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showing 10 items of 698 documents
High Seroprevalence of Autoantibodies Typical of Autoimmune Liver Disease in Eastern Ethiopia: Is Chewing of Khat (Catha edulis) a Triggering Factor?
2018
Background. Recent studies have identified chewing of khat (Catha edulis) as an independent risk factor for liver injury; however, the pathogenetic mechanism remains poorly understood. Case series have found markers of autoimmune hepatitis in patients with khat-related liver disease, suggesting that khat chewing might trigger an autoimmune response. The aims of the present study were (i) to assess the prevalence of autoantibodies typical for autoimmune liver diseases in a healthy population in Ethiopia and (ii) to explore the hypothesis that khat usage triggers autoimmunity. Methods. Consenting adults (≥18 years) without known autoimmune disease or manifest liver disease were included. One-…
Role of Circulating miRNAs as Biomarkers in Idiopathic Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Possible Relevance of miR-23a
2015
Idiopathic pulmonary hypertension (IPAH) is a rare disease characterized by a progressive increase in pulmonary vascular resistance leading to heart failure. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that control the expression of genes, including some involved in the progression of IPAH, as studied in animals and lung tissue. These molecules circulate freely in the blood and their expression is associated with the progression of different vascular pathologies. Here, we studied the expression profile of circulating miRNAs in 12 well-characterized IPAH patients using microarrays. We found significant changes in 61 miRNAs, of which the expression of miR23a was correlated with the patients’ …
PGC-1α Induction in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
2012
Idiopathic Pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) is characterized by the obstructive remodelling of pulmonary arteries, and a progressive elevation in pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) with subsequent right-sided heart failure and dead. Hypoxia induces the expression of peroxisome proliferator activated receptorγcoactivator-1α(PGC-1α) which regulates oxidative metabolism and mitochondrial biogenesis. We have analysed the expression of PGC-1α, cytochrome C (CYTC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), the total antioxidant status (TAS) and the activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPX) in blood samples of IPAH patients. Expression of PGC-1αwas detected in IPAH patients but not in healthy volunteers. Th…
Lipid Peroxidation, Nitric Oxide Metabolites, and Their Ratio in a Group of Subjects with Metabolic Syndrome
2014
Our aim was to evaluate lipid peroxidation, expressed as thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), nitric oxide metabolites (nitrite + nitrate) expressed asNOx, and TBARS/NOxratio in a group of subjects with metabolic syndrome (MS). In this regard we enrolled 106 subjects with MS defined according to the IDF criteria, subsequently subdivided into diabetic (DMS) and nondiabetic (NDMS) and also into subjects with a low triglycerides/HDL-cholesterol (TG/HDL-C) index or with a high TG/HDL-C index. In the entire group and in the four subgroups of MS subjects we found an increase in TBARS andNOxlevels and a decrease in TBARS/NOxratio in comparison with normal controls. Regarding all these …
The Use of Hall's Technique Preformed Metal Crown (HTPMC) by Pediatric Dentists in Malaysia
2021
Introduction. Hall’s technique preformed metal crown (HTPMC) has been used widely by pediatric dentists in developed countries as a new approach for managing decayed primary molars without local anesthesia, caries removal, and tooth preparation. Currently, inadequate information is available regarding the implementation of this technique (HTPMC) in Malaysia. This study is aimed at evaluating the implementation of HTPMC by Malaysia’s pediatric dentists and identify the co-occurrence frequencies of the HTPMC implementation with the respondents’ demographic profile. Materials and Methods. A cross-sectional questionnaire-based research was conducted among 65 pediatric dentists in Malaysia. Onli…
Oxidative Stress Parameters in Saliva and Its Association with Periodontal Disease and Types of Bacteria
2015
Objective. To determine the association between oxidative stress parameters with periodontal disease, bleeding, and the presence of different periodontal bacteria.Methods. A cross-sectional study in a sample of eighty-six patients, divided into three groups depending on their periodontal status. Thirty-three with chronic periodontitis, sixteen with gingivitis, and thirty-seven with periodontal healthy as control. Oxidative stress biomarkers (8-OHdG and MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAOC), and the activity of two antioxidant enzymes (GPx and SOD) were determined in saliva. Subgingival plaque samples were obtained from the deepest periodontal pocket and PCR was used to determine the prese…
Mirror Visual Feedback Training Improves Intermanual Transfer in a Sport-Specific Task: A Comparison between Different Skill Levels
2016
Mirror training therapy is a promising tool to initiate neural plasticity and facilitate the recovery process of motor skills after diseases such as stroke or hemiparesis by improving the intermanual transfer of fine motor skills in healthy people as well as in patients. This study evaluated whether these augmented performance improvements by mirror visual feedback (MVF) could be used for learning a sport-specific skill and if the effects are modulated by skill level. A sample of 39 young, healthy, and experienced basketball and handball players and 41 novices performed a stationary basketball dribble task at a mirror box in a standing position and received either MVF or direct feedback. Af…
The Influence of Music on Prefrontal Cortex during Episodic Encoding and Retrieval of Verbal Information: A Multichannel fNIRS Study.
2015
Music can be thought of as a complex stimulus able to enrich the encoding of an event thus boosting its subsequent retrieval. However, several findings suggest that music can also interfere with memory performance. A better understanding of the behavioral and neural processes involved can substantially improve knowledge and shed new light on the most efficient music-based interventions. Based on fNIRS studies on music, episodic encoding, and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (PFC), this work aims to extend previous findings by monitoring the entire lateral PFC during both encoding and retrieval of verbal material. Nineteen participants were asked to encode lists of words presented with eit…
Effect of Age and Lipoperoxidation in Rat and Human Adipose Tissue-Derived Stem Cells
2020
A wide range of clinical applications in regenerative medicine were opened decades ago with the discovery of adult stem cells. Highly promising adult stem cells are mesenchymal stem/stromal cells derived from adipose tissue (ADSCs), primarily because of their abundance and accessibility. These cells have multipotent properties and have been used extensively to carry out autologous transplants. However, the biology of these cells is not entirely understood. Among other factors, the regeneration capacity of these cells will depend on both their capacity of proliferation/differentiation and the robustness of the biochemical pathways that allow them to survive under adverse conditions like thos…
Comparison of Macular Thickness in Patients with Keratoconus and Control Subjects Using the Cirrus HD-OCT
2014
Purpose.The aim of the present study was to compare macular thickness in patients with keratoconus (KC) with macular thickness in healthy subjects.Subjects and Methods.Twenty-six patients with KC and 52 control subjects were included. The macular structure was evaluated using a Zeiss Cirrus HD-OCT. The scan pattern used was 512 × 128, which covers an area of approximately 6 × 6 mm of the retina. The cube volume was assessed as well as macular thickness in each of the 9 sectors defined by the software.Results.The mean signal strength was significantly lower in the KC group (mean 8.4, range 6–10) compared with the control group (mean 9.7, range 7–10),P<0.0001(unpairedt-test). There were no…