Risk of acute myocardial infarction in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease: A nationwide population-based study

Objective Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common disease which can cause troublesome symptoms and affect quality of life. In addition to esophageal complications, GERD may also be a risk factor for extra-esophageal complications. Both GERD and coronary artery disease (CAD) can cause chest pain and frequently co-exist. However, the association between GERD and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remain unclear. The purpose of the study was to compare the incidence of acute myocardial infarction in GERD patients with an age-, gender-, and comorbidity matched population free of GERD. We also examine the association of the risk of AMI and the use of acid suppressing agents in GERD patients. Methods We identified patients with GERD from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. The study cohort comprised 54,422 newly diagnosed GERD patients; 269,572 randomly selected age-, gender-, comorbidity-matched subjects comprised the comparison cohort. Patients with any prior CAD, AMI or peripheral arterial disease were excluded. Incidence of new AMI was studied in both groups. Results A total 1,236 (0.5%) of the patients from the control group and 371 (0.7%) patients from the GERD group experienced AMI during a mean follow-up period of 3.3 years. Based on Cox proportional-hazard model analysis, GERD was independently associated with increased risk of developing AMI (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.48; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.31–1.66, P < 0.001). Within the GERD group, patients who were prescribed proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for more than one year had slightly decreased the risk of developing AMI, compared with those without taking PPIs (HR = 0.57; 95% CI: 0.31–1.04, P = 0.066). Conclusions This large population-based study demonstrates an association between GERD and future development of AMI, however, PPIs use only achieved marginal significance in reducing the occurrence of AMI in GERD patients. Further prospective studies are needed to evaluate whether anti-reflux medication may reduce the occurrence of acute ischemic event in GERD patients.Yeshttp://www.plosone.org/static/editorial#pee

Evaluation of Genotypic Performances in Native Rice Landraces of Bangladesh

Field experiments were carried out at Dinajpur, Nilphamari and Faridpur from July, 2017 to March, 2018 to evaluate the performance of native land races of rice viz., Chinigura, Kataribhog, Radhunipagol, Badshabhog, Kalozira, Uknimadhu, Dudshar, Salna, Shitabhog and Zirashail to assess G x E interaction against five quantitative characters, plant height (cm), productive tillers/hill, 1000-grain weight (g), grain yield/m2 and days to maturity, and three qualitative characters, proline (%) as µmol/g fresh weight, aroma from green leaves and cooked rice. The field experiment was conducted in Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. The highest grain yield (390.25 g/m2) was obtained from Radhunipagol at Dinajpur. Next to Radhunipagol, Kataribhog produced higher grain yield (350.00 g/m2) which was significantly higher than that of Nilphamari and Faridpur but Radhunipagol was suited both for Dinajpur and Nilphamari. The cultivar, Kalozira was adapted to three locations as reflected by its regression coefficient very close to unity (b=0.92) and deviation from the coefficient estimated very near to zero (s2d=0.16). Maximum proline was estimated (18.7 µmol/g fresh weight) from Chinigura cultivated at Dinajpur. The proline (%) estimated average from Kalozira at three locations and the range varied from 14.00 -15.90 µmol/g fresh weight. Dinajpur appeared as the best and Faridpur as an unfavorable location for local aromatic rice cultivars. Since, aroma was assessed through sensory method the maximum aroma was assessed from Chinigura under Dinajpur but its content gradually decreased at Nilphamari and Faridpur. The aroma assessed from cooked rice ranged from 7.05-8.90 over three locations but maximum aroma was assessed under Dinajpur. Chinigura, Radhunipagol and Kataribhog found suitable for Dinajpur, and Kalozira and Badshabhog might suggest cultivating over the locations of Bangladesh

Hydrogen-rich water: a key player in boosting wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedling growth and drought resilience

Abstract In the modern world, wheat, a vital global cereal and the second most consumed, is vulnerable to climate change impacts. These include erratic rainfall and extreme temperatures, endangering global food security. Research on hydrogen-rich water (HRW) has gained momentum in plant and agricultural sciences due to its diverse functions. This study examined the effects of different HRW treatment durations on wheat, revealing that the 4-h treatment had the highest germination rate, enhancing potential, vigor, and germination indexes. This treatment also boosted relative water content, root and shoot weight, and average lengths. Moreover, the 4-h HRW treatment resulted in the highest chlorophyll and soluble protein concentrations in seeds while reducing cell death. The 4-h and 5-h HRW treatments significantly increased H2O2 levels, with the highest NO detected in both root and shoot after 4-h HRW exposure. Additionally, HRW-treated seeds exhibited increased Zn and Fe concentrations, along with antioxidant enzyme activities (CAT, SOD, APX) in roots and shoots. These findings suggest that HRW treatment could enhance wheat seed germination, growth, and nutrient absorption, thereby increasing agricultural productivity. Molecular analysis indicated significant upregulation of the Dreb1 gene with a 4-h HRW treatment. Thus, it shows promise in addressing climate change effects on wheat production. Therefore, HRW treatment could be a hopeful strategy for enhancing wheat plant drought tolerance, requiring further investigation (field experiments) to validate its impact on plant growth and drought stress mitigation