Gluten-free Diet, a Friend or a Foe, an American Perspective.

Gluten proteins in cereal grains are often considered unsafe for health. Indeed, the dissemination of misinformation through various sources has led to a widespread misconception that the consumption of gluten by healthy individuals results in adverse health consequences and contributes to obesity. In recent years, many health-conscious consumers have started reducing or avoiding gluten consumption without a medical recommendation.

Prevalence of major adverse cardiovascular events among Saudi patients with systemic lupus erythematosus compared with the general population: updates from the national SLE and PURE cohorts.

Objective: This study examined the prevalence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) among Saudi patients with SLE and the general population and considered factors associated with such outcomes were taken into consideration.

Methods: This is a cohort study evaluating the period prevalence of MACE from 2020 to 2023. The study used two datasets, namely the Saudi national prospective cohort for SLE patients and the Prospective Urban-Rural Epidemiology Study Saudi subcohort (PURE-Saudi) for the general population.

Targeting Induced Local Lesions in the Wheat and Genes, Responsible for Transcriptional Derepression of Wheat Gluten Proteins in the Developing Endosperm.

Wheat is a major source of energy and nutrition worldwide, but it is also a primary cause of frequent diet-induced health issues, specifically celiac disease, for which the only effective therapy so far is strict dietary abstinence from gluten-containing grains. Wheat gluten proteins are grouped into two major categories: high-molecular-weight glutenin subunits (HMWgs), vital for mixing and baking properties, and gliadins plus low-molecular-weight glutenin subunits (LMWgs) that contain the overwhelming majority of celiac-causing epitopes. We put forth a hypothesis that eliminating gliadins and LMWgs while retaining HMWgs might allow the development of reduced-immunogenicity wheat genotypes relevant to most gluten-sensitive individuals.

Proteomics Reveals the Changes that Contribute to Fusarium Head Blight Resistance in Wheat.

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a devastating disease of wheat, causing yield losses and quality reduction as a result of mycotoxin production. In this study, iTRAQ (isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification)-labeling-based mass spectrometry was employed to characterize the proteome in wheat cultivars Xinong 538 and Zhoumai 18 with contrasting levels of FHB resistance as a means to elucidate the molecular mechanisms contributing to FHB resistance. A total of 13,669 proteins were identified in the two cultivars 48 h after inoculation.

Comparison Of Positivity Of Tuberculin Skin Test With Diagnostic Bcg In Children Suffering From Tuberculosis.

Background: Tuberculosis is major public health problem in Pakistan and it is often unrecognized cause of morbidity and mortality in children living in endemic areas. Children with age less than 5 years, and especially those who are immune compromised, are at higher risk of developing tuberculosis following exposure. Tuberculosis in children is usually difficult to diagnose compare to adult patients due to its atypical presentation.

Congenital heart disease frequency in children undergoing MDCT angiography; a 4-year tertiary care hospital experience from Kabul, Afghanistan.

Objectives: Echocardiography and cardiac angiography are two main imaging modalities used for evaluating congenital heart diseases (CHDs). Evaluation of CHDs is now possible with Multidetector CT (MDCT) angiography in Afghanistan. To the best of researchers' knowledge, no published data is available on frequency of CHDs among children undergoing chest MDCT angiography in Afghanistan; hence, this study is first of its nature to be conducted in this context.

Biogenic synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles via Skimmia laureola and their antibacterial efficacy against bacterial wilt pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum.

Plant diseases are threat to global food security. The excessive use of agrochemicals is the leading cause of pesticides resistance and toxicity to beneficial life forms. The quest for innocuous and alternate antimicrobial agent is crucial in order to overcome the pathogen resistance and the birth of nanotech offers pledge to combat pathogenic organisms.

Demonstration of a Tritiated Nitroxide Nuclear Battery.

Unattended, compact, terrestrial and space sensors require sources that have high energy and power densities to continuously operate for 3 to 99 years depending on application. Currently, chemical sources cannot fully satisfy these applications, especially in solid state form. Betavoltaic (βV) nuclear batteries using β-emitting radioisotopes possess energy densities 1000 times greater than conventional chemical sources.

Beta particle transport and its impact on betavoltaic battery modeling.

Simulation of beta particle transport from a Ni-63 radioisotope in silicon using the Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) transport code for monoenergetic beta particle average energy, monoenergetic beta particle maximum energy, and the more precise full beta energy spectrum of Ni-63 were demonstrated. The beta particle penetration depth and the shape of the energy deposition varied significantly for different transport approaches. A penetration depth of 2.

Computed tomography features of supracardiac total anomalous pulmonary venous connection in an infant.

Total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC) is a rare congenital anomaly of the pulmonary veins drainage. In this entity, the pulmonary veins, instead of draining to left atrium, connect abnormally to the systemic venous circulation. A right-to-left shunt is obligatory for survival.

Visual and otologic manifestation of Camurati-Engelmann's disease: a case report.

Camurati-Engelmann's disease (CED) is a rare disorder worldwide with just over 200 cases reported. No case of CED has been reported in Afghanistan till date. Most patients of CED (also known as progressive diaphyseal dysplasia and oeteopathica hyperostotica multiplex infantalis) present with extremity pain, muscle weakness, and waddling gait.

Diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography in differentiating benign and malignant thyroid nodules using fine needle aspiration cytology as the reference standard.

Background: In Pakistan thyroid cancer is responsible for 1.2% cases of all malignant tumors. Ultrasonography (US) is helpful in detecting cancerous thyroid nodules on basis of different features like echogenicity, margins, microcalcifications, size, shape and abnormal neck lymph nodes.

Endovascular embolisation of visceral artery pseudoaneurysms.

Objective. To evaluate the technical success, safety, and outcome of endovascular embolization procedure in management of visceral artery pseudoaneurysms. Materials and Methods.

MDCT of Small Bowel Obstruction: How Reliable Are Oblique Reformatted Images in Localizing Point of Transition?

The goal of this study is to prospectively assess the additional value of oblique reformatted images for localizing POT, having surgery as a reference standard. Materials and Methods. 102 consecutive patients with suspected small bowel obstruction (SBO) underwent 64-slice multidetector row CT (MDCT) using surgical findings as reference standard.

Basic life support: a questionnaire survey to assess proficiency of radiologists and radiology residents in managing adult life support in cardiopulmonary arrest and acute anaphylactic reaction.

The aim of this paper is to assess proficiency of radiologists and radiology residents in managing adult life support in cardiopulmonary arrest and acute anaphylactic reaction.

Ovarian masses: is multi-detector computed tomography a reliable imaging modality?

Background: Ovarian cancer continues to pose a major challenge to physicians and radiologists. It is the third most common gynecologic malignancy and estimated to be fifth leading cancer cause of death in women, constituting 23% of all gynecological malignancies. Multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) appears to offer an excellent modality in diagnosing ovarian cancer based on combination of its availability, meticulous technique, efficacy and familiarity of radiologists and physicians.

Accuracy of CT cerebral perfusion in predicting infarct in the emergency department: lesion characterization on CT perfusion based on commercially available software.

This study aims to assess the diagnostic accuracy of a single vendor commercially available CT perfusion (CTP) software in predicting stroke. A retrospective analysis on patients presenting with stroke-like symptoms within 6 h with CTP and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) was performed. Lesion maps, which overlays areas of computer-detected abnormally elevated mean transit time (MTT) and decreased cerebral blood volume (CBV), were assessed from a commercially available software package and compared to qualitative interpretation of color maps.

Jejunoduodenogastric intussusception secondary to percutaneous gastrostomy tube in an adult patient.

Intussusception is the most common abdominal emergency in early childhood, but it is rare entity in adults. Jejenoduodenogastric intussusception is an exceedingly rare retrograde small-bowel intussusception. Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) has become the preferred procedure for establishing enteral feeding in most clinical situations.

Goldston syndrome.

Goldston syndrome is a rare entity describing the association of polycystic kidneys and Dandy Walker malformation with or without hepatic fibrosis. A 28 years old pregnant woman came to radiology department for the first antenatal scan. Ultrasound showed a single fetus corresponding to 27 week of gestation.

Calcified pulmonary thromboembolism in a child with sickle cell disease: value of multidetector CT in patients with acute chest syndrome.

The incidence of pulmonary embolism in children is not clearly known, but is believed to be low. Risk factors for pulmonary thromboembolism include central venous catheter, malignancy, surgery, infection, trauma, and congenital hypercoagulable disorders. Children with sickle cell disease are prothrombotic and are at an increased risk of thromboembolism.