Co-existence of fatty acids changes in aorta artery and adipose tissue; comparison between CAD and non CAD patients

Background This study was aimed to evaluate composition and possible co-existence of change in fatty acids of aorta artery and adipose tissue in two groups of patients with different degree of atherosclerosis. Methods Twenty-one angiographically documented coronary artery diseases (CAD) patients, and the same numbers of age, sex and body mass index-matched angiographically documented non CAD patients enrolled in this study. They were operated electively for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or aortic valve replacement surgery (AVR), respectively. Small segments of ascending aorta artery and adipose tissue were dissected form the two groups during open heart surgery and subjected to fatty acid analysis. Results The results showed that in the CAD group, amounts of saturated and ω6 unsaturated fatty acids were higher, while the percent of monounsaturated and ω3 unsaturated fatty acids were lower than the non CAD patients for both aorta artery and adipose tissue samples. A moderate correlation was seen between amounts of fatty acids in adipose tissue and aorta artery. Conclusion As there are many reports which show that adipose tissue can only be used as a suitable indicator of dietary intake of exogenous fatty acids (e.g. polyunsaturated and trans fatty acids), our study suggests that modification of fatty acids with endogenous synthesis and metabolism (e.g. saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids) which were observed in both adipose tissue and aorta artery of CAD patients, may be produced during atherogenesis.     

Geometry-invariant gradient refractive index lens: analytical ray tracing

A new class of gradient refractive index (GRIN) lens is introduced and analyzed. The interior iso-indicial contours mimic the external shape of the lens, which leads to an invariant geometry of the GRIN structure. The lens model employs a conventional surface representation using a coincoid of revolution with a higher-order aspheric term. This model has a unique feature, namely, it allows analytical paraxial ray tracing. The height and the angle of an arbitrary incident ray can be found inside the lens in a closed-form expression, which is used to calculate the main optical characteristics of the lens, including the optical power and third-order monochromatic aberration coefficients. Moreover, due to strong coupling of the external surface shape to the GRIN structure, the proposed GRIN lens is well suited for studying accommodation mechanism in the eye. To show the power of the model, several examples are given emphasizing the usefulness of the analytical solution. The presented geometry-invariant GRIN lens can be used for modeling and reconstructing the crystalline lens of the human eye and other types of eyes featuring a GRIN lens.     

Predictors of survival after gastrointestinal complications in bypass grafting

Between April 2001 and December 2005, data were collected prospectively from 2,320 consecutive patients who underwent first-time coronary artery bypass. Logistic multiple regression analyses were carried out to determine the independent predictors of gastrointestinal complications and death. There were 65 major gastrointestinal complications identified in 65 (2.8%) patients: paralytic ileus in 15, mesenteric ischemia in 12, upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage in 16, lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage in 8, small bowel obstruction in 5, pseudoobstruction in 5, and others in 4. The 30-day mortality was 21.5% (14 patients). Female sex, preoperative creatinine >200 μmol·L(-1), previous gastrointestinal pathology, low cardiac output, readmission to the intensive care unit, postoperative pulmonary complications, arrhythmias, hemofiltration, and reoperation were independent predictors of major gastrointestinal complications. Independent risk factors for death were readmission to the intensive care unit, the need for hemofiltration, reoperation, and ischemic bowel. Careful hemodynamic control and optimization of perioperative organ perfusion are important to minimize the mortality associated with major gastrointestinal complications after coronary artery bypass.     

The effect of statin therapy in combination with ezetimibe on circulating C-reactive protein levels: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Background

Previous studies have reported that statin or ezetimibe therapy has an anti-inflammatory effect. However, the results of individual studies on the effect of statin therapy in combination with ezetimibe on C-reactive protein (CRP) and high-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) levels have not been clear. Therefore, the present systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted on randomized clinical trials (RCTs) to evaluate the effect of statin therapy in combination with ezetimibe on CRP and hs-CRP levels.

Methods

A literature search was carried out on the MEDLINE, SciVerse Scopus, and Clarivate Analytics Web of Science databases up to February 2022 to find eligible studies. The pooled effect sizes were considered for weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for CRP and hs-CRP, and it was also determined as standardized weighted mean difference (SMD) for overall CRP. For all variables, a random-effects model was used.

Results

Of the 57 studies included in the systematic review, 53 were used for meta-analysis. Statin therapy in combination with ezetimibe significantly reduced the serum levels of hs-CRP (WMD ??0.2 mg/l; 95% CI ??0.4, ??0.1, P???0.001) and overall CRP (SMD ??0.16 mg/l; 95% CI ??0.2, ??0.07, P???0.001). Nevertheless, CRP levels were not significantly changed by combination therapy. A significant association was observed between the serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) changes and hs-CRP levels, which can justify the source of heterogeneity.

Conclusions

The current study showed that statin therapy in combination with ezetimibe could be effective in reducing the levels of hs-CRP and overall CRP.

Graphical abstract

     

Healthy Eating Index-2010 and Mediterranean-Style Dietary Pattern Score and the risk of colorectal cancer and adenoma: a case–control study

Abstract

Background: Several studies have examined the relationship between diet quality indices and colorectal cancer (CRC). However, data on the association of these indices and colorectal adenomas (CRA) as a precursor of CRC are scarce. Our objective was to investigate the association of Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2010) and Mediterranean-Style Dietary Pattern Score (MSDPS) with CRC and CRA risk.

Methods: This is a hospital-based case–control study including 259 cases (129 CRC and 130 CRA patients) and 240 controls with non-neoplastic conditions. Dietary intake of subjects was examined using a valid and reliable food frequency questionnaire. The HEI-2010 and MSDPS were then calculated based on a-priori methods. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to estimate the relationship between HEI-2010 and MSDPS and the risk of CRC and CRA.

Results: After adjustment for confounders, compared with the first tertiles, the highest tertiles of HEI-2010 and MSDPS were significantly associated with lower odds of CRC (OR?=?0.04; 95% CI?=?0.01–0.12, OR?=?0.19; 95% CI?=?0.09–0.38, respectively). Similarly, the highest tertiles of HEI-2010 (OR?=?0.04; 95% CI?=?0.08–0.32) and MSDPS (OR?=?0.19; 95% CI?=?0.17–0.58) were associated with reduced odds of CRA compared to the lowest tertiles.

Conclusion: The findings of this study suggested that a high-quality diet assessed by HEI-2010 and MSDPS is inversely associated with the risk of CRC and CRA.     

Rhinocerebral mucormycosis,risk factors and the type of oral manifestations in patients referred to a University Hospital in Tabriz,Iran 2007‐2017

Inadequate data are available on the global epidemiology of mucormycosis, mainly derived from the evaluation of specific population groups. Rhinocerebral mucormycosis is an invading and fatal mycosis, particularly among diabetic patients. In the present study, patients hospitalised in Imam Reza Hospital in Tabriz, from 2007 to 2017, were evaluated. The hospital information system (HIS) was used to collect the records of the patients. A total of 42 patients with a diagnosis of mucormycosis were included in the study, 40 cases (95%) of which had a diagnosis of the rhinocerebral form. Of these 40 patients, 21 (52.5%) and 19 (47.5%) were male and female, respectively. Seven cases (17.5%) of rhinocerebral mucormycosis were due to dental procedures. The most predisposing factor in the patients was diabetes with 36 (90%) cases. In our study, the role of tooth extraction in patients with uncontrolled diabetes was identified as an important factor. It may show the important role of dentists in preventing of the disease in diabetic patients.     

Rapid analysis of trans,trans-muconic acid in urine using microextraction by packed sorbent

A simple and fast method has been developed for the determination of urinary trans,trans-muconic acid (ttMA) based on micro-extraction by packed sorbent (MEPS), followed by HPLC-UV detection. Parameters affecting the performance of MEPS were investigated. The results of the MEPS-HPLC-UV procedure were compared with the results of the conventional SPE method. The procedure was used for the determination of ttMA in urine samples of benzene-exposed subjects. The calibration curve was obtained in the range of 0.1 to 2 μg/mL, and the method showed high linearity (R²=0.9997). The LOQ was 0.1 μg/mL. For the MEPS method, the withinand between-day precision ranged from 3.0 to 5.1% and 3.3 to 5.2%, respectively. The within-and between-day accuracy ranged from 93.3 to 99.3% and 91.5 to 96.0%, respectively. The developed MEPS-HPLC-UV method is suggested as an alternative to the existing conventional SPE method for the biomonitoring of benzene-exposed subjects.