Evaluation of serum kallistatin level as a predictor of esophageal varices in cirrhotic patients

Introduction: The Baveno VI consensus recommended the use of noninvasive predictors to identify patients at high risk of esophageal varices (EV) in whom endoscopic evaluation is most needed. Kallistatin is a protein molecule synthesized by the liver, and its level declines with the deterioration of liver functions. We aim to explore the role of kallistatin as a predictor of esophageal varices. Methods: This case–control study included 70 cirrhotic patients (35 patients with EV and 35 patients without EV). The laboratory investigations and upper GI endoscopy were performed, and the serum kallistatin level was measured in all patients. Results: The mean level of serum kallistatin was significantly lower in patients with varices (12.2 ± 5.6 vs 16.9 ± 4.8 μg/ml, p = 0.009). It also shows a significant decline in patients with large varices. Kallistatin can predict the presence of EV and large EV at cut off values of 15.8 and 8.9 μg/ml, respectively, with sensitivity and specificity of 71.4% and 54.3% for EV and 50% and 94.8% for large EV. Discussion: Kallistatin is a promising marker that can be used to predict the presence of esophageal varices especially when they are large and risky

CHOLESTATIC LIVER FIBROSIS IN A RAT MODEL OF BILE DUCT LIGATION: EVALUATING BIOCHEMICAL VERSUS HISTOPATHOLOGICAL CHANGES

Objective: Bile duct ligation (BDL), chronic liver injury model, was extensively used in studying mechanisms of fibrogenesis and antifibrotic agents. Considering the liver regenerative capacity and the diverse results from BDL, the present study aimed to evaluate the biochemical and histopathological changes over 10 weeks following BDL assessing if BDL-induced changes remain in a deterioration state or improve at a certain stage.Methods: Sham operation and BDL were conducted in Male Wistar rats. Serum AST, ALT, total bilirubin and albumin and hepatic hydroxyproline (HYP), reduced glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured in sham-operated (n=3) and BDL-rats (n=6) at 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 weeks following operation. Liver tissue was also processed for histopathological analysis (H&E and Sirus red staining).Results: Progressive liver injury (H&E) and collagen deposition (Sirus red and HYP) in BDL-rats were observed starting from the first week post-operation and reached their maximum with early signs of cirrhosis on the 10th week of BDL. Severe and sustained cholestatic injury appeared in 2 weeks (increased ALT, AST, bilirubin along with decreased albumin (P<0.001) compared to sham-operated rats). AST peaked on first week, however, bilirubin, ALT and MDA peaked on the 4th week (P<0.001) then gradually decreased compared to their peaks.Conclusion: The relative improvement in liver function/cholestasis following their peaks in BDL model despite progression of fibrosis and hepatic injury require investigators using this model to consider not only biochemical, but also histopathological findings to guarantee an accurate interpretation of their results.Â

Diffuse versus square-well confining potentials in modelling AA@C60_{60} atoms

Attention: this version-$2$ of the manuscript differs from its previously uploaded version-$1$ (arXiv:1112.6158v1) and subsequently published in 2012 J. Phys. B \textbf{45} 105102 only by a removed typo in Eq.(2) of version-$1$; there was the erroneous factor "2" in both terms in the right-hand-side of the Eq.(2) of version-$1$. Now that the typo is removed, Eq.(2) is correct. A perceived advantage for the replacement of a discontinuous square-well pseudo-potential, which is often used by various researchers as an approximation to the actual C$_{60}$ cage potential in calculations of endohedral atoms $A$@C$_{60}$, by a more realistic diffuse potential is explored. The photoionization of endohedral H@C$_{60}$ and Xe@C$_{60}$ is chosen as the case study. The diffuse potential is modelled by a combination of two Woods-Saxon potentials. It is demonstrated that photoionization spectra of $A$@C$_{60}$ atoms are largely insensitive to the degree $\eta$ of diffuseness of the potential borders, in a reasonably broad range of $\eta$'s. Alternatively, these spectra are found to be insensitive to discontinuity of the square-well potential either. Both potentials result in practically identical calculated spectra. New numerical values for the set of square-well parameters, which lead to a better agreement between experimental and theoretical data for $A$@C$_{60}$ spectra, are recommended for future studies.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figure

Boron Nitride Monolayer: A Strain-Tunable Nanosensor

The influence of triaxial in-plane strain on the electronic properties of a hexagonal boron-nitride sheet is investigated using density functional theory. Different from graphene, the triaxial strain localizes the molecular orbitals of the boron-nitride flake in its center depending on the direction of the applied strain. The proposed technique for localizing the molecular orbitals that are close to the Fermi level in the center of boron nitride flakes can be used to actualize engineered nanosensors, for instance, to selectively detect gas molecules. We show that the central part of the strained flake adsorbs polar molecules more strongly as compared with an unstrained sheet.Comment: 20 pages, 9 figure

Water Thermocline Confirms Susceptibility of Tilapia Cultured in Lakes to Streptococcus agalactiae

A study was conducted on water quality profiling to confirm susceptibility of tilapia cultured in lakes to Streptococcus agalactiae infection. A total of 1,010 and 719 tilapias of different sizes were collected from two lakes; the Kenyir and Pedu lakes, respectively. They were randomly sampled for a period of 24 months. Swabs of brain, eye and kidney were streaked directly onto blood agar before S. agalactiae was identified by the API 20 STREP kit, Slidex Strepto-kit and PCR technique. The water temperature (thermocline) and dissolved oxygen profiling were determined at 1 m intervals for up to 20 m deep. Water clarity and flow rate were also recorded using Secchi disk and a current meter. S. agalactiae was successfully isolated from both lakes throughout the year, ranging between 2 and 78%. Isolation was more frequent during the hot and dry months of both years. During this period, the mean water temperature was >29 degrees C for up to 8 m deep due to the significantly (p12 m deep. This and the slow water flow kept the water temperature at 4 m deep where tilapias under the cage culture system were kept to remain high causing stress to tilapia and increases susceptibility to S. agalactiae. Dissolved oxygen profiling, however remained high at >5 mg L-1 for up to 8 m deep and did not give adverse effects to susceptibility of tilapia to S. agalactiae

Water Thermocline Confirms Susceptibility of Tilapia Cultured in Lakes to Streptococcus agalactiae

A study was conducted on water quality profiling to confirm susceptibility of tilapia cultured in lakes to Streptococcus agalactiae infection. A total of 1,010 and 719 tilapias of different sizes were collected from two lakes; the Kenyir and Pedu lakes, respectively. They were randomly sampled for a period of 24 months. Swabs of brain, eye and kidney were streaked directly onto blood agar before S. agalactiae was identified by the API 20 STREP kit, Slidex Strepto-kit and PCR technique. The water temperature (thermocline) and dissolved oxygen profiling were determined at 1 m intervals for up to 20 m deep. Water clarity and flow rate were also recorded using Secchi disk and a current meter. S. agalactiae was successfully isolated from both lakes throughout the year, ranging between 2 and 78%. Isolation was more frequent during the hot and dry months of both years. During this period, the mean water temperature was >29 degrees C for up to 8 m deep due to the significantly (p12 m deep. This and the slow water flow kept the water temperature at 4 m deep where tilapias under the cage culture system were kept to remain high causing stress to tilapia and increases susceptibility to S. agalactiae. Dissolved oxygen profiling, however remained high at >5 mg L-1 for up to 8 m deep and did not give adverse effects to susceptibility of tilapia to S. agalactiae

Dicluster Stopping in a Degenerate Electron Gas

In this paper we report on our theoretical studies of various aspects of the correlated stopping power of two point-like ions (a dicluster) moving in close but variable vicinity of each other in some metallic target materials the latter being modelled by a degenerate electron gas with appropriate densities. Within the linear response theory we have made a comprehensive investigation of correlated stopping power, vicinage function and related quantities for a diproton cluster in two metallic targets, aluminum and copper, and present detailed and comparative results for three approximations to the electron gas dielectric function, namely the plasmon-pole approximation without and with dispersion as well as with the random phase approximation. The results are also compared, wherever applicable, with those for an individual projectile.Comment: 29 figures, LaTe

Selective cognitive and psychiatric manifestations in Wolfram Syndrome

BACKGROUND: Wolfram Syndrome (WFS) is known to involve diabetes mellitus, diabetes insipidus, optic nerve atrophy, vision loss, hearing impairment, motor abnormalities, and neurodegeneration, but has been less clearly linked to cognitive, sleep, and psychiatric abnormalities. We sought to determine whether these abnormalities are present in children, adolescents, and young adults with WFS compared to age- and gender-matched individuals with and without type 1 diabetes using standardized measures. METHODS: Individuals with genetically-confirmed WFS (n = 19, ages 7–27) were compared to age- and gender- equivalent groups of individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1DM; n = 25), and non-diabetic healthy controls (HC: n = 25). Cognitive performance across multiple domains (verbal intelligence, spatial reasoning, memory, attention, smell identification) was assessed using standardized tests. Standardized self- and parent-report questionnaires on psychiatric symptoms and sleep disturbances were acquired from all groups and an unstructured psychiatric interview was performed within only the WFS group. RESULTS: The three groups were similar demographically (age, gender, ethnicity, parental IQ). WFS and T1DM had similar duration of diabetes but T1DM had higher Hb(A1C) levels than WFS and as expected both groups had higher levels than HC. The WFS group was impaired on smell identification and reported sleep quality, but was not impaired in any other cognitive or self-reported psychiatric domain. In fact, the WFS group performed better than the other two groups on selected memory and attention tasks. However, based upon a clinical evaluation of only WFS patients, we found that psychiatric and behavioral problems were present and consisted primarily of anxiety and hypersomnolence. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that cognitive performance and psychological health were relatively preserved WFS patients, while smell and sleep abnormalities manifested in many of the WFS patients. These findings contradict past case and retrospective reports indicating significant cognitive and psychiatric impairment in WFS. While many of these patients were diagnosed with anxiety and hypersomnolence, self-reported measures of psychiatric symptoms indicated that the symptoms were not of grave concern to the patients. It may be that cognitive and psychiatric issues become more prominent later in life and/or in later stages of the disease, but this requires standardized assessment and larger samples to determine. In the relatively early stages of WFS, smell and sleep-related symptoms may be useful biomarkers of disease and should be monitored longitudinally to determine if they are good markers of progression as well. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Current Clinicaltrials.gov Trial NCT02455414