Oxidative stress-related liver dysfunction by sodium arsenite: Alleviation by Pistacia lentiscus oil.

CONTEXT: Pistacia lentiscus L. (Anacardiaceae) is an evergreen shrub widely distributed throughout the Mediterranean region. Pistacia lentiscus oil (PLo) was particularly known in North African traditional medicine. Thus, people of these regions have used it externally to treat sore throats, burns and wounds, as well as they employed it internally for respiratory allergies. PLo is rich in essential fatty acids, vitamin E and polyphenols. As a very active site of metabolism, liver is reported to be susceptible to arsenic (As) intoxication. OBJECTIVE: The present study evaluates the protective effect of PLo against sodium arsenite-induced hepatic dysfunction and oxidative stress in experimental Wistar rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-eight rats were equally divided into four groups; the first served as a control, the remaining groups were respectively treated with PLo (3.3 mL/kg body weight), sodium arsenite (5.55 mg/kg body weight) and a combination of sodium arsenite and PLo. After 21 consecutive days, cellular functions were evaluated by hematological, biochemical and oxidative stress markers. RESULTS: A significant decrease in the levels of red blood cells, haemoglobin (p ≤ 0.001), hematocrit (p ≤ 0.001), reduced glutathione and metallothionein (p ≤ 0.05) associated with a significant increase of malondialdehyde (p ≤ 0.001) were noticed in the arsenic-exposed group when compared to the control. The As-treated group also exhibited an increase in hepatic antioxidant enzymes namely superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase (p ≤ 0.01) and catalase (p ≤ 0.05). However, the co-administration of PLo has relatively reduced arsenic effect. CONCLUSION: The results showed that arsenic intoxication disturbed the liver pro-oxidant/antioxidant status. PLo co-administration mitigates arsenic-induced oxidative damage in rat.

Predictive factors of catch-up growth in term, small for gestational age infants: a two-year prospective observational study in Algeria.

OBJECTIVES: Most small for gestational age (SGA) infants show catch-up growth but the minority who do not may benefit from growth-promoting treatment. We determined the prevalence of, and risk factors for, failure to show catch-up growth in term SGA infants. METHODS: Prospective observational study of infants born at 37-42 weeks gestation between December 2012 and March 2014 with birth weight <10th percentile. Length, weight and head circumference were measured from birth to 2 years. RESULTS: Of 457 (3.9 %) term infants with SGA, 446 (97.6 %) were followed up until 2 years. At 24 months, supine length, weight and head circumference were ≥-2 standard deviation score (SDS) in 87.9 , 96.4 and 97.1 % subjects, with persistent short stature in 12.1 %. In a multivariate analysis, the independent predictors of failure to show catch-up growth at 24 months were: maternal height <150 cm, difference between mid-parental height and birth length of ≥2.2 SDS, height at 24 months <-2 SDS below mid-parental height SDS, history of SGA, ponderal index <3rd centile and duration of breast feeding <3 months. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides data concerning the epidemiology of SGA in Algeria and the factors associated with post-natal growth. Establishing which children remain short at 2 years has identified a cohort of patients requiring continuing follow up, with a view to instituting growth hormone therapy in selected cases. These results favour the setting up of an integrated national program to register SGA infants at birth, with re-evaluation at 2 years. (250 words).

Remote Screening for Atrial Fibrillation by a Federal Cardiac Monitoring System in Primary Care Patients in Russia: Results from the Prospective Interventional Multicenter FECAS-AFS Study.

Background: Screening for atrial fibrillation has the potential to significantly reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. However, questions in regard to how to screen, on whom to screen, and the optimal setting of screening remain unanswered. Objective: To assess the applicability of a federal cardiac monitoring for atrial fibrillation (AF) screening and remote heart rhythm monitoring in patients at high cardiovascular risk in a mixed urban and rural population in Russia. Methods: This is a prospective multicenter cohort study including 3249 individuals with high cardiovascular risk (mean age 56 ± 12.8 years) from the larger Moscow region who were screened for AF using a smartphone-case based single-lead ECG monitor over a period of 18 month. The endpoints were considered as number of newly diagnosed AF; mean time to diagnosis; number of patients for the first time assigned to anticoagulation therapy; frequency of adverse events. Results: A trial fibrillation was diagnosed in 126 patients, 36 of them for the first time. The mean time to diagnosis was 3 ± 2 days. Of 36 patients, the CHA2DS2-VASc score was ≥1 in 34 cases, ≥2 in 29 cases. Anticoagulant therapy was first induced in 31 patients. One death in newly diagnosed group and two deaths in chronic group were registered. There were a total of eight hospitalizations: one in newly diagnosed and seven in chronic AF patients. Conclusion: Our results indicate that a Federal AF screening system in patients at high cardiovascular risk by using a smartphone-case based single lead ECG which is supported by centrally located ECG specialist and central data management is feasible and reliable when performed in a mixed urban and rural area. Further studies are needed to evaluate the full potential of this approach.