Breathing pattern in asthmatic patients during exercise

Objectives: To study the effect of exercise on asthmatic breathing pattern. Background: Asthmatic patients have been reported to be breathless regardless of the degree of airway obstruction. Task performance may induce changes in breathing pattern and these in turn may mediate such a feeling. There is increasing interest in the use of breathing modification techniques in the treatment of asthma. Methods: This study was conducted on 20 asthmatic patients in stable mild state, they were selected from the Chest Department of the Menoufia University Hospital from February 2014 to September 2014. All patients were subjected to clinical history and examination, plain chest-X-ray (postero-anterior and lateral views), ECG and echo if needed, pulmonary function tests and cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Results: Breathing pattern parameters tidal volume (VT), respiratory rate (RR), minute ventilation (VE), mean inspiratory flow (VT/TI) increased during exercise then decreased during the recovery period while inspiratory time (TI) and total breath duration (Ttot) decreased during exercise then decreased during the recovery period. There was an increase in forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), peak expiratory flow (PEF). Forced expiratory volume in one second/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) during exercise and a decrease during the recovery period while forced expiratory time (FET100%) showed an opposite change. Conclusion: Breathing pattern was altered significantly during exercise in asthmatic patients

Relation Between Balance and Pelvic Alignment in Diplegic Cerebral Palsy Children

Background: Diplegia is one of the most common types of CP in which lower limbs are affected more than upper limbs, Pelvic malalignment is common in growing patients with diplegic CP develops due to the combination of spasticity, muscle weakness, as well as incompetent muscle control, this can result in poor pelvic control and significantly limits the patient's ability to maintain balance.  Aim of the Study: This study was conducted to study the relationship between balance and pelvic alignment in diplegic cerebral palsy children. Materials and Methods: Fifty children with diplegic cerebral palsy from both sexes (18 girls and 32 boys) grade I (33) and grade II (17) according to gross motor function classification system and 1 (23), 1+(15) and 2 (12) according to modified Ashowrth scale. Their ages ranged from 7-10 years, postural deviations were evaluated using the 3D measurement system Formetric while balance was assessed using Biodex balance system. Results: There was a statistically significant relation between overall stability index (OASI) and pelvic alignment (pelvic tilt- pelvic inclination). Conclusion: The obtained results suggested that there was significant correlation between balance and pelvic alignment in diplegic cerebral palsy children

Additional file 1 of Eco-physiological response and genotoxicity induced by crude petroleum oil in the potential phytoremediator Vinca rosea L

Additional file 1: Supplementary Table 1. (A) Genetic similarity matrix of the SCoT analysis data and (B) of the ISSR analysis for the control and treated Vinca rosea plants. C, is the control plants (0% oil); four crude petroleum oil treatments (1%, 3%, 5% and 7%). Supplementary Table 2. Change in number of produced bands in SCoT and ISSR profiles of plant samples raised under crude oil treatment levels of 0% (control), 1, 3, 5 and 7%, and genomic template stability (GTS%)

Role of Antioxidant Enzymes and Glutathione S-Transferase in Bromoxynil Herbicide Stress Tolerance in Wheat Plants

Background: Numerous pesticides and herbicides used in excess cause oxidative stress in plants. These chemicals protect plants from weeds and pests, but they also have very negative side effects, making them common abiotic stressors. One of the most significant nutritional crops in the world is the wheat plant. Conditions of herbicide stress have a negative impact on the plant’s phonological phases and metabolic pathways. Plants primarily make an effort to adjust to the environment and develop oxidative homeostasis, which supports stress tolerance. Methods: When controlling broadleaf weeds that emerge after cereal crop plants have been planted, bromoxynil is frequently used as a selective-contact herbicide. This study looked at the effects of the cyanobacteria Arthrospira platensis and Nostoc muscorum aqueous extracts, tryptophan, and bromoxynil (Bh) alone or in combination on wheat plant growth parameters. Both tryptophan and cyanobacterial extract were used as chemical and natural safeners against Bh application. The antioxidant activity and transcriptome studies using qRT-PCR were assayed after 24, 48, 72, 96 h, and 15 days from Bh application in the vegetation stage of wheat plants (55 days old). Results: In comparison with plants treated with Bh, wheat plants treated with cyanobacteria and tryptophan showed improvements in all growth parameters. Following application of Bh, wheat plants showed reduced glutathione content, as well as reduced antioxidant enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione-s-transferase. The combination of different treatments and Bh caused alleviation of the harmful effect induced by Bh on the measured parameters. Additionally, the expression of glutathione synthase and glutathione peroxidase, in addition to those of three genes (Zeta, Tau, and Lambda) of the GST gene family, was significantly upregulated when using Bh alone or in combination with different treatments, particularly after 24 h of treatment. Conclusion: The current study suggests using cyanobacterial extracts, particularly the A. platensis extract, for the development of an antioxidant defense system against herbicide toxicity, which would improve the metabolic response of developed wheat plants