Resitin and adiponectin in the Bahraini population : plasma levels, gene polymorphisms and their association with type 2 diabetes and related metabolic parameters.

Low concentrations of adiponectin, the protein product of the adiponectin gene (ADIPOQ), and high concentrations of resistin have been reported to be associated with obesity and insulin resistance. Several adiponectin gene polymorphisms have been described, and their association with obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and metabolic syndrome, in different populations and sample types, is controversial. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the association of the two most well-known single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of ADIPOQ (+45T\u3eG and +276G\u3eT) with serum adiponectin concentrations, metabolic parameters associated with diabetes, and risk of T2DM in the Bahraini population. We also aimed to investigate the associations between serum adiponectin and resistin levels with the metabolic parameters and the prevalence of T2DM in Bahraini population. We performed a cross-sectional study using a representative sample of 140 unrelated Bahraini patients with T2DM and 66 non-diabetic healthy subjects. The polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method was used to determine the distribution of allele and genotype frequency of the SNP +45T\u3eG polymorphism (exon2) and SNP +276G\u3eT polymorphism (intron 2) in ADIPOQ. Lipid profile was measured by enzymatic methods. An ELISA was used to determine serum adiponectin and resistin levels. It was observed that obesity, insulin resistance and T2DM are associated with low serum adiponectin levels. Compared with the control group, the T2DM group exhibited lower adiponectin levels and higher resistin levels. The G allele and TG/GG genotype of SNP +45T\u3eG occurred more frequently than the common T allele and TT genotype in T2DM patients compared to the controls (PSNP +45T\u3eG were associated with lower serum adiponectin levels. There was no statistically significant difference in allele and genotype frequencies of SNP +276G\u3eT comparing control group with T2DM group. No association with metabolic parameters was detected with either of the SNPs. In summary, our results demonstrated that, adiponectin SNP +45T\u3eG, rather than SNP +276G\u3eT is more associated with adiponectin levels. However, we could not confirm an association of these two SNPs with metabolic parameters of the metabolic syndrome

The use of arthroscopy in diagnosing and treating sports-related cartilage lesions

Background: Sports-related cartilage lesions pose challenges for athletes. Cartilage, vital for smooth joint movement, can be damaged. Arthroscopy, a minimally invasive procedure, allows precise diagnosis and treatment of joint issues, offering quicker recovery and minimal scarring, enhancing orthopedic interventions. This study aimed to assess the use of arthroscopy in diagnosing and treating sports-related cartilage lesions. Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted at the department of orthopaedics and traumatology, Life Line Hospital Moulovibazar, Mount Adora Hospital Sylhet, MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital Sylhet, Bangladesh from January 2022 to December 2023. As the study subjects, a total of 58 patients with non-surgically treated acute or chronic sports-related cartilage lesions were enrolled by using a purposive sampling technique. After 6 months, a follow-up report was recorded. Data were analyzed by using Microsoft Office tools. Results: In this study, 72% of participants underwent cuff repair, with the remaining 28% opting for loop repair. The arthroscopic assessment revealed anterior medial cartilage lesions in 34% and anterior lateral lesions in 28%. Posterior medial, posterior lateral, and mid-talus dome cartilage lesions were observed in 17%, 5%, and 16%, respectively. Capsule repair was employed in 86% of cases. Significant improvement in hip range of motion, as well as radiological parameters like lateral center-edge angle, alpha angle (anteroposterior), and alpha angle (Dunn), was observed 6 months postoperatively (p<0.001). Conclusions: In detecting and treating sports-related cartilage lesions, arthroscopy is an effective method. This minimally invasive less painful treatment approach contributes to faster rehabilitation and a quicker return to normal activities

Synthesis and Characterization of Some New Dianiline Oxide Derivatives

Multifunctional dianiline oxide ligands from 1,3-indanedione with aniline derivatives in ethanol (abs.) then with hydrogen peroxide in gl acial acetic acid  (Scheme 1) were synthesized. These dianiline oxide  compounds have been characterized by C, H, N elemental analysis, FT-IR, and 1H NMR spectroscopy. Keywords: aniline oxide , indanedione, nitron

Urinary tract infections trigger synucleinopathy via the innate immune response

Symptoms in the urogenital organs are common in multiple system atrophy (MSA), also in the years preceding the MSA diagnosis. It is unknown how MSA is triggered and these observations in prodromal MSA led us to hypothesize that synucleinopathy could be triggered by infection of the genitourinary tract causing ɑ-synuclein (ɑSyn) to aggregate in peripheral nerves innervating these organs. As a first proof that peripheral infections could act as a trigger in MSA, this study focused on lower urinary tract infections (UTIs), given the relevance and high frequency of UTIs in prodromal MSA, although other types of infection might also be important triggers of MSA. We performed an epidemiological nested-case control study in the Danish population showing that UTIs are associated with future diagnosis of MSA several years after infection and that it impacts risk in both men and women. Bacterial infection of the urinary bladder triggers synucleinopathy in mice and we propose a novel role of ɑSyn in the innate immune system response to bacteria. Urinary tract infection with uropathogenic E. coli results in the de novo aggregation of ɑSyn during neutrophil infiltration. During the infection, ɑSyn is released extracellularly from neutrophils as part of their extracellular traps. Injection of MSA aggregates into the urinary bladder leads to motor deficits and propagation of ɑSyn pathology to the central nervous system in mice overexpressing oligodendroglial ɑSyn. Repeated UTIs lead to progressive development of synucleinopathy with oligodendroglial involvement in vivo. Our results link bacterial infections with synucleinopathy and show that a host response to environmental triggers can result in ɑSyn pathology that bears semblance to MSA

The characterisation of endometrial epithelial stem/progenitor cells

The highly regenerative nature of the human endometrium has caused much speculation over the existence of resident stem/progenitor cells (SPCs) within this tissue. Endometrial SPCs may be associated with a variety of gynaecological pathologies such as endometriosis. Although common, little is known about the pathogenesis of this condition and the lack of defining markers of putative endometrial SPCs makes the isolation and analysis of these cells difficult. The well characterised endometrial stromal stem cells are only able to regenerate a stromal cell population of the endometrium in 3D in vitro or animal xenograft models. This suggests that there is a separate endometrial epithelial SPC that gives rise to the endometrial epithelial cells, including the glands and the surface epithelium. SSEA-1, a surface glycolipid expressed by embryonic stem cells (ESCs), has recently been identified as a possible endometrial epithelial progenitor cell marker by our lab. However, the gene expression profile of the SSEA-1+ endometrial epithelial cells has yet to be assessed. With the use of qPCR, we aimed to further characterise the SSEA-1+ endometrial epithelial cell population by assessing their gene expression profile for common markers of stemness and an undifferentiated state when grown in both 2D and 3D culture. As abnormal endometrial SPCs are speculated to be involved in the pathogenesis of endometriosis, we further investigated the gene profile of SSEA-1 expressing endometrial epithelial cells in this condition. Within the normal endometrium, we found no differences between the levels of stem cell markers expressed by the SSEA-1+ and SSEA-1- epithelial cell populations grown in 2D culture. Significant up-regulation of markers of differentiation, ERα and PR, within the SSEA-1- cells confirmed the existence of a more differentiated cell state within this population. SSEA-1+ epithelial cells grown in 2D culture exhibited significantly higher levels of stem cell marker expression in patients with endometriosis than those with a normal endometrium, confirming their association with this disease. When grown in 3D culture endometrial epithelial cells form gland-like structures also called spheroids/organoids, similar to those seen within the endometrium. 3D Matrigel culture mimics the endometrium and the stem cell niche in vivo and therefore acts as a better culture system to preserve stemness and accurately reflects in vivo physiology. Unlike the 2D culture, SSEA-1+ epithelial cells grown in 3D culture exhibited a clear up-regulation of markers of stemness when compared to the SSEA-1- cell population, in both normal and endometriosis tissue. This difference was more pronounced in cells taken from women with endometriosis, again indicating its link with this condition. High levels of ERα and stable levels of PR expression indicated elements of oestrogen responsiveness and progesterone resistance within the 3D cultured SSEA-1+ epithelial cells taken from women with endometriosis, and are known features of endometriosis. These findings provide further evidence to suggest that endometrial epithelial SPCs are contained within the SSEA-1+ cell population displaying greater stem cell activity than the SSEA-1- population, but only when grown in 3D culture which mimicks their in vivo environment. This highlighted the significance of the surrounding stem cell niche in preserving stemness and preventing differentiation. Furthermore, our study demonstrats that this sub-population of SSEA-1+ epithelial SPCs are in some way involved in the pathogenesis of endometriosis

Tea and coffee consumption in relation to vitamin D and calcium levels in Saudi adolescents

Background Coffee and tea consumption was hypothesized to interact with variants of vitamin D-receptor polymorphisms, but limited evidence exists. Here we determine for the first time whether increased coffee and tea consumption affects circulating levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in a cohort of Saudi adolescents. Methods A total of 330 randomly selected Saudi adolescents were included. Anthropometrics were recorded and fasting blood samples were analyzed for routine analysis of fasting glucose, lipid levels, calcium, albumin and phosphorous. Frequency of coffee and tea intake was noted. 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Results Improved lipid profiles were observed in both boys and girls, as demonstrated by increased levels of HDL-cholesterol, even after controlling for age and BMI, among those consuming 9–12 cups of coffee/week. Vitamin D levels were significantly highest among those consuming 9–12 cups of tea/week in all subjects (p-value 0.009) independent of age, gender, BMI, physical activity and sun exposure. Conclusion This study suggests a link between tea consumption and vitamin D levels in a cohort of Saudi adolescents, independent of age, BMI, gender, physical activity and sun exposure. These findings should be confirmed prospectively

An improved model and performance analysis for grid-connected photovoltaic system in Oman

The PV systems' sources are environmentally friendly, but at the same time, they are constantly changing with time. When evaluating solar energy resources, it is necessary to consider the variability and effects of different environmental operation parameters like solar irradiances, ambient temperature, and module temperature. The study introduces a method to simulate an existing photovoltaic system using a mathematical model that permits intelligent strategies to optimise the efficiency and adjust the most effective operational parameters for the solar energy systems. A mathematical analysis for the data framework, including correlation and regression coefficients, was calculated to identify and chart the relationships between the system's most influential parameters and the generated power from the PV system. An improved mathematical model was built with the most influential parameters. The improved model was simple, accurate, and based on the loss ratio by eliminating the unknown parameters. The system's efficiency was analysed using an existing data framework-recorded hourly from 1 January 2017 to December 2018 for a grid-connected photovoltaic system installed in the south of Oman. The results showed that the most influential parameters on the efficiency were the module's solar irradiance and surface temperature. The operating parameters such as ambient temperature, wind speed, and air humidity had a negligible effect on the generated power compared to the cell temperatures and solar radiation. The dissipation factor was used in the new output current and voltage equations to stimulate the output power of the PV model. The improved model was validated in a MATLAB Simulink and showed a more promising output with a lower RMSE of 5 %. [Abstract copyright: © 2022 The Author(s).

Development of Asymmetric Low Pressure Reverse Osmosis-Surfactants Membrane: Effect of Surfactant Types and Concentration

The effect of surfactants that are cationic (Cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)), anionic (Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate (SDS)) and non-ionic (Triton X-100) on performance, morphologies and molecular orientation of Polysulfone (PSF) low pressure reverse osmosis (LPRO) membrane were addressed. The experimental data showed that the increasing of 0.5 wt% in surfactant concentration produced higher pure water permeation (PWP) and flux. At 2.5 wt% of SDS, the LPRO membranes achieved the highest PWP of about  64.42 L/m2 × h while 3.0 wt% of CTAB demonstrated the highest flux of 55.28 L/m2 × h. Analysis from morphological results foundthat the optimal performance at 89.6 % rejection was produced by the membrane with 2 wt% SDS which is a good promoter for the fine morphological structures of the membrane, thus producing fine spectrum of molecular orientation factor