Doppler Echocardiographic Diagnosis of a Rare Pentalogy of Fallot Having Penta-Cardiac Anomalies: A Case Report

An infant, showing peripheral cyanosis, was born after lower abdominal peripheral caesarian section of the pregnant women having TORCH positive test with the infection of Toxoplasma gondiiand Cytomegalovirus. She had three abortions prior to this pregnancy. Doppler echocardiography of the baby showed profound intracardiac defects. After birth, echocardiography was carried out for diagnosis of associated cardiac anomalies. Doppler echocardiography showed pentalogy of Fallot, and the present case represents the Pentalogy of Fallot having pulmonary atresia. The baby's heart anomalies were ASD (Atrial Septal Defect - 6 mm RT to LT Shunt), VSD (Ventricular Septal Defect - bidirectional shunt), PDA (Patent Ductus Arteriosus - filling both the pulmonary arteries), and Overriding of Aorta with pulmonary atresia. In conclusion, whenever the diagnosis pentalogy of fallot is suspected, a multidisciplinary approach is essential

Role of Vitamins C and E in Regulating Antioxidant and Pro-Oxidant Markers in Preeclampsia

We compared three groups of pregnant women: placebo with normotensive women, group A which included preeclamptics, and group B which comprised preeclamptics who were supplemented their diets with vitamins C and E. MDA increased from 6.22 ± 2.8 (placebo) to 8.48 ± 1.2 (A) and 8.02 ± 1.8 nmol/gHb (B). NO concentrations were enhanced from 19.3 ± 4.2 (P) to 23.8 ± 6.4 (A) and 24.1 ± 5.4 µmol/L (B). GSH contents were decreased from 10.42 ± 2.81 (P) to 8.02 ± 2.92 (A) and 9.39 ± 1.02 µmol/g Hb (B), whereas GSSG concentrations increased from 0.98 ± 0.28 (P) to 1.24 ± 0.29 (A) and 1.08 ± 0.12 µmol/g Hb (B). SOD activity decreased 23% in A and 14% in B; GRx decreased 27% in A and 5.5% in B; GPx decreased 12% in A and 9.6% in B. Catalase activity, however, increased 27% in A and 29% in B as compared to control. Thus, we conclude that the use of vitamins C and E should be considered for the control of certain important biochemical indices during the development of preeclampsia; however, further studies are needed to develop methods for the prevention of preeclampsia in women at high risk

Na+, K+-ATPase: Ubiquitous Multifunctional Transmembrane Protein and its Relevance to Various Pathophysiological Conditions

The Na+, K+-ATPase (NKA) is an ubiquitous enzyme consisting of α, β and γ subunits, and is responsible for the creation and maintenance of the Na+ and K+ gradients across the cell membrane by transporting 3 Na+ out and 2 K+ into the cell. Sodium pump regulation is tissue as well as isoform specific. Intracellular messengers differentially regulate the activity of the individual NKA isozymes. Regulation of specific NKA isozymes gives cells the ability to precisely coordinate NKA activity to their physiological requirements. It is the only known receptor for the cardiac glycosides used to treat congestive heart failure and cardiac arrhythmias. Endogenous ligands structurally similar to cardiac glycosides may act as natural regulators of the sodium pump in heart and other tissues. Identification of naturally occurring regulators of  NKA could initiate the discovery of new hormone-like control systems involved in the etiology of selected disease processes, hence the importance of understanding the relation of the sodium pump and its ligands to disease. Diabetes has a marked effect on the metabolism of a variety of tissues and because the NKA is critical for the membrane potential and many transports, a change in its activity in diabetes would have profound consequence in these tissues. NKA is also involved in hypertension, salt balance, cardiovascular and renal disorders, sperm capacitation, cell volume regulation, apoptosis, rheumatoid arthritis, sepsis, neurological disorders, lung edema clearance and preeclampsia. NKA activity and expression in the collecting duct of kidney are modulated physiologically by hormones like aldosterone, vasopressin, and insulin. NKA enzyme activity and subunit levels are reduced in carcinoma, NKA-β levels were highly reduced in an invasive form of human renal clear cell carcinoma, androgen-dependent prostate cancer, in early stages of urothelial cancer, as well as in poorly differentiated, highly motile carcinoma cell lines obtained from various tissues suggesting a functional link between reduced NKA-β expression and cancer progression. It could be a target for the development of anticancer drugs as it serves as a signal transducer, it is a player in cell adhesion and its aberrant expression and activity are implicated in the development and progression of different cancers

Maternal and cord blood malondialdehyde and antioxidant vitamin levels in normal and preeclamptic women

Uvod: Cilj nam je bio odrediti odnos između peroksidacije lipoproteina i an-tioksidacijskog kapaciteta krvi majke i krvi iz pupkovine te ispitati razlikuju li se koncentracije malondialdehida i vitamina E, A i C u plazmi majke i pupkovine između trudnica oboljelih od preeklampsije i zdravih trudnica. Metode: Usporedili smo oksidacijski i antioksidacijski sustav u krvi majke i krvi iz pupkovine kod dviju skupina majki i njihove novorođenčadi. Njihove su koncentracije malondialdehida (engl. malondialdehyde, MDA) i antioksidacijskih vitamina E, A i C u krvi određene i uspoređene, kako bi se procijenilo razlikuje li se prooksidacijski status majke s preeklampsijom od statusa u krvi iz pupkovine kod odgovarajućeg novorođenčeta. Rezultati: Koncentracija MDA u plazmi majki s preeklampsijom bila je značajno viša (P < 0,001) nego kod kontrolne skupine, no njegova je koncentracija bila značajno niža u krvi iz pupkovine kod majki s preeklampsijom. Koncentracije MDA bile su značajno niže (P < 0,001) u plazmi iz pupkovine u usporedbi s koncentracijom u plazmi majke. Koncentracija vitamina E bila je niža u plazmi majki s težim oblikom preeklampsije (P = 0,048). Koncentracija vitamina A bila je statistički značajno niža (P = 0,009) u plazmi majki s preeklampsijom u usporedbi s kontrolnom skupinom. Zanimljivo je da nije bilo statistički značajne razlike u koncentracijama u krvi majke i krvi iz pupkovine kod bolesnica s težim oblikom preeklampsije. Međutim, u plazmi iz pupkovine, izmjerena je znatno niža koncentracija vitamina A nego u plazmi majke. Za razliku od vitamina E i A, koncentracija vitamina C u plazmi krvi iz pupkovine bila je znatno viša kod obiju skupina. Zaključak: Pretpostavljamo da je antioksidacijski kapacitet krvi iz pupkovine dovoljan te da je placentalna barijera odgovarajuća za zaštitu fetusa od oksidacijskog oštećenja izazvanog oksidacijskim stresom kod majki s preeklampsijom. Stoga zaključujemo da je status oksidacijskog stresa u krvi novorođenčeta nizak u usporedbi s njegovim statusom kod pripadajuće majke s preeklampsijom. Potrebna su daljnja istraživanja kako bi se ispitala strategija održavanja normalne koncentracije antioksidacijskih vitamina radi suzbijanja preeklampsije kod žena koje su u visokorizičnim skupinama.Introduction: We aimed to assess the relationship between lipoperoxidation and maternal/cord blood antioxidant capacity and to examine whether the maternal and cord plasma concentrations of malondialdehyde and of vitamins E, A, and C were different between preeclamptic and healthy pregnant women. Methods: We compared oxidative and anti-oxidative system in maternal and cord blood of two groups of pair-matched mothers and neonates. Their blood malondialdehyde (MDA) and antioxidant vitamins E, A, and C were estimated and compared to evaluate if pro-oxidative status of preeclampsia differs from the status in the cord blood of pair-matched neonate. Results: MDA content in preeclamptic maternal plasma was signi\u27cantly higher (P < 0.001) compared to control, but its level was significantly lower in the preeclamptic cord. The concentrations of MDA were significantly lower (P < 0.001) in the cord plasma of preeclamptics compared to maternal plasma. Vitamin E concentration was lower in severely preeclamptic maternal plasma (P = 0.048). Vitamin A concentration was significantly lower (P = 0.009) in preeclamptic plasma compared to normotensive group. Interestingly, there was no significant difference between maternal and cord levels in severely preeclamptic patients. However, the cord plasma had significantly lower concentrations of vitamin A compared with those of maternal plasma. Contrary to vitamins E and A, vitamin C in the cord plasma collected from both groups showed significantly higher concentrations. Conclusions: We hypothesize that antioxidant capacity of the cord blood is sufficient, and placental barrier is adequate, to shield the fetus from oxidative injury due to increased oxidative stress of a preeclamptic mother. Thus, we conclude that the oxidative stress status is low in the blood of neonates compared to its level in the pair-matched preeclamptic mothers. Further studies are needed to explore strategies so that the normal levels of antioxidant vitamins are maintained to combat preeclampsia in women at high risk

Maternal and cord blood malondialdehyde and antioxidant vitamin levels in normal and preeclamptic women

Uvod: Cilj nam je bio odrediti odnos između peroksidacije lipoproteina i an-tioksidacijskog kapaciteta krvi majke i krvi iz pupkovine te ispitati razlikuju li se koncentracije malondialdehida i vitamina E, A i C u plazmi majke i pupkovine između trudnica oboljelih od preeklampsije i zdravih trudnica. Metode: Usporedili smo oksidacijski i antioksidacijski sustav u krvi majke i krvi iz pupkovine kod dviju skupina majki i njihove novorođenčadi. Njihove su koncentracije malondialdehida (engl. malondialdehyde, MDA) i antioksidacijskih vitamina E, A i C u krvi određene i uspoređene, kako bi se procijenilo razlikuje li se prooksidacijski status majke s preeklampsijom od statusa u krvi iz pupkovine kod odgovarajućeg novorođenčeta. Rezultati: Koncentracija MDA u plazmi majki s preeklampsijom bila je značajno viša (P < 0,001) nego kod kontrolne skupine, no njegova je koncentracija bila značajno niža u krvi iz pupkovine kod majki s preeklampsijom. Koncentracije MDA bile su značajno niže (P < 0,001) u plazmi iz pupkovine u usporedbi s koncentracijom u plazmi majke. Koncentracija vitamina E bila je niža u plazmi majki s težim oblikom preeklampsije (P = 0,048). Koncentracija vitamina A bila je statistički značajno niža (P = 0,009) u plazmi majki s preeklampsijom u usporedbi s kontrolnom skupinom. Zanimljivo je da nije bilo statistički značajne razlike u koncentracijama u krvi majke i krvi iz pupkovine kod bolesnica s težim oblikom preeklampsije. Međutim, u plazmi iz pupkovine, izmjerena je znatno niža koncentracija vitamina A nego u plazmi majke. Za razliku od vitamina E i A, koncentracija vitamina C u plazmi krvi iz pupkovine bila je znatno viša kod obiju skupina. Zaključak: Pretpostavljamo da je antioksidacijski kapacitet krvi iz pupkovine dovoljan te da je placentalna barijera odgovarajuća za zaštitu fetusa od oksidacijskog oštećenja izazvanog oksidacijskim stresom kod majki s preeklampsijom. Stoga zaključujemo da je status oksidacijskog stresa u krvi novorođenčeta nizak u usporedbi s njegovim statusom kod pripadajuće majke s preeklampsijom. Potrebna su daljnja istraživanja kako bi se ispitala strategija održavanja normalne koncentracije antioksidacijskih vitamina radi suzbijanja preeklampsije kod žena koje su u visokorizičnim skupinama.Introduction: We aimed to assess the relationship between lipoperoxidation and maternal/cord blood antioxidant capacity and to examine whether the maternal and cord plasma concentrations of malondialdehyde and of vitamins E, A, and C were different between preeclamptic and healthy pregnant women. Methods: We compared oxidative and anti-oxidative system in maternal and cord blood of two groups of pair-matched mothers and neonates. Their blood malondialdehyde (MDA) and antioxidant vitamins E, A, and C were estimated and compared to evaluate if pro-oxidative status of preeclampsia differs from the status in the cord blood of pair-matched neonate. Results: MDA content in preeclamptic maternal plasma was signi\u27cantly higher (P < 0.001) compared to control, but its level was significantly lower in the preeclamptic cord. The concentrations of MDA were significantly lower (P < 0.001) in the cord plasma of preeclamptics compared to maternal plasma. Vitamin E concentration was lower in severely preeclamptic maternal plasma (P = 0.048). Vitamin A concentration was significantly lower (P = 0.009) in preeclamptic plasma compared to normotensive group. Interestingly, there was no significant difference between maternal and cord levels in severely preeclamptic patients. However, the cord plasma had significantly lower concentrations of vitamin A compared with those of maternal plasma. Contrary to vitamins E and A, vitamin C in the cord plasma collected from both groups showed significantly higher concentrations. Conclusions: We hypothesize that antioxidant capacity of the cord blood is sufficient, and placental barrier is adequate, to shield the fetus from oxidative injury due to increased oxidative stress of a preeclamptic mother. Thus, we conclude that the oxidative stress status is low in the blood of neonates compared to its level in the pair-matched preeclamptic mothers. Further studies are needed to explore strategies so that the normal levels of antioxidant vitamins are maintained to combat preeclampsia in women at high risk

The gap between primary and secondary schools teachers in followership style at ADNI Islamic School, Malaysia

The purpose of this quantitative research was to investigate the gap between primary and secondary school teachers in followership style at Adni Islamic School, Malaysia. Surveys were completed by 92 teachers from both respective schools which included the completion of the related questionnaire. The findings of this research show that all Kelley’s Followership Styles (exemplary, alienated, pragmatist, conformist and passive) represent the followership style of primary and secondary school teachers at AIS. The most practised followership style is exemplary which amounted to 39 (42.3%) of teachers. Furthermore, the findings show that there was a significant difference in followership styles between the male primary and secondary school teachers of AIS. On the contrary, there was no any significant difference of followership styles between the female primary and secondary school teachers of AIS. In general, there was no any significant difference of followership styles between both schools. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that the respective educational organization structures maintain the domination of exemplary followership style and enhance followership, since it is especially related to help followers achieve exemplary level that is be expected to promote higher levels of organization performance. Suggestions concerning further research on the subject of followership are presented