12 months. Within the first year of follow-up, the incidence of SDCA with and without target lesion revascularization (TLR) was 11% and 36% respectively. Among patients with SDCA without TLR, 30% had an acute coronary syndrome not requiring percutaneous coronary intervention. Conclusions: A high incidence of SDCA was observed, particularly within the first 12 months after DEB-treated DES-ISR. This under-reported metric may represent a cohort at higher cardiovascular risk but requires further confirmation in larger studies.

Background: Invasive fungal infections cause significant morbidity and mortality in patients with hematologic malignancies and in recipients of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Case: We report a patient with relapsed acute myeloid leukemia who developed disseminated Fusarium infection during the neutropenic period following the salvage cycle of chemotherapy given at King Fahad specialist Hospital in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. The invasive fungal infection was successfully managed with a combination of voriconazole and liposomal amphotericin-B. Discussion: Fusarium species can cause invasive infections that may become disseminated and life-threatening in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. Conclusion: Combined antifungal therapy and recovery of neutrophil count are essential to control invasive Fusarium infections

Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation may be an alternative to liver transplantation for patients with end-stage liver disease. A 24-year-old patient with Hepatic Encephalopathy due to alcoholic liver cirrhosis underwent UCMSC transplantation because there were no donors available for liver transplants involving adult deceased and living individuals. The patient was given allogeneic Umbilical cord-derived MSCs, which were then cultured following accepted practices. Subsequently, the UCMSCs were infused through the intravenous route 3 times at the interval of 30 days. Serum bilirubin, globulin, and ammonia levels were improved after the infusion and the morphology of the liver and spleen had also improved.

We experienced a case of membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) caused by subacute infectious endocarditis (SIE). A 57-year-old male farmer complained of fatigue, lack of appetite and gross haematuria for a month; he had no cough, chest pain, or exertion dyspnea. After admission, lab tests showed mild proteinuria(1.04g/d) and heavy dysmorphic red blood cells(RBC) (543/HP), with serum creatinine(Scr) slightly elevated(1.46mg/dl) and anemia(hemoglobin Hb 85g/L). A renal biopsy revealed MPGN lesion with 16.6% cellular crescents. The echocardiogram test revealed mitra valve prolapse with perforation of the anterior lobe, vegetation, and severe regurgitation. He was diagnosed as SIE induced MPGN. Then he underwent mitral valve replacement after systemic antibiotic treatment without immunosuppressive agents. Follow-up showed that he dramatically regained normal kidney function in total 1 year after the operation. Thus, antibiotic administration and valve replacement may be efficient enough for some of SIE induced MPGN. We did a brief review of the literature on SIE induced MPGN, which was sometimes misdiagnosed due to its silent characteristics; some SIE patients may initially have other organs involved.

Acute pancreatitis is commonly diagnosed clinically, with its classical presentation of upper abdominal pain, backed by raised serum levels of enzymes amylase and lipase. However, unusual presentation of this common surgical emergency as a psoas abscess is a rare finding which can lead to missed diagnosis with a fatal outcome. We present here two such cases of acute necrotising pancreatitis masquerading as psoas abscess, with no classical clinical symptoms and only mildly raised levels of serum amylase and lipase. The region of pancreas involved by necrosis influenced the site of presentation of the psoas abscess. In the first case, acute necrotising pancreatitis involving head and neck of pancreas presented as psoas abscess presenting in the right lumbar region, while the left side collection due to pancreatitis involving body and tail of pancreas manifested as an abscess in left flank. While evaluating the aetiology of a psoas abscess, a differential diagnosis of necrotizing pancreatitis should be kept as a possibility.

Introduction: Hypertensive cardiopathy is the target organ lesion caused by arterial hypertension (HTN) that exhibits the highest morbidity and mortality rates. Although the importance of hemodynamic overload exerted by HTN on the onset of cardiopathy is well established, several non-hemodynamic factors may contribute significantly to its development. Objective: To evaluate the influence of different non-hemodynamic risk factors in the development of hypertensive cardiopathy. Methods: A prospective cohort study was carried out in hypertensive patients assisted at the specialized arterial hypertension physicians’ office of the “Carlos Manuel de Céspedes” Specialty Policlinic attached to the General University Hospital, Bayamo Municipality, Granma Province, Cuba from January 5, 2006 to December 31, 2015. The study included 18-to-55-year-old hypertensive patients with a stage 1 arterial hypertension diagnosis for less than a year1. Results: The multivariate analysis showed a significant and independent relation among the majority of the factors studied and the risk of developing cardiopathy. The major factor was C-reactive protein (HR: 5.020; IC 95%: 3.383-7,448; p<0.005) followed by microalbuminuria (HR: 2.649; IC 95%: 1.932-3.631; p<0.005). The area under the model ROC curve was 0.887 (p<0,005). Conclusions: The results showed that it is possible to estimate the risk of developing hypertensive cardiopathy with the application of the regression model to major risk factors.