Serum homocysteine, vitamin B 12 and folic acid levels in different types of glaucoma

BACKGROUND: This study was performed to compare levels of serum homocysteine (Hcy), vitamin B12 and folic acid in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), pseudoexfoliative glaucoma (PEXG), normotensive glaucoma (NTG) and healthy controls. METHODS: Twentyfive patients with POAG, 24 with PEXG, and 18 with NTG, along with 19 control healthy subjects were included this prospective study. Levels of serum Hcy were measured using immunoassay, and those of serum vitamin B12 and folic acid were measured using competitive chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay. RESULTS: The mean Hcy concentration in the PEXG group was significantly higher (P < 0.001) as compared to the other groups. There were no significant differences with respect to the mean Hcy concentrations among other groups (P > 0.05). There were no statistical differences in serum vitamin B12 levels among POAG, PEXG, NTG and control subjects (P > 0.05). The mean serum folic acid level was significantly lower in the subjects with PEXG (P < 0.009). However, the mean folic acid concentrations among the other groups did not differ significantly (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Elevated levels of Hcy in PEXG may explain the role of endothelial dysfunction among patients with PEXG

Measurement of the inclusive and dijet cross-sections of b-jets in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV with the ATLAS detector

The inclusive and dijet production cross-sections have been measured for jets containing b-hadrons (b-jets) in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of sqrt(s) = 7 TeV, using the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The measurements use data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 34 pb^-1. The b-jets are identified using either a lifetime-based method, where secondary decay vertices of b-hadrons in jets are reconstructed using information from the tracking detectors, or a muon-based method where the presence of a muon is used to identify semileptonic decays of b-hadrons inside jets. The inclusive b-jet cross-section is measured as a function of transverse momentum in the range 20 < pT < 400 GeV and rapidity in the range |y| < 2.1. The bbbar-dijet cross-section is measured as a function of the dijet invariant mass in the range 110 < m_jj < 760 GeV, the azimuthal angle difference between the two jets and the angular variable chi in two dijet mass regions. The results are compared with next-to-leading-order QCD predictions. Good agreement is observed between the measured cross-sections and the predictions obtained using POWHEG + Pythia. MC@NLO + Herwig shows good agreement with the measured bbbar-dijet cross-section. However, it does not reproduce the measured inclusive cross-section well, particularly for central b-jets with large transverse momenta.Comment: 10 pages plus author list (21 pages total), 8 figures, 1 table, final version published in European Physical Journal

Nutraceutical therapies for atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting large and medium arteries and is considered to be a major underlying cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Although the development of pharmacotherapies to treat CVD has contributed to a decline in cardiac mortality in the past few decades, CVD is estimated to be the cause of one-third of deaths globally. Nutraceuticals are natural nutritional compounds that are beneficial for the prevention or treatment of disease and, therefore, are a possible therapeutic avenue for the treatment of atherosclerosis. The purpose of this Review is to highlight potential nutraceuticals for use as antiatherogenic therapies with evidence from in vitro and in vivo studies. Furthermore, the current evidence from observational and randomized clinical studies into the role of nutraceuticals in preventing atherosclerosis in humans will also be discussed

Use of Biomarkers in the Evaluation and Treatment of Hypertensive Patients

The current definition of hypertension is based on blood pressure values, and blood pressure also drives treatment decisions, is the most important treatment monitoring tool and helps estimating risk of hypertension related organ damage. In an era of precision medicine additional biomarkers are needed in the diagnosis and management of patients with hypertension. In this review we outline the areas in which functional, imaging and circulating biomarkers could help in a more individualised definition of hypertension and associated risk. We will cover biomarkers for diagnosis; of pathophysiology and prediction of hypertension; response to treatment, organ damage; and to monitor treatment. A clear focus is on the vasculature, the heart and the kidneys, whereas we see a need to further develop biomarkers of cerebral function in order to diagnose cognition deficits and monitor changes in cognition in the future to support addressing the growing burden of hypertension associated vascular dementia

Transcriptional profile of breast muscle in heat stressed layers is similar to that of broiler chickens at control temperature

Abstract Background In recent years, the commercial importance of changes in muscle function of broiler chickens and of the corresponding effects on meat quality has increased. Furthermore, broilers are more sensitive to heat stress during transport and at high ambient temperatures than smaller egg-laying chickens. We hypothesised that heat stress would amplify muscle damage and expression of genes that are involved in such changes and, thus, lead to the identification of pathways and networks associated with broiler muscle and meat quality traits. Broiler and layer chickens were exposed to control or high ambient temperatures to characterise differences in gene expression between the two genotypes and the two environments. Results Whole-genome expression studies in breast muscles of broiler and layer chickens were conducted before and after heat stress; 2213 differentially-expressed genes were detected based on a significant (P < 0.05) genotype × treatment interaction. This gene set was analysed with the BioLayout Express3D and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis software and relevant biological pathways and networks were identified. Genes involved in functions related to inflammatory reactions, cell death, oxidative stress and tissue damage were upregulated in control broilers compared with control and heat-stressed layers. Expression of these genes was further increased in heat-stressed broilers. Conclusions Differences in gene expression between broiler and layer chickens under control and heat stress conditions suggest that damage of breast muscles in broilers at normal ambient temperatures is similar to that in heat-stressed layers and is amplified when broilers are exposed to heat stress. The patterns of gene expression of the two genotypes under heat stress were almost the polar opposite of each other, which is consistent with the conclusion that broiler chickens were not able to cope with heat stress by dissipating their body heat. The differentially expressed gene networks and pathways were consistent with the pathological changes that are observed in the breast muscle of heat-stressed broilers

Endothelial dysfunction

The endothelium is the inner layer of the blood vessel wall and is in direct contact with the blood. Apart from lining the vessel, it has important functions including the release of substances that regulate vascular tone. One of these factors is nitric oxide (NO) that leads to vasorelaxation. In this chapter, we describe some of the physiological functions of the endothelium and methods to study endothelial function, in particular endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation, in basic and clinical research