Effect of Progressive Muscle Relaxation on the Adverse Cardiovascular Profile in Women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Background: The altered stress reactivity in polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) may constitute a link between depression, overweight, and cardiovascular risk factors. Aims: To study the effects of progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) on the stress levels of PCOS patients and their influence on the cardiovascular risk factors. Subjects and Methods: This prospective pilot project was conducted on 100 PCOS patients in a tertiary care hospital of West Bengal, after receiving approval from the Institutional Ethical Committee and informed consent of the subjects. The stress levels were assessed and conventional autonomic function tests and the lipid profi les were analyzed. The subjects were divided into two groups using an online randomizer. One group received medication, while the other group received medication and practiced progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) for three months. All parameters were re‑evaluated at the end of three months. Results: The perceived stress scale was significantly less in subjects practicing relaxation exercises, as compared to subjects only on medication. The waist/hip ratio, pulse rate, and systolic blood pressure were significantly lower, while there was no difference in the body mass index (BMI) and diastolic blood pressure. Results of the autonomic function tests showed a significant parasympathetic tilt in subjects practicing PMR. In patients with PCOS, who were on PMR, cholesterol, triglycerides, and low‑density cholesterol (LDL) were significantly lower and high‑density cholesterol HDL was significantly higher. Conclusions: PCOS patients are a high‑risk group for developing the metabolic syndrome and relaxation therapies may be recommended as an adjuvant therapy, to tilt the autonomic balance to parasympathetic dominance, to improve the cardiovascular profile.Keywords: Autonomic functions, cardiovascular system, polycystic ovarian syndrome, stres

Hurricane Forecasts with a Mesoscale Suite of Models

A suite of mesoscale models are being used in the present study to examine experimental forecast performance for tracks and intensity of hurricanes covering the years 2004, 2005 and 2006. Fifty-eight storm cases are being considered in the present study. Most of the mesoscale models are being run at a horizontal resolution at around 9 km. This includes the WRF (two versions), MM5, HWRF, GFDL and DSHP. The performances of forecasts are evaluated using absolute errors for storm track and intensity. Our consensus forecasts utilize ensemble mean and a bias corrected ensemble mean for these member models on the mesoscale and the large-scale model suites. Comparing the forecast statistics for the mesoscale suite, the large-scale suite and the combined suite we find that the mesoscale suite provided the best track forecasts for 60 and 72 h. However, the forecast from the combined suite of model were also very close to the track errors of the mesoscale at 60 and 72 h. Overall track forecast errors were least for the combined suite. The intensity forecasts of the bias corrected ensemble mean of the mesoscale suite were comparable to DSHP and GFDL at the later part of the forecast periods

A New Control Scheme for Three-Phase Non-Isolated Grid Feeding PV Inverter

The use of control algorithms in inverter topologies is becoming more attractive for integration of wind and photovoltaic (PV) energy with a grid. Among the various inverters, the non-isolated inverter topology has gotten a huge attention for fixing the problem of leakage current issue with other inverters. In this paper, a linear control strategy is offered for the grid connected non-isolated PV inverter. The proposed scheme consists of a proportional resonance (PR) controller with lag compensator (LC). This controller offers lower oscillation in output grid current and better steady state performance for the grid-tied PV inverter systems. The analytical comparison of proposed control scheme and the other control strategies are mentioned in this work. The simulation results indicate the improvements of the performance for the proposed controller in terms of reference tracking ability, total harmonic distortion (THD), and the supplied dc bus voltages of the grid-injected PV inverter systems. This proposed controller can enhance the performance of the PV systems by reducing energy consumption during load change and faulty condition

The Stokes Phenomenon and Quantum Tunneling for de Sitter Radiation in Nonstationary Coordinates

We study quantum tunneling for the de Sitter radiation in the planar coordinates and global coordinates, which are nonstationary coordinates and describe the expanding geometry. Using the phase-integral approximation for the Hamilton-Jacobi action in the complex plane of time, we obtain the particle-production rate in both coordinates and derive the additional sinusoidal factor depending on the dimensionality of spacetime and the quantum number for spherical harmonics in the global coordinates. This approach resolves the factor of two problem in the tunneling method.Comment: LaTex 10 pages, no figur

A literature review on surgery for cervical vagal schwannomas

Cervical vagal schwannoma is a benign, slow-growing mass, often asymptomatic, with a very low lifetime risk of malignant transformation in general population, but diagnosis is still a challenge. Surgical resection is the treatment of choice even if its close relationship with nerve fibres, from which it arises, threats vagal nerve preservation. We present a case report and a systematic review of literature. All studies on surgical resection of cervical vagal schwannoma have been reviewed. Papers matching the inclusion criteria (topic on surgical removal of cervical vagal schwannoma, English language, full text available) were selected. Fifty-three patients with vagal neck schwannoma submitted to surgery were identified among 22 studies selected. Female/male ratio was 1.5 and median age 44 years. Median diameter was 5 cm (range 2 to 10). Most schwannoma were asymptomatic (68.2%) and received an intracapsular excision (64.9%). Postoperative symptoms were reported in 22.6% of patients. Cervical vagal schwannoma is a benign pathology requiring surgical excision, but frequently postoperative complications can affect patients lifelong, so, surgical indications should be based carefully on the balance between risks and benefits

Quercetin prevents progression of disease in elastase/LPS-exposed mice by negatively regulating MMP expression

Abstract Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by chronic bronchitis, emphysema and irreversible airflow limitation. These changes are thought to be due to oxidative stress and an imbalance of proteases and antiproteases. Quercetin, a plant flavonoid, is a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. We hypothesized that quercetin reduces lung inflammation and improves lung function in elastase/lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-exposed mice which show typical features of COPD, including airways inflammation, goblet cell metaplasia, and emphysema. Methods Mice treated with elastase and LPS once a week for 4 weeks were subsequently administered 0.5 mg of quercetin dihydrate or 50% propylene glycol (vehicle) by gavage for 10 days. Lungs were examined for elastance, oxidative stress, inflammation, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity. Effects of quercetin on MMP transcription and activity were examined in LPS-exposed murine macrophages. Results Quercetin-treated, elastase/LPS-exposed mice showed improved elastic recoil and decreased alveolar chord length compared to vehicle-treated controls. Quercetin-treated mice showed decreased levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, a measure of lipid peroxidation caused by oxidative stress. Quercetin also reduced lung inflammation, goblet cell metaplasia, and mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and muc5AC. Quercetin treatment decreased the expression and activity of MMP9 and MMP12 in vivo and in vitro, while increasing expression of the histone deacetylase Sirt-1 and suppressing MMP promoter H4 acetylation. Finally, co-treatment with the Sirt-1 inhibitor sirtinol blocked the effects of quercetin on the lung phenotype. Conclusions Quercetin prevents progression of emphysema in elastase/LPS-treated mice by reducing oxidative stress, lung inflammation and expression of MMP9 and MMP12.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/78260/1/1465-9921-11-131.xmlhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/78260/2/1465-9921-11-131.pdfPeer Reviewe

The extraordinary evolutionary history of the reticuloendotheliosis viruses

The reticuloendotheliosis viruses (REVs) comprise several closely related amphotropic retroviruses isolated from birds. These viruses exhibit several highly unusual characteristics that have not so far been adequately explained, including their extremely close relationship to mammalian retroviruses, and their presence as endogenous sequences within the genomes of certain large DNA viruses. We present evidence for an iatrogenic origin of REVs that accounts for these phenomena. Firstly, we identify endogenous retroviral fossils in mammalian genomes that share a unique recombinant structure with REVs—unequivocally demonstrating that REVs derive directly from mammalian retroviruses. Secondly, through sequencing of archived REV isolates, we confirm that contaminated Plasmodium lophurae stocks have been the source of multiple REV outbreaks in experimentally infected birds. Finally, we show that both phylogenetic and historical evidence support a scenario wherein REVs originated as mammalian retroviruses that were accidentally introduced into avian hosts in the late 1930s, during experimental studies of P. lophurae, and subsequently integrated into the fowlpox virus (FWPV) and gallid herpesvirus type 2 (GHV-2) genomes, generating recombinant DNA viruses that now circulate in wild birds and poultry. Our findings provide a novel perspective on the origin and evolution of REV, and indicate that horizontal gene transfer between virus families can expand the impact of iatrogenic transmission events

Performance, feed utilization, and hepatic metabolic response of weaned juvenile Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus L.): effects of dietary lipid level and source

The development of formulated diets and feeds is essential to increase production of farmed tuna species. There is limited knowledge of this topic, mainly on Pacific Bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) in Japan, whereas no major attempts have been made with Atlantic Bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus; ABT). In the present study, two trials were performed using inert formulated diets as on-growing feeds for weaned ABT juvenile in order to establish adequate dietary levels of both lipid and omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA). In a first trial, ABT (initial weight = 2.9±0.9g) were fed for 10 days with either a commercial (Magokoro®, MGK) or two experimental feeds with two different lipid levels (15 or 20%) using krill oil (KO) as the single lipid source in order to estimate the suitable lipid content. Fish fed MGK displayed the highest growth, followed by 15KO, with no differences in fish survival. Thus, a lipid content of 15% was considered better than 20% for ABT juveniles. In the second trial, fish (initial weight = 3.3 ± 0.6g) were fed either MGK, 15KO or a feed containing 15% lipid with a combination (1:1, v/v) KO and rapeseed oil (RO) (15KORO). Fish fed 15KO and 15KORO showed the highest growth in terms of weight and fork length (including weight gain and SGR). Increasing dietary lipid level or adding RO to the feeds did not increase liver lipid content. The liver fatty acid profile largely reflected dietary intake confirming very limited LC-PUFA biosynthetic activity for this teleost species. In this respect, liver of fish fed 15KO and 20KO displayed the highest contents of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The hepatic expression of genes of lipid and fatty acid metabolism, transcription factors, and antioxidant enzymes was investigated with many of the genes showing regulation by both dietary lipid and LC-PUFA contents. The present study showed promising results that suggested ABT juveniles can be on grown on inert dry feeds that supported good fish growth and the accumulation of the health-promoting fatty acid DHA. Further studies are required in order to fully elucidate lipid and fatty acid requirements of this iconic species regarding dietary sources and production costs.En prensa1,52

Bio-nanotechnology application in wastewater treatment

The nanoparticles have received high interest in the field of medicine and water purification, however, the nanomaterials produced by chemical and physical methods are considered hazardous, expensive, and leave behind harmful substances to the environment. This chapter aimed to focus on green-synthesized nanoparticles and their medical applications. Moreover, the chapter highlighted the applicability of the metallic nanoparticles (MNPs) in the inactivation of microbial cells due to their high surface and small particle size. Modifying nanomaterials produced by green-methods is safe, inexpensive, and easy. Therefore, the control and modification of nanoparticles and their properties were also discussed