Right atrial myxoma presenting as post partum ascites and fever of unknown origin.

A case is reported of right atrial myxoma presenting clinically as ascites and fever of unknown origin. An extensive work-up, including laboratory investigations, X-ray imaging, laparoscopy and laparotomy, failed to explain the clinical picture which was manifested post partum. Echocardiography was diagnostic and led to the curative treatment of surgical resection.     

Pregnancy complicated by malaria, precipitate labor and uterine rupture.

A case of Plasmodium falciparum malaria is reported in a 25-year-old pregnant woman with a history of three previous cesarean sections. She developed premature precipitate labor which was complicated by stillbirth, uterine rupture, bladder and vaginal tears necessitating hysterectomy.     

Soluble glycosaminoglycans Do not potentiate RANTES antiviral activity on the infection of primary macrophages by human immunodeficiency virus type 1

Macrophages play an important role in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 infection. They exist in various differentiation and activation states in vivo, a heterogeneity that may affect their interactions with HIV-1 and susceptibility to drugs. Here, we found that RANTES and MIP-1beta, heparin, or soluble chondroitin sulfate B, but not chondroitin sulfate A, inhibited HIV-1(BaL) infection of macrophages obtained as the adherent cells of 5-day cultures of blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), followed by 2 days without either nonadherent PBMC or added cytokines (MDM-5d), whereas they did not affect infection of macrophages obtained as the adherent cells recovered from 1-h incubation of PBMC and subsequent 7-day culture with macrophage colony-stimulating factor (MDM-MCSF). Such different behavior was not related to differences in HIV-1 binding but rather to postbinding steps, as HIV-1(BaL) attached similarly to MDM-5d and MDM-MCSF, a binding that was affected by soluble glycosaminoglycans but not by RANTES. Of note, CCR5 expression on both types of MDM was comparable, and it was not downregulated by RANTES on either. Mixing RANTES with each of the glycosaminoglycans did not restore inhibition of MDM-MCSF infection by HIV-1; however, heparin at concentrations that had low antiviral activity for MDM-5d counteracted RANTES anti-HIV-1 activity for these cells, whereas chondroitin sulfate B had no additive effect on that of RANTES. Both glycosaminoglycans affected RANTES binding to MDM. Thus, in contrast to cell surface proteoglycans that contribute to the attachment of RANTES to macrophages and enhance its anti-HIV-1 activity, soluble glycosaminoglycans do not facilitate, and may even offset, the anti-HIV-1 activity of RANTES.     

Lifestyle Patterns Are Associated with Elevated Blood Pressure among Qatari Women of Reproductive Age: A Cross-Sectional National Study

Women of childbearing age are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of elevated blood pressure (BP), with dietary and lifestyle habits being increasingly recognized as important modifiable environmental risk factors for this condition. Using data from the National STEPwise survey conducted in Qatar in year 2012, we aimed to examine lifestyle patterns and their association with elevated BP among Qatari women of childbearing age (18–45 years). Socio-demographic, lifestyle, dietary, anthropometric and BP data were used (n = 747). Principal component factor analysis was applied to identify the patterns using the frequency of consumption of 13 foods/food groups, physical activity level, and smoking status. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the association of the identified lifestyle patterns with elevated BP and to examine the socio-demographic correlates of these patterns. Three lifestyle patterns were identified: a “healthy” pattern characterized by intake of fruits, natural juices, and vegetables; a “fast food & smoking” pattern characterized by fast foods, sweetened beverages, and sweets, in addition to smoking; and a “traditional sedentary” pattern which consisted of refined grains, dairy products, and meat in addition to low physical activity. The fast food & smoking and the traditional & sedentary patterns were associated with an approximately 2-fold increase in the risk of elevated BP in the study population. The findings of this study highlight the synergistic effect that diet, smoking and physical inactivity may have on the risk of elevated BP among Qatari women.     

A bromine-catalysis-synthesized poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/graphitic carbon nitride electrochemical sensor for heavy metal ion determination

In this paper, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/graphitic carbon nitride (PEDOT/g-C₃N₄) composites were prepared by the bromine catalysed polymerization (BCP) method with varying weight ratios of monomer to g-C₃N₄. For comparison, solid-state polymerization (SSP) and metal oxidative polymerization (MOP) methods were also used for the synthesis of PEDOT/g-C₃N₄ composites. Electrochemical determination of heavy metal ions (Cd²⁺ and Pb²⁺) was carried out by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) on composite-modified glass carbon electrodes (GCEs), which were prepared by different methods. The obtained composites were analysed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy (UV-vis), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed that the bromine catalysed polymerization (BCP) method is an effective way to prepare the PEDOT/g-C₃N₄ composite, and the combination of PEDOT with g-C₃N₄ can improve the electrochemical activity of electrode materials. And, the composite from the BCP method modified electrode (PEDOT/10 wt% g-C₃N₄/GCE) exhibited the widest linear responses for Cd²⁺ and Pb²⁺, ranging from 0.06–12 μM and 0.04–11.6 μM with detection limits (S/N = 3) of 0.0014 μM and 0.00421 μM, respectively.

The PEDOT/g-C₃N₄ composite prepared by a Br₂-catalyzed polymerization method exhibited the widest linear electrochemical responses for Cd²⁺ and Pb²⁺.     

Multidimensional insights involving electrochemical and in silico investigation into the corrosion inhibition of newly synthesized pyrazolotriazole derivatives on carbon steel in a HCl solution

Herein, the anti-corrosion of carbon steel in 1 M HCl by two newly synthesized pyrazolotriazole derivatives, namely, 6-methyl-1H-pyrazolo[5,1-c][1,2,4]triazole-7-carbonitrile (CPT) and 1-acetyl-6-methyl-1H-pyrazolo[5,1-c][1,2,4]triazole-7-carbothioamide (MPT), was studied using electrochemical, density functional theory (DFT), and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation techniques. The experimental results showed that the concentrations of inhibitors had a significant influence on their inhibition efficiencies. Potentiodynamic polarization curves indicated that the two pyrazolotriazoles were mixed-type inhibitors. DFT calculations were employed to explore the molecular activity, and MD simulations were performed to obtain the interaction energy between the inhibitor molecules and the iron surface. The findings obtained using the theoretical calculation techniques were consistent with those obtained via experiments.

Anti-corrosion of carbon steel in 1 M HCl by 6-methyl-1H-pyrazolo[5,1-c][1,2,4]triazole-7-carbonitrile and 1-acetyl-6-methyl-1H-pyrazolo[5,1-c][1,2,4]triazole-7-carbothioamide, was studied using electrochemical, DFT and molecular dynamics simulation techniques.