Metronidazole-induced encephalopathy: a systematic review

Journal of Neurology - Metronidazole, a commonly used antibiotic drug, can cause adverse effects in the central nervous system termed metronidazole-induced encephalopathy, leading to diagnostic...     

Structure of Sr-substituted photosystem II at 2.1 ? resolution and its implications in the mechanism of water oxidation

Oxygen-evolving complex of photosystem II (PSII) is a tetra-manganese calcium penta-oxygenic cluster (Mn₄CaO₅) catalyzing light-induced water oxidation through several intermediate states (S-states) by a mechanism that is not fully understood. To elucidate the roles of Ca²⁺ in this cluster and the possible location of water substrates in this process, we crystallized Sr²⁺-substituted PSII from Thermosynechococcus vulcanus, analyzed its crystal structure at a resolution of 2.1 Å, and compared it with the 1.9 Å structure of native PSII. Our analysis showed that the position of Sr was moved toward the outside of the cubane structure of the Mn₄CaO₅-cluster relative to that of Ca²⁺, resulting in a general elongation of the bond distances between Sr and its surrounding atoms compared with the corresponding distances in the Ca-containing cluster. In particular, we identified an apparent elongation in the bond distance between Sr and one of the two terminal water ligands of Ca²⁺, W3, whereas that of the Sr-W4 distance was not much changed. This result may contribute to the decrease of oxygen evolution upon Sr²⁺-substitution, and suggests a weak binding and rather mobile nature of this particular water molecule (W3), which in turn implies the possible involvement of this water molecule as a substrate in the O-O bond formation. In addition, the PsbY subunit, which was absent in the 1.9 Å structure of native PSII, was found in the Sr-PSII structure.     

On admission hypomagnesemia in critically ill children: Risk factors and outcome

Objective  

To determine the frequency and associated risk factors of hypomagnesemia in pediatric intensive care unit on admission in a developing country.     

A Belief Rule Based Expert System to Assess Tuberculosis under Uncertainty

The primary diagnosis of Tuberculosis (TB) is usually carried out by looking at the various signs and symptoms of a patient. However, these signs and symptoms cannot be measured with 100 % certainty since they are associated with various types of uncertainties such as vagueness, imprecision, randomness, ignorance and incompleteness. Consequently, traditional primary diagnosis, based on these signs and symptoms, which is carried out by the physicians, cannot deliver reliable results. Therefore, this article presents the design, development and applications of a Belief Rule Based Expert System (BRBES) with the ability to handle various types of uncertainties to diagnose TB. The knowledge base of this system is constructed by taking experts’ suggestions and by analyzing historical data of TB patients. The experiments, carried out, by taking the data of 100 patients demonstrate that the BRBES’s generated results are more reliable than that of human expert as well as fuzzy rule based expert system.     

Practical tips and tricks for the measurement of fractional flow reserve

Coronary pressure measurement has emerged as one of the most promising tool to assist interventional cardiologist to make accurate clinical decisions. Fractional flow reserve (FFR) is a simple way of reliably assessing the functional consequences of coronary atherosclerosis. The training in FFR is easy, and coronary pressure measurements can be obtained swiftly in the catheterization laboratory. This review outlines the practical set up of FFR in the catheterization laboratory and also discusses the potential pitfalls in the measurement of FFR. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Prevalence and risk indicators of gingivitis and periodontitis in a Multi-Centre study in North Jordan: a cross sectional study

Background  

There are limited data about the epidemiology and risk factors/indicators of gingivitis, aggressive periodontitis (AgP) and chronic periodontitis (CP) in Jordan. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and risk indicators of gingivitis, AgP and CP.