Intermittent fasting during Ramadan: does it affect sleep?

Islamic intermittent fasting is distinct from regular voluntary or experimental fasting. We hypothesised that if a regimen of a fixed sleep–wake schedule and a fixed caloric intake is followed during intermittent fasting, the effects of fasting on sleep architecture and daytime sleepiness will be minimal. Therefore, we designed this study to objectively assess the effects of Islamic intermittent fasting on sleep architecture and daytime sleepiness. Eight healthy volunteers reported to the Sleep Disorders Centre on five occasions for polysomnography and multiple sleep latency tests: (1) during adaptation; (2) 3 weeks before Ramadan, after having performed Islamic fasting for 1 week (baseline fasting); (3) 1 week before Ramadan (non‐fasting baseline); (4) 2 weeks into Ramadan (Ramadan); and (5) 2 weeks after Ramadan (non‐fasting; Recovery). Daytime sleepiness was assessed using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and the multiple sleep latency test. The participants had a mean age of 26.6 ± 4.9 years, a body mass index of 23.7 ± 3.5 kg m^?2 and an Epworth Sleepiness Scale score of 7.3 ± 2.7. There was no change in weight or the Epworth Sleepiness Scale in the four study periods. The rapid eye movement sleep percentage was significantly lower during fasting. There was no difference in sleep latency, non‐rapid eye movement sleep percentage, arousal index and sleep efficiency. The multiple sleep latency test analysis revealed no difference in the sleep latency between the ‘non‐fasting baseline’, ‘baseline fasting’, ‘Ramadan’ and ‘Recovery’ time points. Under conditions of a fixed sleep–wake schedule and a fixed caloric intake, Islamic intermittent fasting results in decreased rapid eye movement sleep with no impact on other sleep stages, the arousal index or daytime sleepiness.     

A low molecular weight OLED material: 2-(4-((2-hydroxyethyl)(methyl)amino)benzylidene)malononitrile. Synthesis,crystal structure,thin film morphology,spectroscopic characterization and DFT calculations

2-(4-((2-Hydroxyethyl)(methyl)amino)benzylidene)malononitrile (HEMABM) was synthesized from 4-[hydroxymethyl(methyl)amino]benzaldehyde and propanedinitrile to obtain a low molecular weight fluorescent material with an efficient solid-state emission and electroluminescence properties comparable to the well-known poly(2-methoxy-5(2′-ethyl)hexoxyphenylenevinylene) (MEH-PPV). The HEMABM was used to prepare an organic light-emitting diode by a solution process. Despite the title compound being a small molecule, it showed optical properties and notable capacity to form a film with smooth morphology (10.81 nm) closer to that of polymer MEH-PPV (10.63 nm). The preparation of the device was by spin coating, the electrical properties such as threshold voltage were about 1.0 V for both HEMABM and MEH-PPV, and the luminance 1300 cd m⁻² for HEMABM and 2600 cd m⁻² for MEH-PPV. This low molecular weight compound was characterized by SCXRD, IR, NMR, and EI. Besides a quantitative analysis of the intermolecular interactions by PIXEL, density functional theory (DFT) calculations are reported.

A low molecular weight fluorescent malononitrile derivative showed an efficient solid-state emission and electroluminescence properties.     

Ten-year trends in the incidence,clinical profile and outcomes of acute-onset endophthalmitis following combined pars plana vitrectomy and sutureless,glueless and flapless scleral fixation of intraocular lenses

International Ophthalmology - To evaluate the frequency and outcomes of acute-onset endophthalmitis following combined pars plana vitrectomy and scleral fixation of intraocular lens. We evaluated...     

Influence of extremely low frequency magnetic fields on Ca2+ signaling and NMDA receptor functions in rat hippocampus

The nervous tissue of many vertebrates, including humans, can synthesize beta-alanyl-L-histidine (carnosine). The biological functions of carnosine are still open to question, although several theories supported by strong experimental data have been proposed. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of carnosine on neurotoxicity in differentiated rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells. Neurotoxicity was induced by N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), which caused time- and concentration-dependent cell death as measured by MTT and LDH assays. Pretreatment with carnosine significantly prevented the neurotoxicity in a concentration-dependent manner. The protective effect of carnosine was antagonized by the H1 receptor antagonist pyrilamine, but not by the H2 receptor antagonist cimetidine. In addition, alpha-fluoromethylhistidine, a histidine decarboxylase inhibitor, slightly reversed the protective action of carnosine. These results indicate that carnosine can effectively protect against NMDA-induced necrosis in PC12 cells, and its protection may in part be due to the activation of the postsynaptic histamine H1 receptor. The study suggests that carnosine may be an endogenous protective factor and calls for its further study as a new anti-excitotoxic agent.     

Effect of correcting for gestational age at birth on population prevalence of early childhood undernutrition

Background

Postmenstrual and/or gestational age-corrected age (CA) is required to apply child growth standards to children born preterm (< 37 weeks gestational age). Yet, CA is rarely used in epidemiologic studies in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), which may bias population estimates of childhood undernutrition. To evaluate the effect of accounting for GA in the application of growth standards, we used GA-specific standards at birth (INTERGROWTH-21st newborn size standards) in conjunction with CA for preterm-born children in the application of World Health Organization Child Growth Standards postnatally (referred to as ‘CA’ strategy) versus postnatal age for all children, to estimate mean length-for-age (LAZ) and weight-for-age (WAZ) z scores at 0, 3, 12, 24, and 48-months of age in the 2004 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort.

Results

At birth (n = 4066), mean LAZ was higher and the prevalence of stunting (LAZ < ?2) was lower using CA versus postnatal age (mean ± SD): ? 0.36 ± 1.19 versus ? 0.67 ± 1.32; and 8.3 versus 11.6%, respectively. Odds ratio (OR) and population attributable risk (PAR) of stunting due to preterm birth were attenuated and changed inferences using CA versus postnatal age at birth [OR, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.32 (95% CI 0.95, 1.82) vs 14.7 (95% CI 11.7, 18.4); PAR 3.1 vs 42.9%]; differences in inferences persisted at 3-months. At 12, 24, and 48-months, preterm birth was associated with stunting, but ORs/PARs remained attenuated using CA compared to postnatal age. Findings were similar for weight-for-age z scores.

Conclusions

Population-based epidemiologic studies in LMICs in which GA is unused or unavailable may overestimate the prevalence of early childhood undernutrition and inflate the fraction of undernutrition attributable to preterm birth.

     

Synthesis,antitubercular and anticancer activity of new Baylis–Hillman adduct-derived N-cinnamyl-substituted isatin derivatives

Baylis–Hillman adduct-derived N-cinnamyl-substituted isatin derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for their antitubercular activity on Mycobacterium tuberculosis H₃₇Rv strain ATCC 27294 by agar dilution method. Anticancer activity for the same compounds was also screened on four different cell lines: Chinese hamster ovary (CHO cells), Colo 205 (human colon cancer), Sup-T1 (human lymphoma) and C6 glioma (rat glioma) by MTT assay method. The compounds (3j–l) have shown significant activity against Mycobacterium strain and the compound 3l has shown specific cytotoxic activity.     

Response of Novel Functionally-Graded Prepacked Aggregate Fibrous Concrete against Low Velocity Repeated Projectile Impacts

Preplaced Aggregate Fibrous Concrete (PAFC) is a newly minted composite that has recently become more popular. The production of PAFC involves two essential processes; first, the fibres and coarse aggregate were filled into the empty framework to form the first layer of a natural skeleton, followed by grout injecting. A cement grout fills the voids in the first layer skeleton with slight compaction. This process is repeated to complete the remaining layers; hence, a type of Functionally-graded Preplaced Aggregate Fibrous Concrete (FPAFC) is obtained. The most recent studies revealed that the literature regarding the high-velocity projectile impact on fibrous concrete is well documented; however, the low-velocity repeated projectile impact on PAFC is still unexplored and needs particular emphasis. This research aims to investigate the FPAFC made with a new type of steel and polypropylene fibres against low-velocity projectile impact to fill this research gap. In the current study, twelve mixes were prepared with mono and hybrid combinations of fibres for pioneering the possible utilization of fibres in FPAFC. The maximum fibre dosage in this study is limited to 2.4%. The projectile impact resistance of FPAFC was assessed in line with penetration depth, front and rear damage surface area, weight loss, damage ratio and failure pattern. Additionally, a simplified analytical model was introduced to compute the ejected composite mass from the tested specimens. The results revealed that the addition of steel fibre in a single layer FPAFC exhibited an increasing compressive strength trend compared to the two/three-layered FPAFC. Furthermore, increasing the dosage of fibre at the bottom and top layers of FPAFC with a hybrid combination alleviates the spalling with an increasing number of impacts. The results from this research offer the reference information for more detailed research and studies of FPAFC under low-velocity projectile impact.     

In Vitro Analysis of Bacosine as Novel Therapeutic Agent for Murine Breast Cancer

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, India Section B: Biological Sciences - The anti-metastatic activity of bacosine (Bacopa monnieri plant) was studied using 4T1 murine breast cancer...     

Surgeons often underestimate the amount of blood loss in replacement surgeries

Objective：To assess the accuracy of the clinically estimated blood loss （EBL） when compared with the actual blood loss （ABL） in replacement surgeries.Methods：This prospective study was done in Sri Ramachandra Medical Centre from April 2011 to April 2013.Altogether 140 patients undergoing total hip replacement or total knee replacement were included with the inclusion criteria being patients with haemoglobin higher than 100 g/ml and coagulation profile within normal limits.Exclusion criteria were intake of antiplatelet drug or anti-coagulant,bleeding disorders,thrombotic episode,and haematological disorders.There were 65 men and 75 women.In this study,the consultants were free to use any clinical method to estimate the blood loss,including counting the blood-soaked mops and gauze pieces （estimating the volume of blood carded in all the mops and gauzes）,measuring blood lost to suction bottles and blood in and around the operative field.The ABL was calculated based on a modification of the Gross＇s formula using haematocrit values.Results：In 42 of the 140 cases,the EBL exceeded the ABL.These cases had a negative difference in blood loss （or DIFF-BL＜0） and were included in the overestimation group,which accounted for 30％ of the study population.Of the remaining 98 cases （70％）,the ABL exceeded the EBL.Therefore they were put into the underestimation group who had a positive difference in blood loss （DIFF-BL＞0）.We found that when the average blood loss was small,the accuracy of estimation was high.But when the average blood loss exceeded 500 ml,the accuracy rate decreased significantly.This suggested that clinical estimation is inaccurate with the increase of blood loss.Conclusion：This study has shown that using clinical estimation alone to guide blood transfusion is inadequate.In this study,70％ of patients had their blood loss underestimated,proving that surgeons often underestimate blood loss in replacement surgeries.