Introduction: The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) plays a pivotal role in regulating blood pressure (BP), with dysregulation of RAAS resulting in hypertension and potentially heart failure (HF), myocardial infarction (MI), cardio-renal syndrome, and stroke. RAAS inhibitors, such as angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEis) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), have advantages beyond BP control. However, differences between these two drug classes need to be considered when choosing a therapy for preventing cardiovascular events.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study develops a hybrid model to investigate the factors affecting transnational e-commerce supply chain resilience (TNSCRE) by integrating the Entropy Weight Method (EWM), Simple Additive Weighting (SAW), and Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM). The study identifies 36 critical factors categorized under supply chain adaptability, supply chain efficiency, and supply chain evolution, and five criteria are used to rank these factors. The EWM is used to calculate the relative weights of the criteria, and the SAW method is used to rank the factors based on their weighted scores.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEur J Contracept Reprod Health Care
October 2019
The aim of the study was to compare early vs. delayed postpartum insertion of the 52 mg levonorgestrel intrauterine system (LNG-IUS). The databases of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and CENTRAL were searched to February 2019.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) in populations experiencing war has yet to be addressed, despite the abundance of contemporary conflicts and the protracted nature of twenty-first century wars, in combination with growing global concern over conflict-associated bacterial pathogens. The example of the Syrian conflict is used to explore the feasibility of using existing global policies on AMR in conditions of extreme conflict. The available literature on AMR and prescribing behaviour in Syria before and since the onset of the conflict in March 2011 was identified.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCurrent evidence describing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the context of the Syrian conflict is of poor quality and sparse in nature. This paper explores and reports the major drivers of AMR that were present in Syria pre-conflict and those that have emerged since its onset in March 2011. Drivers that existed before the conflict included a lack of enforcement of existing legislation to regulate over-the-counter antibiotics and notification of communicable diseases.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: The immune-inflammatory system has been implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy; however, many of the mechanisms involved remain unclear. Chitotriosidase enzyme is an active human chitinase and a major protein product of activated macrophages. Although playing an important role in innate and acquired immunity, chitotriosidase involvement in the development of diabetic nephropathy is unknown.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) can occur anywhere along the gastrointestinal tract especially the stomach and upper small bowel. They are usually solid, but cystic degeneration, necrosis, and focal hemorrhage have been described in larger tumors leading to central necrotic cavitation. The most sensitive marker of GIST is CD117 (c-kit).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To assess seminal BAX and BCL2 gene and protein expressions in infertile men with varicocele (Vx).
Materials And Methods: A total of 111 men were investigated and divided into the following groups: healthy fertile men (n = 20), fertile men with Vx (n = 16), infertile oligoasthenoteratozoospermic men without Vx (n = 29), and infertile oligoasthenoteratozoospermic men with Vx (n = 46). They were subjected to history taking, clinical examination, and semen analysis.