Evaluation of diffusion tensor imaging changes and neurocognitive effects of asymptomatic vitamin B12 deficiency

Vitamin B12 plays an important role in the mechanisms which are responsible for myelinization in the central nervous system. It can particularly lead to hematological and neuropsychiatric symptoms when serum levels fall due to insufficient intake with diet or absorption problems. The purpose of this study was to show the cognitive effects in vitamin B12 deficiency cases that have not reached clinical symptom level using neuropsychological tests, and to show possible cerebral neuronal damage using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) method. A total of 62 asymptomatic vitamin B12 deficiency patients and 40 healthy subjects were included in the study and both groups were subjected to Standardized Mini-Mental State Examination, Montreal Cognitive Assessment Test, Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, forward and backward digit span (WMS-R forward and backward), Visual Reproduction Subtest (WMS-III), Category Fluency Test, Trail Making (Trail A-B) (21) and Similarities (BENZ) tests. DTI examinations were performed on both groups. Patient group was determined to get lower scores in all neuropsychological tests compared to control group. In DTI examination, a significant decrease in FA values of bilateral hippocampus and a prominent increase in apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were determined in the patient group compared to control group. In this study, it was determined that there was microstructural damage in the brain in the presence of vitamin B12 deficiency even in the asymptomatic period, and the patients revealed cognitive decline. In accordance with this result, early treatment of the easily diagnosed and treated vitamin B12 deficiency may prevent possible irreversible damage in the future.     

Cancer antigen 125 levels in inflammatory bowel diseases

Background: Cancer antigen 125 (CA‐125) is a tumor marker used for the diagnosis and monitoring of ovarian carcinoma. It can also be elevated in endometriosis, inflammations, and in nongynecological malignancies. Up to date, serum CA‐125 levels in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) have not been studied before. Aim: To assess the levels of CA‐125 in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). Methods: Serum levels of CA‐125 were investigated in 68 cases with UC (male/female: 47/21), 32 CD (male/female: 21/11), and 31 healthy controls (male/female: 16/15). Levels of CA‐125 were also compared among UC patients according to lesion location, severity, and activity of CD. Results: Serum CA‐125 levels were 17.29±24.50 U/ml, 15.56±20.74 U/ml, and 8.85±2.62 U/ml in patients with UC, CD, and healthy controls, respectively. Serum CA‐125 levels were significantly higher in UC compared to control group (P=0.001). Serum CA‐125 levels were higher in CD patients compared to control group but there was no significance (P=0.087). Serum CA‐125 levels were higher in pancolitis compared to distal type and left‐sided UC. Conclusions: Our data suggest that serum CA‐125 levels may be increased in patients with IBDs. J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 23:244–248, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Role of <Emphasis Type="Italic">PPARG</Emphasis> (Pro12Ala) in Malaysian type 2 diabetes mellitus patients

Diabetes is one of the major lifestyle disorders in the world. Asian countries, including Malaysia, contribute with more than 60 % of the world’s diabetic population. The single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARG) have been identified as one of the key regulators of glucose and lipid metabolism that controls the protein synthesis in multiple metabolic, biochemical, and molecular pathways. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible role of PPARG (Pro12Ala) gene polymorphism as a genetic risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients in Malaysian population. A total of 241 subjects between the age of 35 and 85 years were recruited in this study. Out of the total 241 subjects, 120 were T2DM patients and 121 were healthy individuals. SNP of PPARG (Pro12Ala) was determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs). The frequencies of wild homozygote (WH), heterozygote (H), and mutant homozygote (MH) among the T2DM patients were (n?=?73) 60.8 %, (n?=?39) 32.5 %, and (n?=?3) 2.5 % compared to (n?=?57) 47 %, (n?=?46) 38 %, and (n?=?16) 13.2 % among the healthy subjects. The mean of Hba1C (%) among normal and diabetic patients with genotypes were different (5.36?±?0.54 vs 7.58?±?1.76), p?<?0.005. SNP of PPARG (Pro12Ala) gene could be a genetic risk factor for insulin resistance and T2DM among Malaysian population.     

Production of green biofuel by using a goat manure supported Ni–Al hydrotalcite catalysed deoxygenation process

The high oxygen content in natural biomass resources, such as vegetable oil or biomass-pyrolysed bio oil, is the main constraint in their implementation as a full-scale biofuel for the automotive industry. In the present study, renewable fuel with petrodiesel-like properties was produced via catalytic deoxygenation of oleic acid in the absence of hydrogen (H₂). The deoxygenation pathway of oleic acid to bio-hydrocarbon involves decarboxylation/decarbonylation of the oxygen content from the fatty acid structure in the form of carbon dioxide (CO₂)/carbon monoxide (CO), with the presence of a goat manure supported Ni–Al hydrotalcite (Gm/Ni–Al) catalyst. Goat manure is an abundant bio-waste, containing a high mineral content, urea as well as cellulosic fiber of plants, which is potentially converted into activated carbon. Synthesis of Gm/Ni–Al was carried out by incorporation of pre-activated goat manure (GmA) during co-precipitation of Ni–Al catalyst with 1 : 3, 1 : 1 and 3 : 1 ratios. The physico-chemical properties of the catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), Brunauer–Emmet–Teller (BET) surface area, field emission surface electron microscopy (FESEM) and temperature program desorption ammonia (TPD-NH₃) analysers. The catalytic deoxygenation reaction was performed in a batch reactor and the product obtained was characterized by using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GCMS) for compound composition identification as well as gas chromatography-flame ionisation detector (GC-FID) for yield and selectivity determination. The optimization and evaluation were executed using response surface methodology (RSM) in conjunction with central composite design (CCD) with 5-level-3-factors. From the RSM reaction model, it was found that the Gm/Ni–Al 1 : 1 catalysed deoxygenation reaction gives the optimum product yield of 97.9% of hydrocarbon in the range of C₈–C₂₀, with diesel selectivity (C₁₇: heptadecane and heptadecene compounds) of 63.7% at the optimal reaction conditions of: (1) reaction temperature: 327.14 °C, (2) reaction time: 1 h, and (3) catalyst amount: 5 wt%.

Deoxygenation pathway of oleic acid to bio-hydrocarbon involves decarboxylation/decarbonylation of oxygen content from fatty acid structure in the form of carbon dioxide (CO₂)/carbon monoxide (CO), respectively, with the presence of goat manure supported Ni–Al hydrotalcite (Gm/Ni–Al) catalyst.     

The trivest in overreaching syndrome: cardiac fatigue, muscular weakness, and vascular dysfunction

Although the underlying mechanisms responsible for cardiac dysfunction after prolonged exercise remains to be elucidated, it has reported cardiac deterioration following exhaustive exercise in the absence of underlying cardiovascular diseases, which has been attributed to cardiac fatigue. The objective of this study was to evaluate cardiac functions, exercise capacity, and flow-mediated dilatation in overreaching syndrome. We studied 13 male marathon runners who took part in a marathon. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing, transthoracic echocardiography and endothelium-dependent vasodilatation of the brachial artery were performed at before- and after-race. Peak oxygen consumption, left ventricular tissue Doppler imaging parameters and flow-mediated dilatation were decreased after-race values compared with before-race values. Overreaching syndrome could arise involves a physio-pathological trivest, cardio-vasculo-muscular axis, which include three vicious cycles.     

A new quantitative measurement for surgical needle ductility

Because surgical needle ductility is such an important factor in the selection of surgical needles, a new curved needle ductility test instrument was devised to measure the ductility of needles from three commercial manufacturers. The superior ductility of needles made by one manufacturer was related to the specific alloy, stainless steel ASTM 45500, used in their production. The ASTM 45500 stainless steel has a significantly greater tensile and yield strength than the other stainless steel alloys, accounting for its superior ductility.