The utility of latency and spectral analysis methods in evoked potential recordings from patients with hepatic encephalopathy

Evoked potentials (EPs) are small phasic potentials that are elicited in conjunction with sensory, motor and cognitive events. EP variables have been assessed in patients with cirrhosis but in general, methods were inadequately standardized and study populations incompletely characterized, leading to some studies questioning the validity of EP’s in diagnosing and monitoring hepatic encephalopathy, while other studies indicated that there is only a low positive yield with these investigations. Few studies have attempted tri-modal sensory and cognitive recordings. Recorded waveforms may demonstrate altered morphology while possessing broadly normal latencies. Since EP analysis is usually performed solely in the time domain, latency measurements do not therefore highlight morphological changes to the waveform and so abnormalities may go unreported. The aim of this study was twofold (i) to measure sensory and cognitive EPs in patients with cirrhosis in relation to their neuropsychiatric status and (ii) to address frequency content in relation to neuropsychiatric status by examining EPs with two spectral techniques, the Fourier Transform (FT) and the Power Spectral Density Estimate (PSD). Seventy patients with biopsy–proven cirrhosis were classified using clinical, psychometric and EEG criteria as unimpaired or as having minimal or overt hepatic encephalopathy (HE). Forty-eight healthy individuals served as controls. Visual (VEPs), brainstem auditory (BAEPs) somatosensory (SSEPs) and cognitive auditory (P300) EPs were recorded under standardized conditions. Significant latency differences were observed in sensory EPs between patients and controls with patient subgroups differences being less significant. The cognitive auditory P300 however, distinguished the patient subpopulations from one another. Frequency shifts are observed in all EP modalities with significant differences also occurring between patient groups. The sensitivity and specificity of the frequency-domain is comparable to that of the time-domain. Paired EP investigations analysed by latency indicate BAEP and P300 best discriminate any degree of encephalopathy; in the frequency domain it is the VEP combined with SEP and in the time-frequency domain it is the SEP. These findings suggest that EPs, when performed as a bank of multimodal tests and with spectral analysis, could provide a sensitive and specific method for the diagnosis and monitoring of hepatic encephalopathy

Effect of low concentrations of antibiotic intracanal medicaments on crown discoloration and push-out bond strength

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)Introduction: Some intracanal medicaments used in regenerative endodontics may compromise the bond strength of root cements and lead to tooth discoloration. Objectives: To evaluate the effects of 1) low concentrations of TAP and DAP (1 mg/mL) on push-out bond strength of various root cements, and 2) low concentrations of TAP and DAP (1 mg/mL and 10 mg/mL) on crown discoloration. Materials and Methods: Single rooted human teeth (n = 144) were horizontally decoronated and instrumented according to standardized protocol. The samples were randomized into six experimental groups (Ca(OH)2, 1000 mg/mL TAP and DAP, 1 mg/mL TAP and DAP, and no medicament control group. After four weeks, the medicaments were removed and each group was divided into three subgroups to receive MTA cement, Biodentine cement, or Endosequence Bioceramic putty cement for two weeks. Then, two root cylinders were obtained from each root and push-out bond strength testing was performed. For the crown discoloration experiment, 160 crowns were obtained from intact human molars and randomized into experimental groups as described earlier with the addition of two groups (10 mg/mL TAP and DAP). The pulp chambers in half of the samples from each group were coated with an adhesive bonding agent before receiving the assigned intracanal medicament. Color changes (ΔE) were detected by spectrophotometer at 1 day, 1 week, and 4 weeks after application, as well as after thermocycling. Results: In the push-out bond strength experiment, 1 mg/mL DAP generally demonstrated significantly higher bond strength of root cements compared with the other treatment groups. For the crown discoloration experiment, when an adhesive bonding agent was used prior to (10 mg/mL or 1000 mg/mL) TAP, the crowns had significantly less discoloration than those without adhesive. DAP 10 mg/mL had the least significant color change at all time points regardless of whether adhesive was used. Conclusion: 1) 1 mg/mL DAP and Ca(OH)2 did not have significant negative effect on the bond strength of calcium-silicate-based cement to radicular dentin. 2) 1 mg/mL and 10 mg/mL of DAP and Ca(OH)2 had significantly less effect on the color change of the human tooth crown than all intracanal medicaments used in this study.2020-08-1

Comparative Pricing Analysis of Mecca’s Religious Tourism

This study compares the costing practices of three religious tourists groups. Specifically, the study compares the costs of Islamic religious tourism to Mecca among three groups: 1) Indonesia and India, 2) Lebanon and Tunisia, 3) Dubai and Qatar. The selection of the three groups was based on the following principle: Group 1: Represents the most populated and less affluent Islamic countries. Group 2: Represents the less affluent Arab States with moderate income Group 3: Represents the richest Arab Islamic countries in the world. Results indicate that countries with wealthy economies charge much higher prices for Hajj packages than those with moderate economies. However, the overall Hajj revenue is the highest ($940 millions) in the most populated Islamic countries (Indonesia). But for wealthy economies (Dubai) even though it’s ranked as the fifth in the number of pilgrims, its revenues ($220,433,572) are high enough to be in the third place. Operators’ pricing schemes fall into three independent categories: Competition-based Pricing, Consumer-based Pricing and Cost-based Pricing

Characterization of a novel pathway for xanthene degradation by the engineered strain Sphingobium yanoikuyae B1DR

الهيدروكربونات متعددة الحلقات (PAHs) هي مجموعة من المركبات الاروماتية التي تحتوي على حلقتين على الأقل. مصدر هذه المركبات هي المنتجات البترولية وتعتبر من أكثر الملوثات انتشارًا في البيئة. تراكم هذه المركبات في البيئة هو نتيجة لصعوبة تحللها بواسطة الاحياء المجهرية. عدم معالجة هذه المركبات قد يتسبب في مشكلة صحية خطيرة حيث يعتبر البعض منها مواد مسرطنة. الزانثين هو أحد هذه المركبات اذا تحتوي على ثلاث حلقات اروماتية. العديد من مشتقات الزانثين عبارة عن أصباغ مفيدة تستخدم في صباغة الأخشاب ومستحضرات التجميل. ومع ذلك. أوضحت العديد من الدراسات أن هذه المركبات لها تأثيرات سامة ومسرطنة. تتم الخطوة الأولى من تحلل هذه المركبات بما في ذلك الزانثين عن طريق الانزيم البكتيري ديوكسجيناز التي تدخل ذرات الأكسجين في الحلقات الاروماتية. في هذه الدراسة ، ركزنا على المعالجة الحيوية البكتيرية للزانثين عبر Sphingobium yanoikuyae B1DR التي تعتبر سلالة معدلة وراثيا تحمل انزيم الديوكسين ديوكسجيناز الزاوي الخاص بالسلالة البكتيرية Sphingomonas wittichii RW1. حيث أظهرت نتائج التحليل باستخدام جهازHPLC لمستخلص الوسط الزرعي لخلايا  S. yanoikuyae B1DR النامية على مادة xanthene و succinate قدرة هذه السلالة على تحويل الزانثين إلى 2-hydroxyphenyl acetate والتي لم يتم إنتاجها من قبل النمط البري لسلالاتB1 Sphingobium yanoikuyae. تم التأكد من إنتاج 2-hydroxyphenyl acetate بواسطة جهاز .GC-MS حيث تظهر نتائجنا أهمية هذه السلالة في الحد من التأثيرات السامة للمركب الاورماتي الـ xanthene في البيئة وأن إنزيمات الهيدروكسيل الحلقية والهيدروكسيل المساهمة في تحلل مادة  الـ biphenyl في S. yanoikuyae B1 قد تعمل على المركبات الوسطية الناتجة من المسار الايضي لتحلل الـ xanthene.Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a group of aromatic compounds that contain at least two rings. These compounds are found naturally in petroleum products and are considered the most prevalent pollutants in the environment. The lack of microorganism capable of degrading some PAHs led to their accumulation in the environment which usually causes major health problems as many of these compounds are known carcinogens. Xanthene is one of the small PAHs which has three rings. Many xanthene derivatives are useful dyes that are used for dyeing wood and cosmetic articles. However, several studies have illustrated that these compounds have toxic and carcinogenic effects. The first step of the bacterial degradation of xanthene is conducted by dioxygenase enzymes that introduces two oxygen atoms in the structure of the aromatic rings. In this study we focused on the bacterial bioremediation of xanthene via Sphingobium yanoikuyae B1DR, an engineered strain carrying the dioxin angular dioxygenase from Sphingomonas wittichii RW1. HPLC analysis of supernatant from resting cells of S. yanoikuyae B1DR grown on xanthene and succinate showed the ability of this strain to transform xanthene to 2-hydroxyphenylacetate that was not produced by the wild type of Sphingobium yanoikuyae B1. Production of 2-hydroxyphenylacetate was confirmed by GC-MS. Our results show the importance of this strain in reducing the toxic effects of xanthene in the environment and showed for the first time that ring-hydroxylation enzymes and hydrolases for biphenyl degradation in S. yanoikuyae B1 may function on metabolites generated from the degradation pathway of xanthene. By analyzing our results we were able to draw a novel pathway for xanthene degradation in S. yanoikuyae B1DR

Gender diversity among editorial boards of radiology-related journals

Purpose: To investigate gender diversity in editorial boards among a wide range of radiology-related journals, the trend in time, and its association with the journal's impact factor (IF). Method: The Journal Citation Reports website was searched for radiology-related journals journals with IF>2.0. Gender of the editor-in-chief and all editorial board members as listed on each journal's official website were determined. Mann-Whitney U test and Spearman's rho test were used for statistical analyses. Current data were compared to historical data. Results: Fifty-seven radiology-related journals were included. The names of 4176 persons were extracted. A woman was in charge as the only editor-in-chief in 5 of 57 journals (8.8%). Median percentage of female editorial board members was 21.5% (range 3.2%-52.0%). Female editorial board members were in the majority in only two journals, with proportions of 51.4% and 52.0%. IFs between journals with female and male editors-in-chief were not significantly different (median 3.00, range 2.21-7.82 vs. median 3.31, range 2.02-10.98; P = 0.951). There was no significant association between percentage of female editorial board members and a journal's IF (Spearman's rho = -0.019, P = 0.889). The proportion of women has increased compared to historical data. Conclusion: Women are underrepresented in a wide range of radiology-related journals. Comparison with historical data shows that the proportion of women on editorial boards has increased. Nevertheless, gender composition of the editorial board shows no association with IF. This suggests similar gender bias exists across a broad spectrum of high impact factor journals, with no added bias in journals with higher IF

The role of lifestyle habits in the prevalence of overweight and obesity among students

The key objective of the present study is to explore the prevalence of being overweight and/or being obese using the body mass index (BMI). We investigated the relationship between lifestyle habits (sleeping patterns, dietary habits, physical activities, and screen times) and obesity. We used a cross-sectional study involving male students of medical and non-medical at the College of Medicine and College of Management and Economics at Saudi Arabia’s Qassim University. To gather data, a tailor-made, self-administered questionnaire was the tools of choice. The first part of the form collected a data pertaining to the height and weight of respondents. This measured BMI. Participants then categorized as underweight (BMI < 18.5), normal weight (BMI = 18.5–24.9), overweight (BMI = 25–29.9), and obese (BMI >30.0). The second part of the study involved questions about the participants’ lifestyle habits. To assess the significance of the questions, aChi-squared test was applied. We found that prevalence of being overweight and obese among medical students was (24.4%) and (19%) respectively. for non-medical students the prevalence of being overweight and obesity was (25.6%) and (16.5%) respectively. regarding dietary habits more than half of the students (54.2%) who had three meals or more have a positive relation with obesity. A positive relation was noticed between lack of physical activity and high BMI. Positive relation was found between high BMI and screen time. Regarding sleep hours more than half of the students spend 6-8 hours in sleeping per day

Funding of nuclear medicine research and association with citation impact

Purpose There has been no recent investigation on nuclear medicine research funding. Our purpose was to investigate the frequency of funded nuclear medicine research and whether funding is associated with citation impact. Methods Original articles published in three major nuclear medicine journals were assessed for funding. Results 337 (56.2%) of 600 articles declared funding, which included federal sponsoring (47.6%), non-profit foundations (22.5%), intramural institutional foundations (16.0%), and private industry (13.9%). In linear regression analysis (adjusted for journal, continent of origin, mentioning of study findings in the article title, number of authors, open access publishing, and time since online publication), funding was significantly associated with citation impact (beta coefficient = 5.111, 95% CI, 1.005-9.217, P = 0.015). Conclusions More than half of research in major nuclear medicine journals declared funding. The far majority were supported federally, followed by non-profit foundations, intramural institutional foundations, and private industry. Funding was associated with higher citation impact

Funding of Radiology Research:Frequency and Association With Citation Rate

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study is to investigate the frequency of funded research published in major radiology journals and to determine whether funding is associated with the article citation rate. MATERIALS AND METHODS. A total of 600 consecutive original research articles published in three journals-AJR, Radiology, and European Radiology-were included. Linear regression analysis was performed to determine the association between research funding and the article citation rate, as adjusted for journal, continent of origin of the first author, subspecialty, study findings included in the article title, number of authors, immediate open access publication, and time since publication online. RESULTS. Funding was declared for 286 of 600 included articles (47.7%). Sources of funding were as follows: federal sponsorship (29.4%), a nonprofit foundation (16.4%), both federal sponsorship and a nonprofit foundation (16.1%), private industry (10.1%), intramural institutional research funding (9.8%), and other funding sources (18.2%). Articles with first authors whose continent of origin was Europe (p <0.001), vascular and interventional radiology articles (p <0.001), and articles published in AJR (p <0.001) were significantly more frequently unfunded than funded. Articles published in Radiology were significantly more frequently funded (p <0.001). The citation rate was not significantly different between funded and unfunded articles (p = 0.166). In adjusted linear regression analysis, funding was not significantly associated with the citation rate (beta coefficient,- 0.31; 95% CI,-3.27 to 2.66; p = 0.838). CONCLUSION. Almost half of the research articles published in major radiology journals declared funding, a proportion that has increased compared with findings from previous studies (17% of articles in a study from 1994 and 26.9% of articles in a study of literature published between 2001 and 2010). Most funded articles received support from federal sponsors or nonprofit foundations, whereas only a minority of funded articles were supported by private industry. Funding was not associated with a higher citation rate

Sudden Cardiac Arrest in a Young Patient with Severe Pectus Excavatum

We report a case of sudden cardiac arrest in the setting of ventricular fibrillation in a previously healthy 19-year-old male. Chest imaging demonstrated severe pectus excavatum with Pectus Severity Index of 22.7. Extensive workup was unrevealing for other cardiopulmonary etiologies, including conduction and structural abnormalities. The patient was scheduled for a Ravitch procedure and was discharged on a wearable defibrillator vest for temporary protection against ventricular arrhythmias. Later, the patient underwent subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator placement. Sudden cardiac arrest as an initial presentation of pectus excavatum is a rare entity scarcely discussed in medical literature. In this patient-centered focused review, we explore this unique case and offer our management approach amid the lack of concrete guidelines