The role of metformin response in lipid metabolism in patients with recent-onset type 2 diabetes: HbA1c level as a criterion for designating patients as responders or nonresponders to metformin

Background: In this study, we investigated whether response to metformin, the most frequently drug for diabetes treatment, influences the therapeutic effects of antilipidemic medication in newly diagnosed patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: A total of 150 patients with T2DM were classified into two groups following 3 months of metformin therapy (1000mg twice daily): responders (patients showing >1% reduction in HbA1c from baseline) and nonresponders (patients showing <1% reduction in HbA1c from baseline). The patients received atorvastatin 20 mg, gemfibrozil 300 mg, or atorvastatin 20 mg and gemfibrozil 300 mg daily. Principal Findings: HbA1c and fasting glucose levels were significantly different between baseline and 3 months among responders receiving atorvastatin; however, these differences were not statistically significant in nonresponders. Atherogenic ratios of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C/HDL-C; p = 0.002), total cholesterol to HDL-C (TC/HDL-C; p<0.001) and AIP (the atherogenic index of plasma; p = 0.004) decreased significantly in responders receiving atorvastatin than in nonresponders. Moreover, responders receiving atorvastatin showed a significant increase in HDL-C levels but nonresponders receiving atorvastatin did not (p = 0.007). The multivariate model identified a significant association between metformin response (as the independent variable) and TG, TC, HDL-C and LDL-C (dependent variables; Wilk's λ = 0.927, p = 0.036). Conclusions: Metformin response affects therapeutic outcomes of atorvastatin on atherogenic lipid markers in patients newly diagnosed with T2DM. Metformin has a greater impact on BMI in responders of metformin compared to nonresponders. Adoption of better therapeutic strategies for reducing atherogenic lipid markers may be necessary for metformin nonresponders. © 2016 Kashi et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited

A COMPARISON OF ORGANIC AND CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS FOR TOMATO PRODUCTION

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) is one of the most popular and versatile vegetables in the world, and organic production with a high yield and desirable quality is a target of many producers. The effect of four different fertilizers (chemical, municipal solid waste compost, cattle manure, and spent mushroom compost) on four commercial tomato cultivars (Redstone, Flat, Peto Pride and Chief) was assessed in this research. The highest yield was obtained with the Chief cultivar when fertilized with chemical fertilizer and the lowest value was obtained with Peto Pride fertilized with 20 tonnes per hectare (t/ha) of cow manure. The difference between the two classes of fertilizers (organic and chemical) was not very high so that organic fertilizers are competitive and may be a suitable replacement for chemical fertilizer. According to our results, to achieve maximum yields with organic fertilizers, 20 t/ha of spent mushroom compost can be recommended for the Redstone cultivar, 30 t/ha of cow manure for Flat, 300 t/ha of municipal solid waste compost for Peto Pride, and 300 t/ha of municipal solid waste compost or 20 t/ha of spent mushroom compost can be recommended for the Chief cultivar. These recommended organic fertilizing regimes achieved cultivar yields comparable to the chemical fertilizer treatments, achieving a yield of 98.4% for Redstone, 99.5% for Flat, 97.6% for Peto Pride, and 95.7% for Chief

Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics simulations of the core-degenerate scenario for Type Ia supernovae

The core-degenerate (CD) scenario for type Ia supernovae (SN Ia) involves the merger of the hot core of an asymptotic giant branch (AGB) star and a white dwarf, and might contribute a non-negligible fraction of all thermonuclear supernovae. Despite its potential interest, very few studies, and based on only crude simplifications, have been devoted to investigate this possible scenario, compared with the large efforts invested to study some other scenarios. Here we perform the first three-dimensional simulations of the merger phase, and find that this process can lead to the formation of a massive white dwarf, as required by this scenario. We consider two situations, according to the mass of the circumbinary disk formed around the system during the final stages of the common envelope phase. If the disk is massive enough, the stars merge on a highly eccentric orbit. Otherwise, the merger occurs after the circumbinary disk has been ejected and gravitational wave radiation has brought the stars close to the Roche lobe radius on a nearly circular orbit. Not surprisingly, the overall characteristics of the merger remnants are similar to those found for the double-degenerate (DD) scenario, independently of the very different core temperature and of the orbits of the merging stars. They consist of a central massive white dwarf, surrounded by a hot, rapidly rotating corona and a thick debris region.Comment: 17 pages, 10 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA

Leak Detection In Large Storage Tanks Using Seismic Boundary Waves

This paper describes a field evaluation of a technique for detecting leaks in large above ground storage tanks. The technique detects leaking tank products in the foundation material by sensing anomalies in seismic boundary waves transmitted across the tank bottom. The evaluation consisted of three steps: (1) investigation of surface (Rayleigh) wave anomalies due to surface soil saturation in linear arrays; (2) evaluation of boundary waves propagated across the bottom of typical tanks; and (3) a surface (Rayleigh) wave experiment using tomography to locate velocity changes due to surface soil saturation. The results of these tests have shown that boundary waves can be easily propagated along a tank bottom and received by conventional geophones, and that soil saturation anomalies can be detected and located using boundary waves and tomographic reconstruction

The association of stone opacity in plain radiography with percutaneous nephrolithotomy outcomes and complications

Purpose: To investigate the influence of stone opacity in plain radiography on stone free rate and complications of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). Materials and Methods: A number of 101 patients who underwent PCNL between July-September 2015 were prospectively included. Stone opacity was judged on preoperative plain Kidney-Ureter-Bladder X-ray. Stone free rate was evaluated two weeks after the operation by ultrasonography and KUB. Results: There were 61 patients with opaque stones and 40 patients with non-opaque stones. The age, body mass index, preoperative creatinine, history of stone surgery, and stone size was not statistically different between patients with opaque and non-opaque stones. Neither operation duration nor access numbers were statistically significant between opaque and non-opaque stones. The frequency of stone free patients in opaque stones and nonopaque stones were 55/61 (90) and 30/40 (75) respectively (P = .04) The magnitude of hemoglobin drop in opaque stones and non-opaque stones were 1.9 ± 1.2 mg/dL versus 2.9 ± 1.7 mg/dL (P = .005). Conclusion: The stone free rate is lower and the magnitude of bleeding is higher in PCNL of non-opaque stones when compared to opaque stones if rigid instruments are used for nephroscopy

Escherichia Coli Removal from Water Using Electrophotocatalytic Method

Electrochemical has the suitable method of drinking water disinfection. This method leads to production of hydroxyl radicals which are known powerfull oxidant agent. In recent years, water disinfection using electrophotocatalytic method is spreading. The aim of this experimental applied study is to evaluate the removal of Escherichia Coli, as the microbial contamination indicator of water, from drinking water using electrophotocatalytic method. The contaminated water in an electrophotocatalytic reactor were prepared by adding 102-103 cell of E. coli bacteria to drinking water. The studied variables were pH (6-8), the number of bacterial suspensions (102-103 cells / ml), the UV-A lamps (2-4 W), times (5-40 min), the distances between electrodes (2-3.5 cm), layering of zinc oxide nanoparticles (1-3), and voltages (10-40). The findings showed the correlation between removal of cells and UV-A lamps, voltage, and time of electrolysis. Optimal removal (MPN: 0) was obtained at pH 8, time of electrolysis: 5 minutes, 2 layer of nano ZnO, and voltage of 10 V. This result offers that this method is an efficient method for water disinfection. @JASEMKeywords: Escherichia Coli , Water disinfection, Electrophotocatalytic, UV- AJ. Appl. Sci. Environ. Manage. Sept, 2011, Vol. 15 (3) 439 - 44

Blunt Traumatic Hernia of Diaphragm With Late Presentation

Background: Diaphragmatic hernia after blunt trauma is an uncommon and often undiagnosed condition. Objectives: We aimed to review patients who presented with delayed blunt traumatic hernia of diaphragm. Patients and Methods: In this retrospective study, the medical records of six patients treated for blunt diaphragmatic hernias who were admitted to Kashan Shahid Beheshti hospital between June 2007 and June 2011 were analyzed. Results: Six patients with mean age of 41 years were included in the study. Male to female ratio was 2:1. Mean duration between trauma and admission to the hospital was 6.5 years (2 – 26 years). Five patients had left-sided diaphragmatic hernia. Chest X-ray was obtained from all patients which was diagnostic in 50 percent of the cases (n = 4). Additional diagnostic imaging with computerized tomography (CT) was used in six patients and upper gastrointestinal (GI) contrast study was performed in one patient. All patients underwent thoracotomy incision. Mesh repair was utilized in one patient. The mean hospitalization time was 14.1 days. There was one postoperative death (16.7%). Conclusions: Late presentation of blunt diaphragmatic hernia is an uncommon and challenging situation for the surgeon. Prompt diagnosis and treatment prevent serious morbidity and mortality associated with complications such as gangrene and perforation of herniated organ

Polychromatic solitons in a quadratic medium

We introduce the simplest model to describe parametric interactions in a quadratically nonlinear optical medium with the fundamental harmonic containing two components with (slightly) different carrier frequencies [which is a direct analog of wavelength-division multiplexed (WDM) models, well known in media with cubic nonlinearity]. The model takes a closed form with three different second-harmonic components, and it is formulated in the spatial domain. We demonstrate that the model supports both polychromatic solitons (PCSs), with all the components present in them, and two types of mutually orthogonal simple solitons, both types being stable in a broad parametric region. An essential peculiarity of PCS is that its power is much smaller than that of a simple (usual) soliton (taken at the same values of control parameters), which may be an advantage for experimental generation of PCSs. Collisions between the orthogonal simple solitons are simulated in detail, leading to the conclusion that the collisions are strongly inelastic, converting the simple solitons into polychromatic ones, and generating one or two additional PCSs. A collision velocity at which the inelastic effects are strongest is identified, and it is demonstrated that the collision may be used as a basis to design a simple all-optical XOR logic gate.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures, accepted to Phys. Rev.