Different stages of sleep are associated with significant variability in cardiovascular function, which is mediated by marked changes in balance between 2 components of the autonomic system: ...parasympathetic and sympathetic. Autonomic control of circulation is essential in ensuring an adequate blood flow to vital organs through constant adjustments of arterial blood pressure, heart rate, and redistribution of blood flow. Fluctuations in components of the autonomic nervous system synchronize with electroencephalographic activity during arousal or different stages of sleep. As a result, these can lead to several cardiovascular consequences in those who have underlying heart disease or sleep-disordered breathing.
The main objective of this work is the manipulation of hydrophilic materials in support, intermediate and selective layer to synthesize a novel nano-tubular ceramic membrane for treatment of oily ...wastewater. First, porous mullite-alumina-zeolite composite membranes were prepared by an extrusion method. Changes in porosity, pore size, shrinkage, and mechanical strength of the support membranes were investigated as function of percentage composition and sintering temperature in order to obtain the optimal conditions. According to the results, the most favorable condition set was determined to be a support membrane with a weight percent of 50, 30, and 20 for mullite, alumina, and zeolite, respectively, and a porosity of 38%, a pore size of 0.39 µm, and a shrinkage of 10.2% sintered at 1250 °C and with good mechanical properties at 24.6 MPa. The cross-flow filtration technique was employed to coat the natural zeolite on the inner surface of the support membrane to achieve a narrower pore size distribution. Finally, a thick layer of nano-SiO2 was coated on the membrane by utilizing the dip-coating method to develop a hydrophilic membrane while avoiding defects. Moreover, scanning electron microscopic (SEM) analysis of the SiO2 membranes showed that the natural zeolite and nano-SiO2 layer is homogeneous and demonstrates high adhesion to the support membrane. Besides, the result of COD rejection showed that the SiO2 membranes have an undeniable capability in rejection of oil droplets with a reasonable permeation flux. Therefore, the obtained membranes are highly promising for practical applications and environmental remediation in sensitive Persian Gulf zone.
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•Fabrication of novel nano-SiO2 tubular ceramic membrane utilizing hydrophilic materials.•Inexpensive raw materials and low sintering temperatures in fabricating of low-cost ceramic membrane.•Porosity, pore size, shrinkage, and mechanical properties at various sintering temperatures were investigate.•SEM showed that the top layer is homogeneous and demonstrates high adhesion to the support membrane.•The treatment of wastewater with high oil rejection (99.2%) and permeation flux (690 L/m2.h.bar).
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is present in more than 50% of patients referred to cardiac rehabilitation units. However, it has been under-recognized in patients after stroke and heart failure. Those ...with concurrent OSA have a worse clinical course. Early treatment of coexisting OSA with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) results in improved rehabilitation outcomes and quality of life. Possible mechanisms by which CPAP may improve recovery include decreased blood pressure fluctuations associated with apneas, and improved left ventricular function, cerebral blood flow, and oxygenation. Early screening and treatment of OSA should be integral components of patients entering cardiac rehabilitation units.
COVID-19 is a severe infectious disease that has claimed >150,000 lives and infected millions in the United States thus far, especially the elderly population. Emerging evidence has shown the virus ...to cause hemorrhagic and immunologic responses, which impact all organs, including lungs, kidneys, and the brain, as well as extremities. SARS-CoV-2 also affects patients', families', and society's mental health at large. There is growing evidence of re-infection in some patients. The goal of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review of SARS-CoV-2-induced disease, its mechanism of infection, diagnostics, therapeutics, and treatment strategies, while also focusing on less attended aspects by previous studies, including nutritional support, psychological, and rehabilitation of the pandemic and its management. We performed a systematic review of >1,000 articles and included 425 references from online databases, including, PubMed, Google Scholar, and California Baptist University's library. COVID-19 patients go through acute respiratory distress syndrome, cytokine storm, acute hypercoagulable state, and autonomic dysfunction, which must be managed by a multidisciplinary team including nursing, nutrition, and rehabilitation. The elderly population and those who are suffering from Alzheimer's disease and dementia related illnesses seem to be at the higher risk. There are 28 vaccines under development, and new treatment strategies/protocols are being investigated. The future management for COVID-19 should include B-cell and T-cell immunotherapy in combination with emerging prophylaxis. The mental health and illness aspect of COVID-19 are among the most important side effects of this pandemic which requires a national plan for prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) severity might be correlated to the flow characteristics of the upper airways. We aimed to investigate the severity of OSA based on 3D models constructed from CT scans ...coupled with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. The CT scans of seven adult patients diagnosed with OSA were used to reconstruct the 3D models of the upper airways and CFD modeling and analyses were performed. Results from the fluid simulations were compared with the apnea-hypopnea index. Here we show a correlation between a CFD-based parameter, the adjusted pressure coefficient (Cp*), and the respective apnea-hypopnea index (Pearson's r = 0.91, p = 0.004), which suggests that the anatomical-based model coupled with CFD could provide functional and localized information for different regions of the upper airways.
Purpose: Low back pain (LBP) is the most common musculoskeletal disorder reported in the community, leading to chronic pain and disability. This review aims to determine the effectiveness of ...prevention and management protocols on LBP in athletes. Methods: Searches were conducted from 2010 to 2022 from international databases, including Google Scholar, Science Direct, and PubMed using keywords related to back pain in athletes. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) presenting the prevention and management protocol for back pain of athletes were included in this review. The physiotherapy evidence database (PEDro) scale was used to check the quality of articles. Results: Finally, 16 articles with 1,317 subjects met the inclusion criteria. These studies have mainly focused on the effect of taping, cognitive functional approach, movement patterns, conditioning, lifestyle, motor control, segmental motion, isokinetic, core stabilization, virtual reality training, dynamic and static stretching, Mézières method, functional movement screen, and semi-customized exercises in athletes at risk of LBP. The positive effect of stability and cognitive exercises were documented. Conclusion: The deep and superficial muscle integration exercises by correcting the body posture and correct muscle calling had the greatest effect on the balance of the muscles.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common disorder affecting 15-24% of the adults and is associated with increased risk of hypertension and atherosclerosis. The exact mechanisms underlying ...hypertension in OSA are not entirely clear. YKL-40/Chitinase-3-like protein-1 is a circulating moiety with roles in injury, repair and angiogenesis that is dysregulated in atherosclerosis and a number of other diseases. We sought to determine the role of YKL-40 in endothelial dysfunction and hypertension in OSA.
We studies 23 normotensive OSA (N-OSA) and 14 hypertensive OSA (H-OSA) without diabetes and apparent cardiovascular disease. Endothelial-dependent nitric oxide-mediated vasodilatory capacity was assessed by flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD). YKL-40, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the soluble form of VEGF receptor-1 or sFlt-1 were measured in plasma using ELISA methodology.
N-OSA subjects aged 49.1 ± 2.3 years and H-OSA aged 51.3 ± 1.9 years with BMI 36.1 ± 1.6 and 37.6 ± 1.9 kg/m(2), respectively. The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was 41 ± 5 events/hr in N-OSA and 46 ± 6 in H-OSA with comparable degree of oxygen desaturations during sleep. FMD was markedly impaired in H-OSA (8.3% ± 0.8) compared to N-OSA (13.2% ± 0.6, P<0.0001). Plasma YKL-40 was significantly elevated in H-OSA (55.2 ± 7.9 ng/ml vs. 35.6 ± 4.2 ng/ml in N-OSA, P = 0.02) and had an inverse relationship with FMD (r = -0.52, P = 0.013). There was a significant positive correlation between sFlt-1/VEGF, a measure of decreased VEGF availability, and YKL-40 (r = 0.42, P = 0.04).
The levels of plasma YKL-40 were elevated in H-OSA group and inversely correlated with the endothelial-dependent vasodilatory capacity whereas there was a positive correlation between sFlt-1/VEGF and YKL-40. These findings suggest that YKL-40 is dysregulated, in part, due to perturbation of VEGF signaling, and may contribute to endothelial dysfunction and hypertension in OSA.
Polysomnography Jafari, Behrouz; Mohsenin, Vahid
Clinics in chest medicine,
06/2010, Letnik:
31, Številka:
2
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Polysomnography (PSG) is an essential tool for diagnosis of a variety of sleep disorders. The results of PSG should be interpreted in the context of a patient's history and medications and ...observation in the sleep laboratory. As new technologies evolve, it is expected that the field will evolve. Further work is needed to determine if computerized scoring, with or without human revision, may reliably replace visual scoring in normal and abnormal sleep. Improved techniques to measure and quantify sleep itself will allow for more meaningful assessment of sleep disruption that can lead to the recognition of new disorders and better predictions of the outcomes of these disorders.
The main objective of this research is the development of innovative two-layer tubular ceramic membranes with improved separation properties, high mechanical and thermal stability using affordable ...and easily accessible raw materials. In this regard, firstly, the clay-based ceramic support membrane was fabricated by extrusion technique using kaolin, alumina and natural zeolite. Besides, changes in thermal properties, shrinkage, porosity and mechanical strength of the prepared sample were evaluated as a function of treating temperature to obtain the best membrane support. Subsequently, the cross-flow filtration technique was employed to coat the natural zeolite and activated carbon over the support membrane to prepare the two-layer microfiltration membranes of MF-Z and MF-C, respectively. Finally, the performance of ceramic support, MF-Z and MF-C membranes were assessed during oily wastewater treatment. The results revealed that MF-Z and MF-C membranes could remove oil from 1,000 to 90 mg/L and 1,000 to 13 mg/L, respectively, while the concentration of oil in the permeate flux of the ceramic support was around 190 mg/L.
Background and objective: Ventilator‐induced lung injury (VILI) leads to airway epithelial cell apoptosis and lung inflammation. High tidal volume ventilation in vivo has been shown to induce MIP‐2 ...production, lung neutrophil sequestration and apoptotic airway cell death. This study aimed to determine the effect of N‐acetylcysteine (NAC), a scavenger of oxygen radicals, on lung inflammation and apoptosis in an in vivo model of VILI.
Methods: Sprague–Dawley rats (n = 5 per group) were ventilated at low tidal volume (VT 7 mL/kg) or high tidal volume (VT 20 mL/kg) with or without administration of 140 mg/kg of intravenous NAC. Animals were ventilated for 30 min, 1 or 2 h, then allowed to recover for 2 h, at which time neutrophil infiltration, MIP‐2, TNF‐α and IL‐6 in BAL fluid, as well as the percentage of apoptotic airway epithelial cells, were measured.
Results: Ventilation at VT 20 mL/kg increased oxidant release, as measured by serum isoprostane, and decreased lung glutathione, the major antioxidant in the lung. NAC treatment during ventilation at VT 20 mL/kg prevented the decrease in lung glutathione and significantly lowered serum isoprostane levels, neutrophil infiltration, cytokines in the BAL and apoptosis in the airways as compared with animals ventilated at VT 20 mL/kg without NAC (P < 0.05).
Conclusions: These data point to an early role of oxidant‐induced inflammation and apoptosis in VILI.