NT-Pro-B-Type Natriuretic Peptide Levels in Infants with Failure to Thrive due to Caloric Deprivation

Background. Brain natriuretic peptide and its inactive fragment N-terminal pro-BNP (N-BNP) are reliable markers of ventricular dysfunction in adults and children. We analyzed the impact of nutritional state on N-BNP levels in infants with failure to thrive (FTT) and in infants with severe heart failure (HF). The purpose of this study was to compare N-BNP levels in infants with FTT with infants with severe HF and healthy controls. Methods. In a retrospective cohort study, we compared N-BNP levels from all consecutive infants with FTT and bodyweight below the tenth percentile (caloric deprivation (CD) group) to infants with severe HF. Reference values from infants between 2 and 12 month were taken from the literature and healthy infants. Results. Our results show that infants with FTT (n = 15) had significantly (P < .001) elevated N-BNP values compared with the healthy infants (n = 23), 530 (119–3150) pg/mL versus 115 (15–1121) pg/mL. N-BNP values in this CD group are comparable to the median value of infants with severe HF (n = 12) 673 (408–11310) pg/mL. There is no statistical significant difference in age. Conclusion. Nutritional state has an important impact on N-BNP levels in infants with FTT. We could show comparable levels of N-BNP in infants with FTT and infants with severe HF

Protocol-dependence of middle cerebral artery dilation to modest hypercapnia.

There is a need for improved understanding of how different cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) protocols affect vascular cross-sectional area (CSA) to reduce error in CVR calculations when measures of vascular CSA are not feasible. In human participants, we delivered ∼±4 mm Hg end-tidal partial pressure of CO2 (PETCO2) relative to baseline through controlled delivery, and measured changes in middle cerebral artery (MCA) CSA (7 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)), blood velocity (transcranial Doppler and Phase contrast MRI), and calculated CVR based on a 3-minute steady-state (+4 mm Hg PETCO2) and a ramp (-3 to +4 mm Hg of PETCO2). We observed that (1) the MCA did not dilate during the ramp protocol (slope for CSA across time P \u3e 0.05; R2 = 0.006), but did dilate by ∼7% during steady-state hypercapnia (P \u3c 0.05); and (2) MCA blood velocity CVR was not different between ramp and steady-state hypercapnia protocols (ramp: 3.8 ± 1.7 vs. steady-state: 4.0 ± 1.6 cm/s/mm Hg), although calculated MCA blood flow CVR was ∼40% greater during steady-state hypercapnia than during ramp (P \u3c 0.05) with the discrepancy due to MCA CSA changes during steady-state hypercapnia. We propose that a ramp model, across a delta of -3 to +4 mm Hg PETCO2, may provide an alternative approach to collecting CVR measures in young adults with transcranial Doppler when CSA measures are not feasible. Novelty: We optimized a magnetic resonance imaging sequence to measure dynamic middle cerebral artery (MCA) cross-sectional area (CSA). A ramp model of hypercapnia elicited similar MCA blood velocity reactivity as the steady-state model while maintaining MCA CSA

Survey on identification and abundance of fishes in the Chitgar Lake

This study focused on population structure, biodiversity, and abundance of the Chitgar Lake fishes in October 2014. Based on the lake location fishes samples were collected at 34 stations in water body. In this study identified 8 family belong to 18 species comprised of Cyprinidae (11 species), Cichlidae (one species), Loricariidae (one species), Pangasiidae (one species), Serrasalmidae (one species), Poeciliidea (one species), Salmonidae (one species), and Scaridae (one species) were Identified. Among the fishes just one native fish from Capoeta bohsei species observed during the study. The dominant lake fishes were invasive species Hemiculter leucisculus, Alburnus hohenackeri, Carassius auratus, Carassius gibelio and Pseudorasbora parva. The highest abundance of fishes were H. leucisculus 62 % and A. hohenackeri 35 % by Seine net. Furthermore, those were dominant abundance (69 and 12 % respectively) in Gill net method. Finally in Cast net method A. hohenackeri 38 %, Pseudorasbora parva 21 % and H. leucisculus 17 % were dominated in the shore region. The lowest fishes abundance were P. hypophthalmus and Parrotfish. Overall more than 90 % of the fishes population were invasive and alien species. Thus, the present of invasive fishes and predator fishes luck in the Chitgar lake might be reason for ecosystem ruin, algae bloom, feed competitive, fish disease and trophy level rises

Caspian brown trout (Salmo trutta caspius) broodstock supply in south western of the Caspian Sea (Guilan province)

Caspian trout (Salmo trutta caspius ) is one of the migratory fish species which lives and feeds in the Caspian Sea .This species distributed in south and western of the Caspian Sea . In order to rehabilitation of the Caspian trout in western area, the operation of the project started from the beginning of the fishing season of the 20112012. Specimens of the Caspian trout obtained from beach seine cooperatives and have been transferred to the fish farm in Asalem region .Totally, 44 specimens of the Caspian trout has been caught in two month period .Most of the fishes was from Kargan roud river . The mean length and weight of the brood fishes were 67.7 cm and 3122.7 g respectively .As at present Shilat uses just the broods of the Tonekaboon region for restocking of this species ,we recommend to use the broods of the western region separately for rehabilitation of the stocks of this region

Cardiac resynchronization therapy for the failing systemic right ventricle: A systematic review

Patients with a systemic right ventricle (SRV) are at high risk for development of heart failure early in life. An SRV is encountered in patients with congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries (CCTGA) or dextro-transposition of the great arteries (DTGA) with previous atrial switch repair (Mustard or Senning procedure). Progressive heart failure is one of the leading cause of mortality in these patients. Therefore, cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has gained increasing momentum for use in this challenging congenital heart disease (CHD) population. However, current guidelines differ in recommendations for CRT in patients with an SRV as evidence supporting CRT has thus far only been described in case reports and retrospectively in relatively small study populations. In fact, the European Society of Cardiology Guideline for the management of grown-up congenital heart disease consider CRT to be ‘experimental’ in this population. This systematic review critically summarizes current literature on CRT in SRV patients and provides future perspectives for further research in this challenging and growing CHD population

Prevalence of diabetes, impaired fasting glucose and impaired glucose tolerance in patients with thalassemia major in Iran: A meta-analysis study

Background: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of diabetes, impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) in Iranian patients with thalassemia major. Methods: The current study has been conducted based on PRISMA guideline. To obtain the documents, Persian and English scientific databases such as Magiran, Iranmedex, SID, Medlib, IranDoc, Scopus, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Cochrane, Web of Science, Springer, Wiley Online Library as well as Google Scholar were searched until December 2015. All steps of the study were conducted by two authors independently. To the high heterogeneity of the studies, the random effect model was used to combine studies. Data were analyzed using STATA Version 11.1 software. Results: Thirty-two studies involving 3959 major thalassemia patients with mean age of 16.83 years were included in the meta-analysis. The prevalence of diabetes in Iranian patients with thalassemia major was estimated as 9 (95 CI: 6.8-10.5) and estimated rate was 12.6 (95 CI: 6.1-19.1) for males and 10.8 (95 CI: 8.2-14.5) for females. The prevalence of IFG and IGT were 12.9 (95 CI: 7-18.8) and 9.6 (95 CI: 6.6-12.5) respectively. No relationship between serum ferritin and development of diabetes was noted. Conclusion: The prevalence of diabetes, IFG, and IGT in patients with thalassemia major in Iran is high and accordingly requires new management strategies and policies to minimize endocrine disorders in Iranian patients with thalassemia major. Screening of patients for the early diagnosis of endocrine disorders particularly diabetes, IFG, and IGT is recommended

The Efficacy of Atorvastatin and Rosuvastatin on the Changes of alpha and beta Apolipoproteins; A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background & Objective: Vascular stenosis is one of the causes of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Implementing appropriate therapeutic measures for CVDs requires preventing the progression of stenosis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of atorvastatin and rosuvastatin on the levels of alpha and beta apolipoproteins using systematic review and meta-analysis. Materials & Methods: This review was performed based on the PRISMA protocol. The ISI, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, PubMed, and Scopus databases were independently searched by two researchers. MeSH keywords were used to recruit related articles published between 2005 and 2018. Meta-analysis was conducted in STATA 11.1software. Results: A total of 65 articles were found. Out of these, nine studies were ultimately included in meta-analysis. The findings showed that alpha lipoprotein level increased by 4.24 mg/dl (95 CI:-0.03;-8.45) and 8.71 mg/dl (95 CI:-1.95;-15.48) in patients treated with atorvastatin and rosuvastatin, respectively. Also, patients treated with either atorvastatin or rosuvastatin showed 40.55mg/dl (95 CI: 32.16; 45.93) and 44.78 g/dl (95 CI: 34.16; 55.39) decreases in beta-lipoprotein levels, respectively. Conclusion: According to the results, rosuvastatin is more effective than atorvastatin in reducing alpha apolipoprotein and increasing beta apolipoprotein levels within a short period of time. © 2023, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences and Health Services. All rights reserved