COMPARING STAGES OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY WITH SYSTEMIC VASCULAR STATUS USING FINGER PHOTOPLETHYSMOGRAPHY.

Purpose: To evaluate systemic vascular fitness measured by finger photoplethysmography (PPG) in diabetic retinopathy (DR).

Methods: This was a cross sectional observational study on type-II Diabetes Mellitus patients from October 2020 to May 2021. Data collected include systolic/diastolic blood pressure (BP), visual acuity, HbA1c, and central macular thickness (CMT).

Moulting Performances Evaluation of Female Orange Mud Crab, (Herbst, 1796) In-Captivity: Effects of Water Salinity and Limb Autotomy.

Female has become more popular in Malaysia as emerging species mainly for soft-shell crabs and crab fattening (to increase weight, size and ovary maturation so that they can be sold at a higher price). To harvest crabs in soft-shell conditions and fattening, both conditions depend mostly on moulting events. To accelerate the moulting process, the manipulation of water parameter (salinity) and autotomy of the limb is commonly used.

Tracking the surface structure and the influence of cations and anions on the double-layer region of a Au(111) electrode.

We examined the electric double-layer (EDL) of a Au(111) electrode in a dilute perchloric acid solution using a combination of capacitance measurements and scanning tunnelling microscopy under electrochemical conditions (ECSTM). The "camel-shaped" capacitance curve of the EDL is studied with different cations and anions, including their impact on the potential of zero charge (PZC). We show that the ECSTM images of thermally reconstructed and of the potential-induced surface reconstruction of Au(111) in perchloric acid electrolyte resemble previous work in sulphuric acid, displaying a herringbone pattern for a thermally reconstructed surface.

Dostarlimab: A promising new PD-1 inhibitor for cancer immunotherapy.

Objective: Dostarlimab, a humanized monoclonal PD-1 blocking antibody, is being tested as a cancer therapy in this review. Specifically, it addresses mismatch repair failure in endometrial cancer and locally progressed rectal cancer patients.

Data Sources: A thorough database search found Dostarlimab clinical trials and studies.

Mechanical characterization of spectrin at the molecular level.

Spectrin, a large cytoskeletal protein, consists of a heterodimeric structure comprising α and β subunits. Here, we have studied the mechanics of spectrin filament as a major constituent of dendrites and dendritic spines. Given the intricate biological details and compact biological construction of spectrin, we've developed a constitutive model of spectrin that describes its continuous deformation over three distinct stages and it's progressive failure mechanisms.

Liposomes like advanced drug carriers: from fundamentals to pharmaceutical applications.

Aims: There are around 24 distinct lipid vesicles described in the literature that are similar to vesicular systems such as liposomes. Liposome-like structures are formed by combining certain amphiphilic lipids with a suitable stabiliser. Since their discovery and classification, self-assembled liposome-like structures as active drug delivery vehicles captured researchers' curiosity.

Enhancing ECG readability in LVAD patients: A comparative analysis of Denoising techniques with an emphasis on discrete wavelet transform.

Background: Electrocardiograms (ECGs) are vital for diagnosing cardiac conditions but obtaining clean signals in Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) patients is hindered by electromagnetic interference (EMI). Traditional filters have limited efficacy. There is a current need for an easy and effective method.

Multi-objectives optimization on microwave-assisted-biological-based biogas upgrading and bio-succinic acid production.

This study represents the first investigation of bio-succinic acid (bio-SA) production with methane enrichment using carbon-dioxide-fixating bacteria in the co-culture of ragi tapai and macroalgae, Chaetomorpha. Microwave irradiation has also been introduced to enhance the biochemical processes as it could provide rapid and selective heating of substrates. In this research, microwave irradiation was applied on ragi tapai as a pre-treatment process.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Cardiovascular Disease in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients at King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH).

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has emerged as a significant global health concern, with its incidence doubling over the past three decades. Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) pose a major threat to CKD patients, surpassing the risk of progressing to end-stage renal disease. While previous studies worldwide have shed light on this association, limited research has been conducted in Saudi Arabia regarding this burden.

Probiotic formulations and gastro-intestinal diseases in the paediatric population: a narrative review.

Background/aim: Probiotics are live microbial supplements that improve the microbial balance in the host animal when administered in adequate amounts. They play an important role in relieving symptoms of many diseases associated with gastrointestinal tract, for example, in necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), antibiotic-associated diarrhea, relapsing Clostridium difficile colitis, Helicobacter pylori infections, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In this narrative review, the authors aim to evaluate the role of different probiotic formulations in treating gastrointestinal diseases in pediatric population aged 18 years or younger and highlight the main considerations for selecting probiotic formulations for use in this population.

Renal Survival of Chronic Kidney Disease Patients in a Tertiary Referral Hospital in Malaysia.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) represents a major public health issue, which then progresses to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) sooner or later. This retrospective cohort study aimed to determine the renal survival time of CKD patients. In total, 247 CKD patients in one of the tertiary referral hospitals in Malaysia between January 2005 and December 2015 were enrolled.

Improved Thermophysical and Mechanical Properties in LiNaSO Composites for Thermal Energy Storage.

Solid-solid phase-change materials have great potential for developing compact and low-cost thermal storage systems. The solid-state nature of these materials enables the design of systems analogous to those based on natural rocks but with an extraordinarily higher energy density. In this scenario, the evaluation and improvement of the mechanical and thermophysical properties of these solid-solid PCMs are key to exploiting their full potential.

Interoceptive Awareness Among the General Public in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background Interoception refers to the cognitive process of perceiving internal bodily states. This encompasses various physiological indicators, including heart rate fluctuations, stomach distention, internal temperature, hydration levels, sensory input from free nerve terminals in the fascia and muscles, as well as hormonal, stretch, and pain receptors. This study aimed to examine the interoceptive awareness among the general public in Saudi Arabia.

Cardiac Surgery Morbidity and Mortality in Hypertensive and Arrhythmic Patients: A Retrospective Analysis.

Background: Hypertension (HTN) is the most significant modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and overall mortality. HTN is defined as a systolic blood pressure of ≥140 mmHg and/or a diastolic blood pressure of ≥ 90 mmHg. Generally, arrhythmias are characterized by a disruption of the heart's regular rhythm.

Fractionation of L. foliage phenolics, antioxidant activities, and anti-diabetic potential.

The present research aimed to fractionate L. (XSL) foliage phenolics into a set of solvents and evaluate their antioxidant potential and anti-diabetic activity against Alloxan monohydrate-induced diabetic mice. For this purpose, XSL foliage was fractionated into petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, ethanol, and water orbital type shaking and tested for the presence of phenolics, and their antioxidant and antidiabetic potential.

Molecular genotyping of spp. isolated from cheese samples of local stores in Al-Diwaniyah city, Iraq.

Background: Food safety is an important subject that the global cheese industry increases awareness of. This urges these economic sectors to elevate the level of research to minimize cheese contamination with pathogenic bacteria, such as .

Aim: Based on these merits, this study was conducted to genotype spp.