Solitions in magneto-optic waveguides with anti-cubic nonlinearity.

Optical soliton solutions are recovered for magneto-optic waveguides that maintains anti-cubic form of nonlinear refractive index. The analytical scheme is Jacobi's elliptic function approach. Once the solutions to the governing model are obtained in terms of Jacobi's elliptic functions, the limiting value to it's modulus of ellipticity reveals the complete spectrum of soliton solutions.

Factors associated with amputation among patients with diabetic foot ulcers in a Saudi population.

OBJECTIVES: A prospective study was conducted at the Armed Forces Hospital, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, between January 2015 and December 2016 to identify the risk factors associated with amputation among diabetic foot ulcers DFUs patients. RESULTS: In total, 82 patients were recruited. Fifty-five of the patients were males (67.07%), the mean (SD) age of the participants was 60 (± 11.4) years, the mean duration of diabetes was 8.5 (± 3.7) years, and the mean haemoglobin A1c was 4.8 (± 2.8)%. In Univariate analysis, older age and high white blood cell count (WBC) were factors associated with amputation (OR = 1.1, 95% CI = 1-1.1, P = 0.012; and OR = 383, 95% CI = 7.9-18,665, P = 0.003, respectively). On the other hand, an ischaemic ulcer was half as likely as a neuropathic ulcer to lead to amputation (OR = 0.5, 95% CI = 0.3-0.9, P = 0.036), and a higher Wagner's grade was found to be protective against amputation OR = 14.5, 95% CI = 4.3-49.4, P < 0.001. In conclusion, the current study showed that although a number of factors have been described to complicate diabetic ulcers by different researchers, none of those factors were identified in our study apart from older age and high WBC.

Transferrin Saturation: A Body Iron Biomarker.

Iron is an essential element for several metabolic pathways and physiological processes. The maintenance of iron homeostasis within the human body requires a dynamic and highly sophisticated interplay of several proteins, as states of iron deficiency or excess are both potentially deleterious to health. Among these is plasma transferrin, which is central to iron metabolism not only through iron transport between body tissues in a soluble nontoxic form but also through its protective scavenger role in sequestering free toxic iron. The transferrin saturation (TSAT), an index that takes into account both plasma iron and its main transport protein, is considered an important biochemical marker of body iron status. Its increasing use in many health systems is due to the increased availability of measurement methods, such as calorimetry, turbidimetry, nephelometry, and immunochemistry to estimate its value. However, despite its frequent use in clinical practice to detect states of iron deficiency or iron overload, careful attention should be paid to the inherent limitations of the test especially in certain settings such as inflammation in order to avoid misinterpretation and erroneous conclusions. Beyond its usual clinical use, an emerging body of evidence has linked TSAT levels to major clinical outcomes such as cardiovascular mortality. This has the potential to extend the utility of TSAT index to risk stratification and prognostication. However, most of the current evidence is mainly driven by observational studies where the risk of residual confounding cannot be fully eliminated. Indeed, future efforts are required to fully explore this capability in well-designed clinical trials or prospective large-scale cohorts.

Update on Clinical Trials in Dry Age-related Macular Degeneration.

This review article summarizes the most recent clinical trials for dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most common cause of vision loss in the elderly in developed countries. A literature search through websites https://www.pubmed.org and https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/, both accessed no later than November 04, 2015, was performed. We identified three Phase III clinical trials that were completed over the recent 5 years Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2), implantable miniature telescope and tandospirone, and several other trials targeting a variety of mechanisms including, oxidative stress, complement inhibition, visual cycle inhibition, retinal and choroidal blood flow, stem cells, gene therapy, and visual rehabilitation. To date, none of the biologically oriented therapies have resulted in improved vision. Vision improvement was reported with an implantable mini telescope. Stem cells therapy holds a potential for vision improvement. The AREDS2 formulas did not add any further reduced risk of progression to advanced AMD, compared to the original AREDS formula. Several recently discovered pathogenetic mechanisms in dry AMD have enabled development of new treatment strategies, and several of these have been tested in recent clinical trials and are currently being tested in ongoing trials. The rapid development and understanding of pathogenesis holds promise for the future.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of new nanosized aromatic polyamides containing amido- and sulfonamidopyrimidines pendant structures.

BACKGROUND: Antibiotics are biocides or products that inhibit the growth of microorganisms in the living cells and there are extensive works directed to develop efficient antimicrobial agents. The sulfonamide-containing polymers have great potential to resist gram-positive or gram-negative bacterial and fungal attacks. As a therapeutic agent, the sulfonamides have been reported as antitumor and antimicrobial agents against bacteria, being more potent against gram positive rather than gram negative strains. Design of new classes of inhibitors bearing fluorescent tails, as therapeutic and imaging agents, is currently an active area of research. Here, we describe the synthesis of a new family of polyamides based on chlorophenyl-3,5-diaminobenzamides, methyl substituted pyrimidinoamido-3,5-diamino- benzamides and methyl substituted pyrimidinosulfonamido-3,5-diaminobenzamides and evaluation of their thermal, optical and antimicrobial properties. RESULTS: We report the synthesis of a new series of nanosized polyamides containing bioactive pendent structures. The spherical nanosized polymer particles are soluble in many organic solvents and exhibited emissions ranging from blue to orange wavelength depending on the nature of the signaling unit. Pyrimidine- and p-chloroaromatic containing polymers exhibited higher bioactivity than that contain the sulfonamide group. The amidopyrimidine polymers exhibited remarkable antifungal and antibacterial activity and thus, these types of polymers are promising candidates for biomedical applications. CONCLUSIONS: The SEM analysis indicated that most of the polyamides were organized as well defined nano sized spheres, but in certain derivatives small amount of aggregated nanospheres were also observed. Thermal analyses were studied up to 700 °C and results showed comparable thermal behavior. The optical results revealed that polymeric series (A) exhibited orange emission, series (B) showed green emission while series (C) exhibited yellow and blue emissions. Benzene/pyridine structure interchange resulted in red shifted peaks attributed to the localized lone pair of electrons on a nitrogen atom which offer a greater electron affinity and better electron-transporting properties. The amido- and sulfonamide pyrimidine containing polymers exhibited the most potent antimicrobial activity. Relative to the reference Gentamicin, the polymer 54 exhibited comparable antibacterial activity against gram negative bacteria. Analogues 52 and 57 exhibited remarkable antibacterial activities compared to the references used. Thus, these polyamides are likely to be promising broad spectrum antibacterial agents and deserve further investigation at the molecular level.Graphical abstract:The synthesis and characterization of a new series of nanosized polyamides containing chloroaromatic (A), pyrimidinoamido- (B) and pyrimidosulfonamido- (C) pendent structures as promising candidates for biomedical applications is described.

Fish oil omega-3 fatty acids reduce the severity of radiation-induced oxidative stress in the rat brain.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the modulator role of fish oil (FO) on some biochemical changes in the brain of gamma-irradiated rats (RAD). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Male albino rats Sprague Dawley were divided into four groups (n = 10). (i) CONTROL: received vehicle via gavages during 28 days; (ii) FO: received fish oil (400 mg/kg/day) via gavages during 28 days; (iii) RAD: received vehicle for 7 days before whole body gamma-irradiation with 8 Gy given in four fractions each 7 days apart and continued during the irradiation period; and (iv) FO+ RAD: received FO for 7 days before exposure to the first dose of irradiation and FO treatment was continued during the irradiation period. Animals were sacrificed 24 hours post the last irradiation dose. RESULTS: A significant increase of malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein carbonyl (CO) content associated with a significant decrease of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities and glutathione (GSH) content were recorded in the brain of irradiated rats. Oxidative stress was accompanied by a significant decrease of eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) levels. Aspartic (Asp) and glutamic (Glu) acid levels were increased. Serotonin level showed a decrease associated with enhanced monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity and increased 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid (5-HIAA) level. FO treatment reduced the severity of radiation-induced oxidative stress, alteration of Asp and Glu levels and serotonin metabolism concomitant with increased EPA and DHA levels. CONCLUSION: FO attenuates the severity of radiation-induced biochemical disorders in the brain by counteracting the radiation-induced decrease of EPA and DHA. Further studies are needed concerning the long-term implications of our findings.

A matched case-control study of Triple negative vs. HER-2 positive (irrespective of hormonal status) breast cancer: two subtypes with high risk features and poor outcome.

Genetic profile studies of breast cancer identified a number of biologically different subtypes. These genetic subtypes are often surrogated by estrogen receptors (ER), progesterone receptors (PR) and HER2 status as measured by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Triple negative (TN) subtype is recognized to have high risk features and poor outcome. Over expression of the HER2 is also recognized as a poor outcome marker. The characteristics and outcome of HER2 positive tumours (irrespective of hormonal status) (HER2 HR+/-) identified by IHC have not addressed in the era of surrogate genetic subtyping. Therefore, we retrospectively compared the risk features and clinical outcome of patients with TN against these with HER2 HR+/- tumours.

S.T.E.P.S.: a comprehensive program for controlling and monitoring access to thalidomide.

In July 1998, the US Food and Drug Administration approved the marketing of thalidomide for the treatment of cutaneous manifestations of erythema nodosum leprosum. To ensure that fetal exposure to this teratogenic agent does not occur, the manufacturer has instituted a comprehensive program to control prescribing, dispensing, and use of the drug. This program, known as the System for Thalidomide Education and Prescribing Safety (S.T.E.P.S. [Celgene Corporation, Warren, New Jersey]), is based in part on experience gained with other drugs--specifically isotretinoin and clozapine--that offer important clinical benefits but carry the potential for serious harm. To achieve its goal of the lowest possible incidence of drug-associated teratogenicity, the S.T.E.P.S. program uses a three-pronged approach: (1) controlling access to the drug; (2) educating prescribers, pharmacists, and patients; and (3) monitoring compliance. Clinicians who wish to prescribe thalidomide must be registered in the S.T.E.P.S. Prescriber Registry and agree to prescribe the drug in accordance with S.T.E.P.S. patient eligibility criteria and monitoring procedures. Pharmacies must also register and agree to comply with patient identification and monitoring criteria. Finally, patients receive visual aids, including a videotape, written material, and verbal counseling about the benefits and risks of thalidomide therapy, the importance of not becoming pregnant during therapy, and the types of contraception required (including emergency contraception) and their availability. Women of childbearing potential must agree to undergo pregnancy testing before starting therapy and on a regular schedule during therapy. All patients must agree to complete a confidential survey about their compliance with contraception, testing, and drug therapy. The manufacturer is monitoring survey results and outcome data and is prepared to make whatever modifications to the S.T.E.P.S. program are necessary to ensure its effectiveness. In addition to minimizing the potential risk for fetal harm associated with thalidomide therapy, the S.T.E.P.S. program may provide a model for future cases in which a drug offers compelling benefits but poses profound risks unless its distribution is carefully controlled.