Abstract Intermittent fasting and caloric restriction have been shown to extend life expectancy and reduce inflammation and cancer promotion in animal models. It was hypothesized that intermittent ...prolonged fasting practiced during the month of Ramadan (RIF) could positively affect the inflammatory state. To investigate this hypothesis, a cross-sectional study was designed to investigate the impact of RIF on selected inflammatory cytokines and immune biomarkers in healthy subjects. Fifty (21 men and 29 women) healthy volunteers who practiced Ramadan fasting were recruited for the investigation of circulating proinflammatory cytokines (interleukin IL-1 β , IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor α ), immune cells (total leukocytes, monocytes, granulocytes, and lymphocytes), and anthropometric and dietary assessments. The investigations were conducted 1 week before Ramadan fasting, at the end of the third week of Ramadan, and 1 month after the cessation of Ramadan month. The proinflammatory cytokines IL-1 β , IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor α ; systolic and diastolic blood pressures; body weight; and body fat percentage were significantly lower ( P < .05) during Ramadan as compared with before Ramadan or after the cessation of Ramadan fasting. Immune cells significantly decreased during Ramadan but still remained within the reference ranges. These results indicate that RIF attenuates inflammatory status of the body by suppressing proinflammatory cytokine expression and decreasing body fat and circulating levels of leukocytes.
Cryptogenic Stroke and Patent Foramen Ovale Mojadidi, Mohammad K.; Zaman, Muhammad O.; Elgendy, Islam Y. ...
Journal of the American College of Cardiology,
03/2018, Letnik:
71, Številka:
9
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Nearly one-half of patients with cryptogenic stroke have a patent foramen ovale (PFO). The dilemma of whether to close these PFOs percutaneously, in an effort to reduce the risk of recurrent ...paradoxical embolism, has been a matter of ongoing debate for more than a decade. Early randomized clinical trials failed to demonstrate a significant benefit of percutaneous PFO closure for secondary prevention of cryptogenic stroke in an intention-to-treat analysis. The long-term follow-up data from the RESPECT trial and 2 new randomized trials (CLOSE and REDUCE) have clarified these findings. They showed that with good patient selection, transcatheter PFO closure significantly reduces the risk of recurrent stroke compared with medical therapy in patients with cryptogenic stroke, with no increased risk of serious adverse events or influence on major bleeding.
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ObjectivesTo perform an updated meta-analysis to evaluate the long-term cardiovascular and cerebrovascular outcomes among migraineurs.SettingA meta-analysis of cohort studies performed according to ...the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.Data sourcesThe MEDLINE, Web of Science and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases were searched for relevant articles.ParticipantsA total of 16 cohort studies (18 study records) with 394 942 migraineurs and 757 465 non-migraineurs were analysed.Primary and secondary outcome measuresMajor adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), stroke (ie, ischaemic, haemorrhagic or non-specified), myocardial infarction (MI) and all-cause mortality. The outcomes were reported at the longest available follow-up.Data analysisSummary-adjusted hazard ratios (HR) were calculated by random-effects Der-Simonian and Liard model. The risk of bias was assessed by the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.ResultsMigraine was associated with a higher risk of MACCE (adjusted HR 1.42, 95% confidence interval CI 1.26 to 1.60, P<0.001, I2=40%) driven by a higher risk of stroke (adjusted HR 1.41, 95% CI 1.25 to 1.61, P<0.001, I2=72%) and MI (adjusted HR 1.23, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.43, P=0.006, I2=59%). There was no difference in the risk of all-cause mortality (adjusted HR 0.93, 95% CI 0.78 to 1.10, P=0.38, I2=91%), with a considerable degree of statistical heterogeneity between the studies. The presence of aura was an effect modifier for stroke (adjusted HR aura 1.56, 95% CI 1.30 to 1.87 vs adjusted HR no aura 1.11, 95% CI 0.94 to 1.31, P interaction=0.01) and all-cause mortality (adjusted HR aura 1.20, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.30 vs adjusted HR no aura 0.96, 95% CI 0.86 to 1.07, Pinteraction<0.001).ConclusionMigraine headache was associated with an increased long-term risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. This effect was due to an increased risk of stroke (both ischaemic and haemorrhagic) and MI. There was a moderate to severe degree of heterogeneity for the outcomes, which was partly explained by the presence of aura.PROSPERO registration number CRD42016052460.
Recent epidemiologic and therapeutic advances have transformed understanding of the role of and therapeutic approach to patent foramen ovale (PFO) in ischemic stroke. Patent foramen ovale is likely ...responsible for approximately 5% of all ischemic strokes and 10% of those occurring in young and middle-aged adults.
Randomized clinical trials have demonstrated that, to prevent recurrent ischemic stroke in patients with PFO and an otherwise-cryptogenic index ischemic stroke, PFO closure is superior to antiplatelet medical therapy alone; these trials have provided some evidence that, among medical therapy options, anticoagulants may be more effective than antiplatelet agents.
These new data indicate a need to update classification schemes of causative mechanisms in stroke, developed in an era in which an association between PFO and stroke was viewed as uncertain. We propose a revised general nomenclature and classification framework for PFO-associated stroke and detailed revisions for the 3 major stroke subtyping algorithms in wide use.
The microbiota of the nasopharyngeal tract (NT) play a role in host immunity against respiratory infectious diseases. However, scant information is available on interactions of SARS-CoV-2 with the ...nasopharyngeal microbiome. This study characterizes the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on human nasopharyngeal microbiomes and their relevant metabolic functions. Twenty-two (n = 22) nasopharyngeal swab samples (including COVID-19 patients = 8, recovered humans = 7, and healthy people = 7) were collected, and underwent to RNAseq-based metagenomic investigation. Our RNAseq data mapped to 2281 bacterial species (including 1477, 919 and 676 in healthy, COVID-19 and recovered metagenomes, respectively) indicating a distinct microbiome dysbiosis. The COVID-19 and recovered samples included 67% and 77% opportunistic bacterial species, respectively compared to healthy controls. Notably, 79% commensal bacterial species found in healthy controls were not detected in COVID-19 and recovered people. Similar dysbiosis was also found in viral and archaeal fraction of the nasopharyngeal microbiomes. We also detected several altered metabolic pathways and functional genes in the progression and pathophysiology of COVID-19. The nasopharyngeal microbiome dysbiosis and their genomic features determined by our RNAseq analyses shed light on early interactions of SARS-CoV-2 with the nasopharyngeal resident microbiota that might be helpful for developing microbiome-based diagnostics and therapeutics for this novel pandemic disease.
•Simple chemical reduction method was used for preparation of reduced graphene oxide/hydroxyapatite (rGO/HAp) nanocomposites.•The rGO/HAp nanocomposites exhibited good biocompatibility with ...hMSCs.•Selective chemical sensor based on rGO/HAp nanocomposites was developed for detection of Bis-phenol A.•The fabricated rGO/HAp/Nafion/GCE sensor exhibited good detection limit of 60pmolL−1.
A facile and cost effective chemical reduction method is employed for the preparation of reduced graphene oxide/hydroxyapatite (rGO/HAp) nanocomposites. The transmission electron microscopy images revealed that the HAp flakes are well decorated on the surface of rGO. The morphological structure of the as-synthesized rGO/HAp nanocomposites was confirmed through X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy, while the composition and thermal stability were analyzed by energy dispersive spectra and thermogravimetric analysis, respectively. Furthermore, the effect of rGO/HAp nanocomposites for the proliferation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell (hMSC) was performed to confirm the biocompatibility. A selective chemical sensor based on rGO/HAp modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) for sensitive detection of Bis-phenol A (BPA) has been developed. Several important parameters controlling the performance of the BPA chemi-sensor were investigated and optimized at room conditions. The rGO/HAp/Nafion/GCE sensor offers a fast response and highly sensitive BPA detection. Under the optimal conditions, a linear range from 0.2nmolL−1 to 2.0mmolL−1 for the detection of BPA was observed with the detection limit of 60.0pmolL−1 (signal-to-noise ratio, at an SNR of 3) and sensitivity of 18.98×104μA.L/μmol.m2. Meanwhile, the fabricated chemi-sensor showed an excellent, specific and selective recognition to target BPA molecules among coexistence of other analytes in the buffer system. This novel effort initiated a well-organized way of efficient rGO/HAp/Nafion/GCE sensor development and practically analyzed the real hazardous environmental pollutants at room conditions.
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•Sub-micrometer-sized Mesoporous electromagnetic composite particles were prepared.•Composite particles exhibited electric current responsive release of biomolecules and ...drug.•Released biomolecule (trypsin) almost retained their native structure.•Composite particle showed moderate antimicrobial activity.•Composite particles can find applications in biomedical field and water treatment.
Electric current responsive magnetic composite particles are prepared in three steps. In the first step, spherical and mesoporous submicrometer-sized magnetic iron oxide (Fe3O4) core particles are prepared by solvothermal method. Then magnetic Fe3O4 particles are functionalized with amine groups using glycine, where the COO- group of glycine formed a bridging bidentate interaction with the hydroxyl groups on Fe3O4 particle surface. Finally polyaniline (PAni) is grafted onto the functional Fe3O4 surface via in situ seeded chemical oxidative polymerization of aniline. The average size of Fe3O4/PAni composite particles is 418.82 nm with mesoporous surface structure. Electron microscopic images confirmed that PAni pockets are localized on the surface of Fe3O4 core particles. The surface composition is further confirmed by Fourier transform IR (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and thermogravimety (TG) analyses. Fe3O4/PAni composite particles possessed strong paramagnetic property (47.77 emu g−1). The electrical conductivity of Fe3O4/PAni composite particles (1.46 × 10-4 S cm−1) remained in the same order of magnitude as that of reference PAni particles (3.42 × 10-4 S cm−1). The release behavior of biologically active molecules such as trypsin (TR), albumin (AL) and p-acetamido phenol (pAP) is studied using low intensity electric current as stimuli to prevent degradation. Depending on the nature, up to ˜ 33–88% of adsorbed biomolecules/drug are released from the electromagnetic Fe3O4/PAni composite particles. Compared to Fe3O4 particles, Fe3O4/PAni composite particles exhibited moderate antibacterial property.
Although observational studies have shown percutaneous patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure to be a safe means of reducing the frequency and duration of migraine, randomized clinical trials have not ...met their primary efficacy endpoints.
The authors report the results of a pooled analysis of individual participant data from the 2 randomized trials using the Amplatzer PFO Occluder to assess the efficacy and safety of percutaneous device closure as a therapy for episodic migraine with or without aura.
The authors analyzed individual patient-level data from 2 randomized migraine trials (the PRIMA Percutaneous Closure of Patent Foramen Ovale in Migraine With Aura and PREMIUM Prospective Randomized Investigation to Evaluate Incidence of Headache Reduction in Subjects with Migraine and PFO Using the Amplatzer PFO Occluder Compared to Medical Management studies). Efficacy endpoints were mean reduction in monthly migraine days, responder rate (defined as ≥50% reduction in monthly migraine attacks), mean reduction in monthly migraine attacks, and percentage of patients who experienced complete cessation of migraine. The safety endpoint was major procedure- and device-related adverse events.
Among 337 subjects, 176 were randomized by blocks to device closure and 161 to medical treatment only. At 12-month follow-up, the analysis met 3 of the 4 efficacy endpoints: mean reduction of monthly migraine days (-3.1 days vs. -1.9 days; p = 0.02), mean reduction of monthly migraine attacks (-2.0 vs. -1.4; p = 0.01), and number of subjects who experienced complete cessation of migraine (14 9% vs. 1 0.7%; p < 0.001). For the safety analysis, 9 procedure-related and 4 device-related adverse events occurred in 245 subjects who eventually received devices. All events were transient and resolved.
This pooled analysis of patient-level data demonstrates that PFO closure was safe and significantly reduced the mean number of monthly migraine days and monthly migraine attacks, and resulted in a greater number of subjects who experienced complete migraine cessation.
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