Anti-inflammatory effect of functionalized sulfasalazine boron nitride nanocages on cardiovascular disease and breast cancer: An in-silico simulation

The objective of this research work is to investigate the ability of sulfasalazine (as an anti-cytokine drug) functionalized B₁₆N₁₆, B₁₅GeN₁₆ and B₁₅SiN₁₆ nanocages to treat inflammatory cardiovascular disease and breast cancer in comparison with the pure sulfasalazine (SSZ). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations at PBE1 functional were used to investigate the structural, electronic and spectral properties of sulfasalazine decorated B₁₆N₁₆, B₁₅GeN₁₆ and B15SiN16 nanocage

Trace element perspective into the ca. 2.1-billion-year-old shallow-marine microbial mats from the Francevillian Group, Gabon

The sedimentary fabrics of Precambrian mat-related structures (MRS) represent some of the oldest convincing evidence for early life on Earth. The ca. 2.1 billion-year (Ga) old MRS in the FB2 Member of the Francevillian basin in Gabon has received considerable attention not only because they contain remnants of microbial mats that colonized large areas in oxygenated, shallow-marine settings, but they also contain evidence for ancient multicellular organisms that thrived on these microbial mats using them as a food source. Despite these insights, what remains lacking is a full characterization of the geochemical composition of the MRS to test whether the bulk composition of fossilized MRS is distinct from the host sediments (sandstones and shales). Here, we show that the trace element (TE) content of microbial textures belonging to pyritized MRS, poorly pyritized MRS, and “elephant-skin” textures (EST) is highly variable and differs from that of the host sediments. The poorly pyritized MRS contain a unique matrix with embedded Ti- and Zr-rich minerals and syngenetically enriched in TE. The EST, some of which are developed along the same stratigraphic horizon as the poorly pyritized MRS, display a distinct distribution of TE-bearing heavy minerals, suggesting a local difference in physical conditions during sedimentation. Similarly, high chalcophile-element (CE) content in pyritized MRS relative to the host sediments of the FB2 Member further points to local bacterially influenced enrichments with high rates of microbial sulfate reduction during early diagenesis. The geochemical relationship between the MRS and the Francevillian sediments (e.g., FB, FC, and FD formations) indicates that specific biological pathways for CE enrichments (i.e., microbially controlled accumulation) are not apparent. Our findings highlight bulk-rock TE distinction between the 2.1-billion-year-old MRS and their host sediments, but also indicate that environmental conditions, such as hydrodynamic regime and water-column redox chemistry, may simply overwhelm any potential biological signal. Our data suggest that the microbial impact may have only passively influenced TE enrichment in the studied sediments, implying that TE concentrations in MRS are a poor biosignature. Importantly, this work indicates that bulk TE geochemistry does not unveil specific microbiological processes in the rock record, which is consistent with the observed patterns in modern analogues

Effectiveness of an Educational Program to Enhance Self-care Skills After Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Abstract. Background: The aim of this study is to determine the effectiveness of an educational program to enhance self-care skills in patients after an acute coronary syndrome Methods: A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design was used in the study. A rehabilitation nurse provided an educational program (PEpSCA-CARE) to the intervention group (n = 32), and the control group (n = 35) received the conventional nursing pre-discharge care. The data was collected using the Therapeutic Self-Care Scale (TSCS) in four dimensions: medications, symptoms, activities of daily living and health status management, applied before hospital discharge and one month after hospital discharge to both groups. Patients were recruited from an intensive cardiovascular care unit during 2016. Results: The results showed statistically significant differences between both groups (p < 0.001). The intervention group tended to improve their self-care skills while the control group had opposite trends, self-care skills decreased. Conclusions: According to the findings of the study, a systematized and structured educational program, is effective in developing self-care skills in patients after an acute coronary syndrome

Gender Analysis in the Outcomes of a Lifestyle Intervention among Patients Who Had an Open Heart Surgery

The aim of this study was to evaluate the gender-oriented differences in the outcomes of a lifestyle intervention trial (diet, smoking cessation, and exercise) among patients who had open heart surgery. A randomized, nonblind intervention study was performed on 500 patients who had open heart surgery. Immediately after hospital discharge, 250 patients were randomly allocated lifestyle intervention by receiving oral and written information in the form of a booklet with specific educational information for postoperative rehabilitation. The remaining 250 patients received the regular oral instructions. The applied lifestyle intervention proved to be beneficial only in men as far as quitting smoking (relative risk [RR]: 0.36, confidence interval [CI]: 0.16-0.80; P =.01) and returning to work (RR: 0.35, CI: 0.13-0.92; P =.03) are concerned. For both genders, no significant associations between dietary and physical activity recommendations were observed. Conclusion: Lifestyle nursing intervention immediately after open heart surgery had a beneficial effect on men 1 year after the surgery but not on women. Thus, there is a need for gender-specific studies among women. © The Author(s) 2015

Lifestyle intervention and one-year prognosis of patients following open heart surgery: A randomised clinical trial

Aims and objectives: To evaluate the one-year prognosis of a lifestyle counselling intervention (diet, smoking cessation and exercise) among patients who had open heart surgery. Background: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity worldwide in both developing and developed countries. Lifestyle modification plays an important role for patients who are at a high risk of developing cardiovascular disease and for those with an established cardiovascular disease. Design: Randomised, nonblind and lifestyle counselling intervention study with a one-year follow-up. Methods: A randomised, nonblind intervention study was performed on 500 patients who had open heart surgery. After hospital discharge, 250 patients (intervention group) were randomly allocated lifestyle counselling according to the recent guidelines provided by the European Society of Cardiology (European Journal Preventive Cardiology, 19, 2012, 585). The remaining 250 patients (control group) received the regular instructions. Primary end-point was the development of a cardiovascular disease (nonfatal event) during the first year; secondary end-points included fatal events, smoking abstinence, dietary habits and a physical activity evaluation. Results: According to the primary end-point, the odds of having a nonfatal cardiovascular disease event are 0·56-times (95%CI 0·28, 0·96, p = 0·03) lower for the intervention group compared to the control group. One-year after surgery, it was found that participants in the intervention group were 1·96-times (95%CI 1·31, 2·93, p &lt; 0·001) more likely to achieve dietary recommendations, 3·32-times (95%CI 2·24, 4·91, p &lt; 0·001) more likely to achieve physical activity recommendations and 1·34-times (95%CI 1·15, 1·56, p &lt; 0·001) more likely to return to work. Conclusion: Lifestyle counselling intervention following open heart surgery can improve health outcomes and reduce the risk of a new cardiac event. Health care services must recommend and organise well-structured cardiac rehabilitation programmes adjusted to the patient&apos;s needs. Relevance to clinical practice: A well-structured cardiac rehabilitation programme adjusted to the patient&apos;s profile is a safe and cost-effective way to improve patients&apos; outcome. © 2015 John Wiley &amp; Sons Ltd

Mortality after First Myocardial Infarction in Greek Patients: A 4-Year Follow-Up Study

Background: Death associated with coronary heart disease (CHD) depends in part on the time since the myocardial infarction (MI) and modification of risk factors. Methods: This observational, retrospective 4-year follow-up study consisted of 804 patients (628 men). The participants completed a questionnaire reporting diet, demographic factors, personal behavior (smoking, physical activity), anthropometry, prior medical conditions (hypertension, diabetes mellitus), and recent medication. Results: During 48 months of follow-up, 12% of men and 15% of women died. Older age, longer duration of smoking, and frequency of exercise were significantly different between survivors and the deceased (P =.014, P =.014, P =.001, respectively). Multivariate analysis revealed associations with years of smoking (odds ratio, OR: 1.10, P =.025), treatment with nitrates (OR: 4.81, P =.024), and increased frequency of exercise (OR: 0.42, P =.013), adjusting for age and gender. Conclusions: We should emphasize cessation of smoking and increased physical activity in MI survivors. Antismoking programs should start at an early age