Assessment of Cardiorespiratory Interactions during Apneic Events in Sleep via Fuzzy Kernel Measures of Information Dynamics

Apnea and other breathing-related disorders have been linked to the development of hypertension or impairments of the cardiovascular, cognitive or metabolic systems. The combined assessment of multiple physiological signals acquired during sleep is of fundamental importance for providing additional insights about breathing disorder events and the associated impairments. In this work, we apply information-theoretic measures to describe the joint dynamics of cardiorespiratory physiological processes in a large group of patients reporting repeated episodes of hypopneas, apneas (central, obstructive, mixed) and respiratory effort related arousals (RERAs). We analyze the heart period as the target process and the airflow amplitude as the driver, computing the predictive information, the information storage, the information transfer, the internal information and the cross information, using a fuzzy kernel entropy estimator. The analyses were performed comparing the information measures among segments during, immediately before and after the respiratory event and with control segments. Results highlight a general tendency to decrease of predictive information and information storage of heart period, as well as of cross information and information transfer from respiration to heart period, during the breathing disordered events. The information-theoretic measures also vary according to the breathing disorder, and significant changes of information transfer can be detected during RERAs, suggesting that the latter could represent a risk factor for developing cardiovascular diseases. These findings reflect the impact of different sleep breathing disorders on respiratory sinus arrhythmia, suggesting overall higher complexity of the cardiac dynamics and weaker cardiorespiratory interactions which may have physiological and clinical relevance

Uticaj dužine rezidbe na masu grozda stonih sorti vinove loze

Each grapevine variety has specific pruning requirements to ensure optimal grape yield and quality. The main objective of this paper is to examine the impact of pruning severity on cluster size in table grapevine varieties under conditions of the Kozara wine-growing region. The research was conducted on the grapevine varieties ’Lasta’, ’Karmen’, ’Palatine’, ’Esther’,’Muscat Saint Vallier’ and ’Chasselas rose’. Cluster position on the fruiting shoot developing from both the spur and the cane,cluster weight and number of clusters per node were analyzed. Moving node position away from the base of the fruiting shoot results in reduced cluster size in ’Lasta’, ’Karmen’, ’Palatine’, ’Esther’ and ’Chasselas rose’, and in increased cluster weight in ’Muscat Saint Vallier’. A significant correlation was observed betweencluster weightandcluster position onthe fruiting shootin ’Lasta’, ’MuscatSaintVallier’and ’Palatine’.Svaka sorta vinove loze zahteva određen način rezidbe kako bi se dobio odgovarajući prinos i kvalitet grožđa. Osnovni cilj rada predstavlja ispitivanje uticaja dužine rezidbe na veličinu grozda stonih sorti vinove loze u uslovima Kozaračkog vinogorja. Istraživanje je obavljeno na sortama Lasta, Karmen, Palatina, Esther, Muscat St. Vallier i Chaselas rose. Kod ispitivanih sorti analizirana je pozicija pojave grozda na rodnim lastarima kondira i luka, njihova masa i učestalost pojave grozda na nodusima. Udaljavanjem pozicije nodusa od baze rodnog lastara, dolazi do smanjenja krupnoće grozda kod sorti Lasta, Karmen, Palatina, Esther i sorte Chasselas rose, a kod sorte Muscat St. Vallier do povećanja mase grozda.Utvrđena je značajna zavisnost mase grozda i pozicije pojave grozda na rodnom lastaru kod sorti Lasta, Muscat St. Vallier i Palatina

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF FRUITFULNESS OF SOME INTERSPECIES GRAPEVINE CULTIVARS

The results of important agro-biological and technological characteristics of three grapevine interspecies cultivars (Medina, Gecej Zamatos, and Kristala) are presented in this study. The following parameters were monitored: the total number of developed shoots, the number of fertile shoots, the number of bunch per vine, grape yield, fertility coefficient, the average bunch weight, yield per hectare, bunch and berry structural indicators and grape quality expressed through the content of sugar in must. Statistically significant differences were determined between the examined varieties regarding following characteristics: the number and yield of bunches per vine, structural indicators of berries and sugar content in must. The analysis of the obtained results related with the analyzed grape varieties in the agro-ecological conditions of Northern Bosnia showed that those varieties can successfully be cultivated in similar or identical agro-ecological conditions

Spontaneous Haemoperitoneum in Pregnancy: Nationwide Surveillance and Delphi Audit System

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the incidence, diagnostic management strategies and clinical outcomes of women with spontaneous haemoperitoneum in pregnancy (SHiP) and reassess the definition of SHiP. DESIGN: A population-based cohort study using the Netherlands Obstetric Surveillance System (NethOSS). SETTING: Nationwide, the Netherlands. POPULATION: All pregnant women between April 2016 and April 2018. METHODS: This is a case study of SHiP using the monthly registry reports of NethOSS. Complete anonymised case files were obtained. A newly introduced online Delphi audit system (DAS) was used to evaluate each case, to make recommendations on improving the management of SHiP and to propose a new definition of SHiP. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence and outcomes, lessons learned about clinical management and the critical appraisal of the current definition of SHiP. RESULTS: In total, 24 cases were reported. After a Delphi procedure, 14 cases were classified as SHiP. The nationwide incidence was 4.9 per 100 000 births. Endometriosis and conceiving after artificial reproductive techniques were identified as risk factors. No maternal and three perinatal deaths occurred. Based on the DAS, adequate imaging of free intra-abdominal fluid, and identifying and treating women with signs of hypovolemic shock could improve the early detection and management of SHiP. A revised definition of SHiP was proposed, excluding the need for surgical or radiological intervention. CONCLUSIONS: SHiP is a rare and easily misdiagnosed condition that is associated with high perinatal mortality. To improve care, better awareness among healthcare workers is needed. The DAS is a sufficient tool to audit maternal morbidity and mortality

Genetic associations at 53 loci highlight cell types and biological pathways relevant for kidney function.

Reduced glomerular filtration rate defines chronic kidney disease and is associated with cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. We conducted a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies for estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), combining data across 133,413 individuals with replication in up to 42,166 individuals. We identify 24 new and confirm 29 previously identified loci. Of these 53 loci, 19 associate with eGFR among individuals with diabetes. Using bioinformatics, we show that identified genes at eGFR loci are enriched for expression in kidney tissues and in pathways relevant for kidney development and transmembrane transporter activity, kidney structure, and regulation of glucose metabolism. Chromatin state mapping and DNase I hypersensitivity analyses across adult tissues demonstrate preferential mapping of associated variants to regulatory regions in kidney but not extra-renal tissues. These findings suggest that genetic determinants of eGFR are mediated largely through direct effects within the kidney and highlight important cell types and biological pathways

Régulation de l'expression du gène du TNF-alpha par les interleukines 4, 10 et 13

Doctorat en Sciencesinfo:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublishe

Cardiotonic STEROIDS-MEDIATED Na+/K+-ATPase targeting could circumvent various chemoresistance pathways

Many cancer patients fail to respond to chemotherapy because of the intrinsic resistance of their cancer to pro-apoptotic stimuli or the acquisition of the multidrug resistant phenotype during chronic treatment. Previous data from our groups and from others point to the sodium/potassium pump (the Na +/K+-ATPase, i.e. NaK) with its highly specific ligands (i.e. cardiotonic steroids) as a new target for combating cancers associated with dismal prognoses, including gliomas, melanomas, non-small cell lung cancers, renal cell carcinomas, and colon cancers. Cardiotonic steroid-mediated Na+/K+-ATPase targeting could circumvent various resistance pathways. The most probable pathways include the involvement of Na+/K+-ATPase β subunits in invasion features and Na+/K+-ATPase α subunits in chemosensitisation by specific cardiotonic steroid-mediated apoptosis and anoïkis-sensitisation; the regulation of the expression of multidrug resistant-related genes; post-translational regulation, including glycosylation and ubiquitinylation of multidrug resistant-related proteins; c-Myc downregulation; hypoxia-inducible factor downregulation; NF-κB downregulation and deactivation; the inhibition of the glycolytic pathway with a reduction of intra-cellular ATP levels and an induction of non-apoptotic cell death. The aims of this review are to examine the various molecular pathways by which the NaK targeting can be more deleterious to biologically aggressive cancer cells than to normal cells. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.SCOPUS: re.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Cardiotonic Steroids-Mediated Targeting of the Na+/K+-ATPase to Combat Chemoresistant Cancers.

A large proportion of cancer patients fail to respond to conventional chemotherapy because of the intrinsic resistance of their cancer to pro-apoptotic stimuli and/or the acquisition of a multidrug resistant (MDR) phenotype during chronic chemotherapy. A new angle in chemotherapeutics against these cancer types associated with dismal prognoses would be the targeting of specific ion channels and pumps over expressed by cancer cells as compared to normal cells. Several reports suggest that the alpha subunits of the Na+/K+-ATPase (referred as sodium pump from now on) could be such targets, using cardiotonic steroids (CS) including cardenolides and bufadienolides. A significant proportion of non-small-cell-lung cancers (NSCLCs), glioblastomas (GBMs), melanomas and kidney cancers overexpresses the alpha-1 subunit of the sodium pump as compared to corresponding normal tissues, while colon cancers overexpress the alpha-3 subunit. Thus, a deeper knowledge of the structure-activity relationship (SAR), in terms of CS-mediated anticancer effects, to the sodium pump alpha subunits might enable the identification of potent anticancer agents with limited cardiotoxicity. The current review provides an in depth SAR analysis with respect to cardenolide- versus bufadienolide-mediated anticancer effects. Moreover, pharmacological data from in vitro and in vivo experiments, as well as pre-clinical and clinical trials regarding cardenolides to combat cancers associated with dismal prognoses are presented.JOURNAL ARTICLESCOPUS: re.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe