Electrocardiogram as prognostic and diagnostic parameter in follow up of patients with heart failure

No Abstract

Albumin to creatinine ratio as a predictor to the severity of coronary artery disease

Introduction: Microalbuminuria (MA) is a well-known risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). It is associated with higher cardiovascular mortality, especially in diabetics. However, there are few data linking angiographic severity of CAD to MA.Aim: The aim of the present study was to assess the albumin to creatinine ratio as a new predictor for CAD and to correlate with its severity apart from other traditional CAD risk factors.Methods: Our study included 100 patients with documented CAD by coronary angiography in Alexandria main university hospital. The severity of CAD was scored on the basis of the number and the extent of lesions within the coronary arteries by using Syntax score. Urine albumin excretion was measured for all patients in morning spot urine samples by immune precipitation technique. We correlate between MA and severity of CAD.Results: In a total of 100 patients (74 males and 26 females), (mean age 55.71± 8.99 y) MA was present in 34 patients only. Patients were divided into two groups; group I included those without MA and group II with MA. CAD occurred more frequently in males than in females and in smokers than in non-smokers. There were no significant differences in the prevalence of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia between the two groups. A direct relationship between MA and extension of atherosclerotic coronary lesions was noticed (P = 0.009).Conclusion: Patients with MA having more severe angiographic CAD were compared to those without MA. This relation is independent of other risk factors. MA could be utilized as an independent risk factor for CAD.Keywords: Coronary artery disease (CAD); Microalbuminuria (MA); Albumin–creatinine rati

Molecular and serological techniques for the diagnosis of culture negative infective endocarditis in Alexandria Main University Hospital

AbstractBackground and aimCulture-negative infective endocarditis (CNIE) is a diagnostic dilemma. The study was carried out to estimate the prevalence of CNIE among definite IE cases, to describe the epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of CNIE patients and to diagnose the microbial etiology of CNIE using molecular and serological techniques.Subjects and methodsSixty-five definite IE cases were enrolled in a prospective observational study between January and December 2010. CNIE cases were tested by 16SrRNA and seminested PCR for 35 blood samples, serological tests and the study of ten valve tissue specimens.ResultsCNIE constituted 39 (60%) cases. The mean age of CNIE patients was 31years. Male to female ratio was 2.9:1. Healthcare associated IE accounted for 15.4%, native valve IE for 66.7% and intravenous drug abuse for 20.5% of cases. The mitral valve was the most frequently involved (56.4%). Out of 39 CNIE cases, seminested blood PCR detected 12 cases (ten Staphylococci, two Streptococci). Five cases were reactive by serology (three Bartonella, one Coxiella, and one Brucella). Six cases were positive by analysis of valve tissue (three Staphylococci, three Streptococci). The combined results of all diagnostic tools decreased the percentage of non-identified causes of CNIE from 60% to 24.6%.ConclusionsOur data underlined the role of collecting blood culture before starting antibiotics and the role of seminested PCR in the diagnosis of conventional causes of CNIE. The importance of serology to identify non conventional causes was also highlighted

Antibacterial activity of the released metabolites of sea anemone Stichodactyla gigantea (Forskal, 1775) from the coast of South Andaman, India

Marine sessile organisms produce unique bioactive metabolites, which render a defensive barrier against microbial threats and increase survivability in the middle of predators. The earlier studies focused on isolated metabolites from marine sources, composed to exhibit antibacterial, antiviral, and cytotoxic properties. The present study aims to evaluate the antibacterial property of the anemone-released metabolites. The crude and released mucoid metabolite obtained from the sea anemone Stichodactyla gigantea (Forskal, 1775) assayed against five human pathogens like Bacillus subtilis (MTCC 121), Listeria monocytogenes (MTCC 839), Staphylococcus aureus (MTCC839), Bacillus cereus (MTCC 443), and Salmonella enterica typhimurium (MTCC 1252). The assay exhibited positive activity against two pathogens, viz. B. subtilis (MTCC 121) and L. monocytogenes (MTCC 839). Based on the demonstrated activity, the released metabolites were purified using Open Column chromatography. The fractions collected were subjected to an antibacterial assay, which showed a high inhibition zone of 39 mm and 23 mm in diameter against B. subtilis and L. monocytogenes. Followingly, the characterization of purified fractions through GC-MS analysis confirmed the presence of 22 compounds. This study reveals the potential power of the released mucoid metabolites against antibiotic-resistive pathogens. Further studies are essential to elucidate the role of endosymbiont's contribution to mucoid production and their responsiveness towards tackling stressed conditions

Antibacterial activity of the released metabolites of sea anemone Stichodactyla gigantea (Forskal, 1775) from the coast of South Andaman, India

Marine sessile organisms produce unique bioactive metabolites, which render a defensive barrier against microbial threats and increase survivability in the middle of predators. The earlier studies focused on isolated metabolites from marine sources, composed to exhibit antibacterial, antiviral, and cytotoxic properties. The present study aims to evaluate the antibacterial property of the anemone-released metabolites. The crude and released mucoid metabolite obtained from the sea anemone Stichodactyla gigantea (Forskal, 1775) assayed against five human pathogens like Bacillus subtilis (MTCC 121), Listeria monocytogenes (MTCC 839), Staphylococcus aureus (MTCC839), Bacillus cereus (MTCC 443), and Salmonella enterica typhimurium (MTCC 1252). The assay exhibited positive activity against two pathogens, viz. B. subtilis (MTCC 121) and L. monocytogenes (MTCC 839). Based on the demonstrated activity, the released metabolites were purified using Open Column chromatography. The fractions collected were subjected to an antibacterial assay, which showed a high inhibition zone of 39 mm and 23 mm in diameter against B. subtilis and L. monocytogenes. Followingly, the characterization of purified fractions through GC-MS analysis confirmed the presence of 22 compounds. This study reveals the potential power of the released mucoid metabolites against antibiotic-resistive pathogens. Further studies are essential to elucidate the role of endosymbiont's contribution to mucoid production and their responsiveness towards tackling stressed conditions

Turmeric and Its Major Compound Curcumin on Health: Bioactive Effects and Safety Profiles for Food, Pharmaceutical, Biotechnological and Medicinal Applications

Curcumin, a yellow polyphenolic pigment from the Curcuma longa L. (turmeric) rhizome, has been used for centuries for culinary and food coloring purposes, and as an ingredient for various medicinal preparations, widely used in Ayurveda and Chinese medicine. In recent decades, their biological activities have been extensively studied. Thus, this review aims to offer an in-depth discussion of curcumin applications for food and biotechnological industries, and on health promotion and disease prevention, with particular emphasis on its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, anticancer, hepatoprotective, and cardioprotective effects. Bioavailability, bioefficacy and safety features, side effects, and quality parameters of curcumin are also addressed. Finally, curcumin’s multidimensional applications, food attractiveness optimization, agro-industrial procedures to offset its instability and low bioavailability, health concerns, and upcoming strategies for clinical application are also covered

Estimation of the number of synapses in the hippocampus and brain-wide by volume electron microscopy and genetic labeling

Determining the number of synapses that are present in different brain regions is crucial to understand brain connectivity as a whole. Membrane-associated guanylate kinases (MAGUKs) are a family of scaffolding proteins that are expressed in excitatory glutamatergic synapses. We used genetic labeling of two of these proteins (PSD95 and SAP102), and Spinning Disc confocal Microscopy (SDM), to estimate the number of fluorescent puncta in the CA1 area of the hippocampus. We also used FIB-SEM, a three-dimensional electron microscopy technique, to calculate the actual numbers of synapses in the same area. We then estimated the ratio between the three-dimensional densities obtained with FIB-SEM (synapses/µm) and the bi-dimensional densities obtained with SDM (puncta/100 µm). Given that it is impractical to use FIB-SEM brain-wide, we used previously available SDM data from other brain regions and we applied this ratio as a conversion factor to estimate the minimum density of synapses in those regions. We found the highest densities of synapses in the isocortex, olfactory areas, hippocampal formation and cortical subplate. Low densities were found in the pallidum, hypothalamus, brainstem and cerebellum. Finally, the striatum and thalamus showed a wide range of synapse densities.This work was supported by grants from the following entities: the Spanish “Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades” (Grant PGC2018-094307-B-I00 and the Cajal Blue Brain Project [C080020-09; the Spanish partner of the Blue Brain Project initiative from EPFL, Switzerland]; the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under grant agreement No. 785907 (Human Brain Project, SGA2); the Wellcome Trust (Technology Development Grant 202932); and the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (695568 SYNNOVATE). L.T.-R. is a recipient of grants from the EMBO Long-term fellowship 2016–2018 and the IBRO-PERC InEurope grants programme