Association between Lipoprotein(a) concentration and adverse cardiac events in patients with coronary artery disease: An observational cohort study.

This prospective study investigated the association between lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] levels and adverse cardiac events in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for coronary artery disease. Among 600 patients, 79.16 % were male. Kaplan Meier analysis revealed significantly higher incidence rates of cardiac death, major adverse cardiac events, myocardial infarction, revascularization and stroke in patients with elevated Lp(a) (≥30 mg/dL). The Cox Regression model identified Lp(a) ≥30 mg/dL as a significant risk factor for adverse events (HR: 4.2920; 95%CI: 2.58-7.120; p < 0.05). Elevated Lp(a) levels were associated with an increased risk of adverse cardiac events in coronary artery disease patients undergoing PCI.

Protective Effects of Triphala on Dermal Fibroblasts and Human Keratinocytes.

Human skin is body's vital organ constantly exposed to abiotic oxidative stress. This can have deleterious effects on skin such as darkening, skin damage, and aging. Plant-derived products having skin-protective effects are well-known traditionally. Triphala, a formulation of three fruit products, is one of the most important rasayana drugs used in Ayurveda. Several skin care products based on Triphala are available that claim its protective effects on facial skin. However, the skin protective effects of Triphala extract (TE) and its mechanistic action on skin cells have not been elucidated in vitro. Gallic acid, ellagic acid, and chebulinic acid were deduced by LC-MS as the major constituents of TE. The identified key compounds were docked with skin-related proteins to predict their binding affinity. The IC50 values for TE on human dermal fibroblasts (HDF) and human keratinocytes (HaCaT) were 204.90 ± 7.6 and 239.13 ± 4.3 µg/mL respectively. The antioxidant capacity of TE was 481.33 ± 1.5 mM Trolox equivalents in HaCaT cells. Triphala extract inhibited hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) induced RBC haemolysis (IC50 64.95 µg/mL), nitric oxide production by 48.62 ± 2.2%, and showed high reducing power activity. TE also rescued HDF from H2O2-induced damage; inhibited H2O2 induced cellular senescence and protected HDF from DNA damage. TE increased collagen-I, involucrin and filaggrin synthesis by 70.72 ± 2.3%, 67.61 ± 2.1% and 51.91 ± 3.5% in HDF or HaCaT cells respectively. TE also exhibited anti-tyrosinase and melanin inhibition properties in a dose-dependent manner. TE increased the mRNA expression of collagen-I, elastin, superoxide dismutase (SOD-2), aquaporin-3 (AQP-3), filaggrin, involucrin, transglutaminase in HDF or HaCaT cells, and decreased the mRNA levels of tyrosinase in B16F10 cells. Thus, Triphala exhibits protective benefits on skin cells in vitro and can be used as a potential ingredient in skin care formulations.

Introgression molecular analysis of a leaf rust resistance gene from Coffea liberica into C. arabica L.

Leaf rust caused by the fungus Hemileia vastatrix is the most devastating disease of arabica coffee ( Coffea arabica). Therefore, developing leaf rust-resistant varieties has been a breeding objective of the highest priority in many countries. The purpose of the present work was to gain insight into the mechanism of introgression into C. arabica of a leaf rust resistance gene from C. liberica (i.e. S(H)3 resistance factor) and to identify associated molecular markers. An F(2) progeny (i.e. 101 individuals) derived from a cross between Matari, an arabica accession and liberica-introgressed line S.288, was evaluated for resistance against three different races of H. vastatrix. The progeny segregated for the S(H)3 gene in a 3:1 ratio, as expected for a single dominant gene. Amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis of a population subset using 80 different primer combinations revealed that at least half of the total polymorphism observed in the population is associated with introgression of C. liberica chromosome fragments. Furthermore, 15 primer combinations generating candidate marker bands associated with the S(H)3 resistance gene were used to analyse the whole F(2) population. A total of 34 marker bands originating from S.288 and attributable to introgression were scored. None exhibited segregation distortion. Linkage analysis revealed only three distinct introgressed fragments corresponding to a total length of 52.8 cM. Twenty-one markers were strongly associated (LOD score >14) with the S(H)3 gene and were grouped together in a single linkage group of 6.3 cM. The results are discussed in relation to the efficient use of genetic resources in arabica breeding.

Genetic linkage map of Coffea canephora: effect of segregation distortion and analysis of recombination rate in male and female meioses.

Two complementary segregating plant populations of Coffea canephora were produced from the same clone. One population (DH) comprised 92 doubled haploids derived from female gametes, while the other population (TC) was a test cross consisting of 44 individuals derived from male gametes. Based on the DH population, a genetic linkage map comprising 160 loci was constructed. Eleven linkage groups that putatively correspond to the 11 gametic chromosomes of C. canephora were identified. The mapped loci included more than 40 specific sequence-tagged site markers, either single-copy RFLP probes or microsatellites, that could serve as standard landmarks in coffee-genome analyses. Furthermore, comparisons for segregation distortion and recombination frequency between the two populations were performed. Although segregation distortions were observed in both populations, the frequency of loci exhibiting a very pronounced degree of distortion was especially high in the DH population. This observation is consistent with the hypothesis of strong zygotic selection among the DH population. The recombination frequencies in both populations were found to be almost indistinguishable. These results offer evidence in favour of the lack of significant sex differences in recombination in C. canephora.

Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of Ophthacare brand, an herbal eye drops.

In the present study, the herbal preparation of Ophthacare brand eye drops was investigated for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity, using in vivo and in vitro experimental models. Ophthacare brand eye drops exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity in turpentine liniment-induced ocular inflammation in rabbits. The preparation dose-dependently inhibited ferric chloride-induced lipid peroxidation in vitro and also showed significant antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus and antifungal activity against Candida albicans. All these findings suggest that Ophthacare brand eye drops can be used in the treatment of various ophthalmic disorders.

Chilaiditi syndrome with hypertension.

Chilaiditi syndrome is interposition of the intestine between liver and diaphragm. It is often asymptomatic but there were cases presented as acute pain in the abdomen, needing corrective surgical procedure; or as mistaken renal colic, or as suspected subphrenic abscess, or as pneumoperitonium. The interposition of proximal transverse colon was found to be more common than the small intestine. Chilaiditi syndrome was associated with colonic volvulus. The colonic interposition then progressed from mild abdominal discomfort to intermittent bowel obstruction. Some patients needed surgical operation like hepatic extraperitonealization, after replacement of the dislocated gastroenteric tract, bringing the superior surface of the liver again into direct contact with the related diaphragmatic dome. A rare case of Chilaiditi syndrome incidentally associated with hypertension and ischaemic heart disease, in a male aged 50 years is reported.

Non-invasive diagnosis of a free-floating left atrial thrombus with emphasis on two-dimensional echocardiographic features.

Two-dimensional echocardiography permitted identification of a large free-floating left atrial thrombus in a patient with mitral stenosis. A specific pattern of motion afforded its recognition and differentiation from mural left atrial thrombosis and tumors. Phonocardiographic tracings revealed a non-ejection systolic click and opening snap. A gated blood pool scintigram disclosed a left atrial filling defect. Subsequent left atrial angiography and left atriotomy confirmed the non-invasive findings.

Postoperative supraventricular arrhythmias and the role of prophylactic digoxin in cardiac surgery.

A prospective study of 182 patients undergoing cardiac surgery was performed. The patients were divided into three groups. Group I consisted of 83 patients who had never been treated with digitalis. Group II comprised 59 patients who were taking digoxin before operation and had medication discontinued 24 to 48 hours prior to surgery; they did not receive maintenance digoxin in the postoperative periods. Group III was made up of 40 patients who were given prophylactic digoxin in the perioperative period; none had taken digoxin before. Sixty of 83 group I patients (72%) and two of the group III patients (5%) developed postoperative supraventricular tachyarrhythmia. Digoxin was reinstituted in 56 of group II patients (95%) for supraventricular arrhythmia and/or heart failure. Of the various factors evaluated, only valvular surgery and ECG evidence of myocardial infarction were associated with postoperative supraventricular tachyarrhythmias.