Cerebrovascular reactivity after functional activation of the Brain using Photic Stimulation in Migraine and Tension Type Headache: a transcranial doppler Ultrasonography Study.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies in headache patients measured the cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) in response to photic stimulation but they have yielded contradictory results. The purpose of study was to measure CVR of both migraine and chronic tension headache (TTH) patients in response to photic stimulation. METHODS: The study included 37 migraineurs and 24 chronic TTH patients compared with 50 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers. Peak systolic, end diastolic, mean flow velocities and CVR (PSV, EDV, MFV, and CVR) were measured using TCD ultrasonography of the middle, anterior, posterior cerebral and vertebral arteries (MCA, ACA, PCA, and VA) before and after 100 s of 14 Hz photic stimulation. RESULTS: A three-way repeated measures ANOVA interaction with main factors of Vessels (MCA, ACA, PCA, VA), Time (pre-post photic) and Groups (migraine, TTH, and control group) revealed significant 3-way interactions for measures of PSV (P = 0.012) and MFV (P = 0.043). In the migraine patients there was significantly higher PSV, EDV, and MFV in the MCA, ACA, and PCA after photic stimulation compared with baseline. The CVR of the MCA was also significantly higher in migraineurs than controls. In the TTH group, there was significantly higher PSV, EDV, and MFV (P = 0.003, 0.012, 0.002 respectively) in the VA after photic stimulation than at baseline. The CVR was significantly higher in the VA of TTH patients than controls. CONCLUSION: Compared with controls after photic stimulation, the higher CVR of the MCA in migraineurs and of the VA in TTH patients could be used as diagnostic tool to differentiate between the two types of headaches.

Cerebrovascular function in tension-type headache and migraine with or without aura: Transcranial Doppler study.

The aim of the current study was to determine whether tension-type headache (TTH) and migraine with or without aura have altered anterior and posterior circulation compared with normal volunteers as assessed by Transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasonography. The study included 24 patients with chronic TTH and 37 patients with migraine (16 with aura and 21 without aura) classified according to the diagnostic criteria of the International Headache Society 2018. They were compared with a control group of 50 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers. Each participant was examined with TCD ultrasonography of the middle, anterior and posterior cerebral and vertebral arteries (MCA, ACA, PCA, and VA) at rest. Patients in the TTH group had a significantly lower peak systolic velocity (PSV) and mean flow velocity (MFV) in the MCA compared with controls, whereas EDV and MFV in the ACA were significantly higher in the migraine without aura group than controls. Within the 3 groups of patients, the TTH group had significantly lower PSV in the MCA and PCA than the group of migraine with aura. In addition, the TTH group had significantly lower PSV and MFV in the MCA and a lower EDV in the VA than migraine patients without aura. In conclusion, the possibility of cerebrovascular changes is confirmed in the present study in both TTH and migraine without aura. The former has a low MFV in the MCA whereas the latter has a high MFV in the ACA.

Physiological Studies and Ultrastructure of Vigna sinensis L. and Helianthus annuus L. under Varying Levels of Nitrogen Supply.

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of different nitrogen fertilizers (potassium nitrate and/or urea) on shoot parameters, relative growth rate, net assimilation rate, and nitrogen fractions, as well as to conduct transmission electron microscopy, of Vigna sinensis L. (cowpea) and Helianthus annuus L. (sunflower) leaves. A general improvement was recorded in the shoot parameters of the two plants, except for a decrease in the net assimilation rate by treatment of the two plants with 100% potassium nitrate plus 100% urea. The total nitrogen, insoluble protein, and total soluble nitrogen generally decreased in cowpea shoots from the treatments but increased in case of cowpea roots and sunflower shoots and roots. The examination of the ultrastructure changes in cowpea leaves confirmed the presence of two starch granules (in response to 100% potassium nitrate, 100% potassium nitrate plus 100% urea, and the control) and three granules (in response to 50% potassium nitrate plus 50% urea) and the disappearance of the starch granules (in response to 100% urea). Despite the starch granules not being detected in the leaves of the untreated sunflower, the treated plant showed the appearance of the highest number after treatment with 50% potassium nitrate plus 50% urea (2) and the most cell size with the 100% potassium nitrate treatment. Generally, our findings demonstrated that fertilization with 50% potassium nitrate plus 50% urea has the best influence on the growth parameters and nitrogen content in the two plants, but the magnitude of response was more pronounced in case of cowpea plants.

Eccentric Compressive Behavior of Round-Ended Rectangular Concrete-Filled Steel Tubes with Different Central Angles.

The application of round-ended rectangular concrete-filled steel tubes (RRCFSTs) in high-rise buildings or bridge structures is increasing, improving structural performance and meeting aesthetic requirements. Researching this novel steel-concrete composite helps to fully utilize the properties of the materials. In this study, 15 specimens were tested for analysis of the behaviors of RRCFSTs with different central angles under eccentric compression. Influences of central angles of round ends (θ), aspect ratios of rectangular parts (κ), steel strength and the eccentric ratio on failure modes, material utilization, confinement effect and eccentric bearing capacity are studied. Besides, the mechanism of confinement effects of steel tubes with different θ values was evaluated with the finite element method (FEM). The results show that local buckling usually occurs at the compression zone. When θ gradually changes from 0° to 180°, the local buckling position of straight steel plate changes from mid-length to both ends of the columns. Additionally, the interfacial stress between steel tube and concrete at round ends rises, but that at the corner, it decreases continuously, which results in an improved overall confinement effect and increased material utilization. In contrast, a larger κ leads to lower material efficiency because of the reduced overall confinement effect. The increases in both θ and κ enlarge the cross-sectional area and the eccentric ultimate bearing capacity, whereas θ has a better influence on the ductility than κ. A feasible simplified calculating approach for the eccentric ultimate bearing capacity of RRCFSTs is presented and validated.

Production and Optimization of Hyaluronic Acid Extracted from Streptococcus thermophilus Isolates.

Biopolymers, particularly exopolysaccharides produced by microorganisms such as bacteria, yeasts, and algae, have gained popularity in recent years due to their physical, chemical, and functional properties that are widely useful in food, industrial, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical systems. Hyaluronic acid is one type of these polysaccharide. This study investigated the optimal conditions for producing hyaluronic acid from the Streptococcus thermophilus bacterial strain. The isolated Streptococcus thermophilus were cultured on MRS broth, Skim milk, and M17 broth with an addition of 1% lactose. The diagnosed bacterial strains were grown in 100 ml of culture media, placed in volumetric flasks of 250 ml capacity, and incubated at 42˚C for 24 hours, pH 6.8, inoculum volume 1%, and a vibrating incubator at 150 rpm. After the end of the fermentation period, the isolation and purification of HA have performed accordingly: proteins were removed using 1% trichloroacetic acid (TCA), and HA in the supernatant was collected by isopropanol precipitation. The collected HA was dialyzed against ultrapure water and lyophilized. The amount of acid produced was estimated. The results show that the best production of hyaluronic acid was from the S. thermophilus bacterial strain grown on the alternative medium containing whey at a ratio of 450 ml/L and 7.5 g/L yeast extract at 40 ˚C, with a 3% of inoculum volume and 102×108 colony-forming units/ml of bacterial cells, in pH 6.8 and agitation speed of 150 rpm for 18 h, which had the most significant effect on the fermentation process and gave the highest value of HA production of 0.598 g/L and biomass of 6.08 g/L. These results showed the best production method for HA to achieve maximal production yelled.

Selective cation and anion guest binding in host selenazamacrocycles.

We report selenazamacrocycle hosts that are the first system to change guest binding affinity from cation to anion depending upon macrocycle oxidation/reduction. Selective cation (Fe2+) or anion (BF4-) binding occurs with both ions present and under identical reaction conditions. We also report the first macrocyclic complex with a Fe-Se bond.

Enhanced Recovery Open vs Laparoscopic Left Donor Nephrectomy: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare recovery outcomes between laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN) and open donor nephrectomy within a specified enhanced recovery program (ERP) for left kidney donations. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A phase III randomized trial was conducted between January 2013 and June 2015; eligible left-side donors were randomized to laparoscopic or open donor nephrectomy in a 1:1 ratio with recovery optimized within a standardized ERP. The primary outcome was patient-reported measure of physical fatigue, as measured by the physical fatigue domain of the translated Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory 20. Secondary outcomes included other donor recovery outcomes, postoperative pain scores, hospital stay, perioperative complications, and graft outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 224 donors (laparoscopy, n = 113; open surgery, n = 111) were randomly allocated. Six weeks postoperatively, physical fatigue domain scores in Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory 20 were significantly lower in the LDN group (mean: laparoscopy, 8.2 ± 3.2 vs open surgery, 13.05 ± 2.9) (P = .007). Median total hospital stay was also significantly shorter in the LDN group (median: laparoscopy, 2; interquartile range, 1-5 vs open surgery, 4; interquartile range, 2-9 days) (P = .002). LDN was associated with less pain scores and less non-opioid analgesic requirements. Warm ischemia times were not significantly different in both groups (mean: laparoscopy, 2.5 ± 0.8 vs open surgery, 2.2 ± 0.6) (P = .431). CONCLUSION: Even when optimized within an ERP, LDN was associated with less general and physical fatigue and better physical function at 6 weeks postoperatively when compared with open surgery for left kidney donations.

Yellow Fever outbreak in Darfur, Sudan in October 2012; the initial outbreak investigation report.

INTRODUCTION: Sudan is subject to repeated outbreaks, including Viral Hemorrhagic Fever (VHF), which is considered to be a very serious illness. Yellow Fever (YF) outbreaks in Sudan have been reported from the 1940s through 2005. In 2012, a new outbreak of YF occurred in the Darfur region. OBJECTIVE: To identify the potential for an outbreak, to diagnose the disease and to be able to recognize its cause among the initial reported cases. METHODOLOGY: >This is a descriptive and investigative field study that applies standard communicable disease outbreak investigation steps. The study involved clinical, serological, entomological and environmental surveys. RESULTS: The field investigation confirmed the outbreak and identified its cause to be YF. CONCLUSION: National surveillance systems should be strong enough to detect VHFs in a timely manner. Local health facilities should be prepared to promptly treat the initial cases because the case fatality ratios (CFRs) are usually very high among the index cases.