Correlation between coronary artery calcium score and aorta diameter in population with long-standing hypertension using noncontrast CT scan

Background: Early detection of aortic aneurysms is challenging in hypertensive patients due to the high risk of life-threatening ruptures. Limited studies on the relationship between coronary artery calcium and aortic diameter are present. This study evaluated the correlation between coronary artery calcium score (CACS) and maximal thoracic and abdominal aortic diameters in hypertensive patients using a noncontrast CT scan. Methods: We prospectively enrolled 180 hypertensive patients older than 45 who had no aortic aneurysm or heart disease. We split the study population into five classes according to coronary artery calcium score (CACS) (0, 1–10, 10–100, 100–400, and > 400). We calculate coronary artery calcium and maximal diameters of the ascending thoracic aorta (ATAMAX), descending thoracic aorta (DTAMAX), and abdominal aorta (AAMAX) using native computed tomography imaging. Results: Coronary artery calcium score was high in patients with high abdominal aorta diameter but not with the diameters of the thoracic aorta. The cut point of the abdominal aorta's maximum diameter was 34 mm, so AAMAX > 34 mm is predictive of a diagnosis of CACS category five (CACS > 400). There were no differences in ascending and descending thoracic aorta measurements between patients with a coronary artery calcium score of more than 400 (category 5) and the rest. Conclusion: Screening for an abdominal aortic aneurysm is essential in hypertensive patients as the coronary artery calcium score is associated significantly with increased abdominal aorta diameter. However, the necessity for thoracic aortic aneurysm screening is not apparent in these patients as no significant association is found between CACS and thoracic aorta diameter. Keywords

Review of Water Cooling Techniques for Enhancement Performance of Photovoltaic Panel

This study discusses various water-based cooling solutions for lowering the operativetemperature of the electrical phenomena panel The goal of this review study is to improve theperformance of micro electrical phenomenon the panel temperature the impact operative andtemperature panel of electrical phenomena is explored using a variety of cooling strategiesThe advantages and disadvantages of evaporative cooling, water spray cooling, andimmersion cooling were investigated in this research in order to determine their impactelectrical phenomenon was well known evaporating cool system, which uses cold water tocool it, has effect with electrical phenomenon performance As a result, in a very hot climate,cool water was the ideal so improve electrical potency of electrical phenomeno

Evaluation of antiulcer activity of Boswellia serrata bark extracts using aspirin induced ulcer model in albino rats

The effect of bark extracts of Boswellia serrata (Family Bursera-ceae) was evaluated in aspirin induced ulceration (200mg/kg) in albino rats. Antiulcer activity was evaluated by measuring ulcer index and percentage of ulcer healing. The petroleum ether (250mg/kg) and aqueous extracts (250mg/kg) of bark of Boswellia serrata plant showed significant antiulcer activity as evidenced by the data obtained. Histopathological findings also confirm the anti-ulcer activity of Boswellia serrata bark extracts in albino rats

Preparation and Characterization of Some Transition Metal Complexes with New Schiff Base Ligand Derived from Benzophenone

 The preparation and characterization of Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), Cd(II), and Hg(II) chelate complexes of new Schiff base 2,2̀-dihydroxy-4,4̀-dimethoxy benzopheneden thiosemicarbazone BPHTSC are reported. Structural features were obtained from their elemental analysis, magnetic moment, molar conductance and spectral Uv.Vis and IR measurements. The data show that these complexes have composition of [ML2] type. The Uv-Vis and magnetic susceptibility data of the complexes suggest octahedral geometry of all complexes and the ligand BPHTSC behaves as mono basic tridentate ligand, by coordination through the nitrogen and sulfur/oxygen atoms

Role of Combining Colour Doppler and Grey Scale Ultrasound in Differentiating Benign from Malignant Ovarian Masses

The aim of this study was to evaluate ovarian masses with conventional grey scale ultrasonography and colour Doppler flow imaging and to assess the diagnostic reliability of these methods in differentiating benign and malignant ovarian masses

Genomic epidemiology of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella in Qatar: emergence and dissemination of hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae sequence type 383 strains

The emergence of carbapenem-resistant, hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae is a new threat to health care. We studied the molecular epidemiology of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates in Qatar using whole-genome sequence data. We also characterized the prevalence and genetic basis of hypervirulent phenotypes and established the virulence potential using a Galleria mellonella model. Of 100 Klebsiella isolates studied, NDM and OXA-48 were the most common carbapenemases. Core genome single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis indicated the presence of diverse sequence types and clonal lineages; isolates belonging to Klebsiella quasipneumoniae subsp. quasipneumoniae sequence type 196 (ST196) and ST1416 may be disseminated among several health care centers. Ten K. pneumoniae isolates carried rmpA and/or truncated rmpA2, and 2 isolates belonged to KL2, indicating low prevalence of classical hypervirulent isolates. Isolates carrying both carbapenem resistance and hypervirulence genes were confined mainly to ST231 and ST383 isolates. One ST383 isolate was further investigated by MinION sequencing, and the assembled genome indicated that blaNDM was located on an IncHI1B-type plasmid (pFQ61_ST383_NDM-5) which coharbored several virulence factors, including the regulator of the mucoid phenotype (rmpA), the regulator of mucoid phenotype 2 (rmpA2), and aerobactin (iucABCD and iutA), likely resulting from recombination events. Comparative genomics indicated that this hybrid plasmid may be present in two additional Qatari ST383 isolates. Carbapenem-resistant, hypervirulent K. pneumoniae ST383 isolates pose an emerging threat to global health due to their simultaneous hypervirulence and multidrug resistance.Published versionThis research was funded by the Medical Research Centre (MRC) at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) (MRC-16134/16 to F.B.A.) and supported by the National Institutes of Health (R01AI104895, R21AI135522, and R21AI151362 to Y.D.)

Characteristics and comparisons of acute stroke in “recovered" to “active COVID-19 and “pre-pandemic” in Qatar database

Understanding the relationship of COVID-19 to stroke is important. We compare characteristics of pre-pandemic stroke (PPS), cases in acute COVID infection (CS) and in patients who have recovered from COVID-19 infection (RCS). We interrogated the Qatar stroke database for all stroke admissions between Jan 2020 and Feb 2021 (PPS) to CS and RCS to determine how COVID-19 affected ischemic stroke sub-types, clinical course, and outcomes prior to, during and post-pandemic peak. There were 3264 cases admitted (pre-pandemic: 3111, stroke in COVID-19: 60 and recovered COVID-19 stroke: 93). Patients with CS were significantly younger, had more severe symptoms, fever on presentation, more ICU admissions and poor stroke recovery at discharge when compared to PPS and RCS. Large vessel disease and cardioembolic disease was significantly higher in CS compared to PPS or RCS. There was a significant decline in stroke mimics in CS. Stroke in RCS has characteristics similar to PPS with no evidence of lasting effects of the virus on the short-term. However, CS is a more serious disease and tends to be more severe and have a poor prognosis.Other Information Published in: Journal of Thrombosis and Thrombolysis License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0See article on publisher's website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11239-021-02581-6</p

The Clinical Impact of Rapid, Direct MALDI-ToF Identification of Bacteria from Positive Blood Cultures.

BACKGROUND Faster identification of bacterial isolates from blood cultures can enable earlier clinical intervention for patients with sepsis. We evaluated the clinical impact of direct identification of micro-organisms from positive blood cultures using MALDI-ToF. METHOD Positive blood cultures with organisms seen on Gram stain were included over a four week period. For each patient case, comparison was made between the clinical advice given on day one with only a Gram stain result, and the follow up advice given on day two with the benefit of organism identification. Culture results were then compared with direct MALDI-ToF identification. RESULTS For 73 of 115 cases (63.5%), direct organism identification was obtained by MALDI-ToF. Of those 73, 70 (95.5%) had a result concordant with that of the plate culture. In 28 of the 115 cases (24.3%) direct MALDI-ToF identification on day one would have had a clear clinical benefit. In 11 cases it would have helped to identify the potential source of bacteraemia. In 11 cases it would have indicated a different antibiotic regimen on day one, with five patients receiving appropriate antibiotics 24 hours earlier. For 14 cases the blood culture isolate could have been designated as unlikely to be clinically significant. CONCLUSION We have demonstrated that organism identification on day one of blood culture positivity can have a direct clinical impact. Faster identification using MALDI-ToF assists the clinician in assessing the significance of a blood culture isolate on day one. It can allow earlier appropriate choice of antimicrobial agent, even in the absence of susceptibility testing, and help narrow down the potential source of infection providing a focus for further investigation in a more timely way than conventional techniques alone