Group Of Healthy Males Research Articles

Sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) serum levels and insulin resistance in men on chronic hemodialysis

BackgroundIn males with end stage renal disease biochemical hypogonadism is a frequent finding. Testosterone and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) have been associated with insulin resistance, a well-known condition in uremia. The aim of the present study was to investigate in males on chronic hemodialysis the relationship of testosterone and SHBG serum levels with insulin resistance.MethodsIn a cross-sectional study we enrolled men treated with chronic hemodialysis who did not suffer from an acute illness or other endocrinopathy, as well as primary hypogonadism, and were not hospitalised. Diabetes mellitus, diabetic nephropathy or previous transplantation were not exclusion criteria. As controls we used a community-based group of healthy males matched for age and Body Mass Index (BMI). We assessed the BMI (kg/m2) from body weight and height, the body fat content (%) by bioelectrical impedance and serum testosterone (ng/ml), SHBG (nmol/L) and estradiol (pg/ml) by standard methods. Testosterone < 3.25 ng/ml defined biochemical hypogonadism. In non-diabetic males, we calculated the homeostasis model assessment index (HOMA-R), an estimate of insulin resistance, from serum fasting insulin and glucose.Results27 men (age 54.4 ± 19 years) on chronic hemodialysis (treatment duration 29.1 ± 14.4 months) and 51 healthy men (age 47.1 ± 9.6 years) were included. In men on hemodialysis vs. healthy men there were increased serum levels of SHBG (40.9 ± 26.9 vs. 27.6 ± 11.9 nmol/L; p = 0.031) and a significantly enhanced frequency of biochemical hypogonadism (22.2 vs. 3.9%; p = 0.011). In cases without diabetes (n = 22) a significant correlation was observed between the HOMA-R (r = -0.586, p = 0.004) and the fasting insulin levels (r = -0.650, p = 0.001) on the one hand and the serum SHBG levels on the other.ConclusionsOur findings confirm enhanced prevalence of biochemical hypogonadism in males on chronic hemodialysis. In non-diabetic cases the serum levels of SHBG correlated with serum insulin and insulin resistance.

Impact of Heavy Metal Pollution on Oxidized Low-density Lipoprotein Levels among Car Maintenance Workshop Workers

This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between heavy metal pollution and oxidized low-density lipoprotein (OxLDL) among workers in car maintenance workshops in Baghdad, Iraq. Blood samples were collected from 70 male workers, including car maintenance and vehicle painting workers, along with a control group of healthy males. The levels of heavy metals, specifically cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb), as well as OxLDL and the marker of lipid peroxidation, malondialdehyde (MDA), were measured. The results revealed a significant increase in the level of Pb in the blood of workers compared to the control group, whereas Cd levels did not exhibit a significant difference. Furthermore, both groups of workers exhibited significantly elevated levels of OxLDL compared to the control group. Additionally, the MDA level was significantly increased across all the study groups. Correlation analysis demonstrated positive associations between OxLDL levels and the extent of Pb and Cd pollution in the car maintenance worker group. These findings indicate an increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) among workers in car maintenance workshops due to exposure to heavy metals. The observed elevation in the levels of OxLDL and lipid peroxidation markers underscores the potential health issues associated with occupational exposure to these polluted environments.

Study of the concentration of creatinine and some electrolytes in the blood serum of healthy males in the city of Sabratha

Most researchers usually investigate the concentration of chemical components in the blood of people suffering from a disease, and studies are rarely conducted in healthy people. So the researchers conducted this preliminary statistical study of both creatinine and some electrolytes in the blood serum of a group of healthy males. Years 25 samples of healthy male blood were collected in Sabratha city. Their average age was 13.64, 41.92, The concentration of sodium, chloride, potassium., magnesium ions, and creatinine ions were measured in the blood serum of each volunteer in the hospital the city of Sabratha. The mean and deviation were standard for the concentrations of these chemical components, respectively: (5.15, 140.62 mmol /L, 3.98 (106.80) ) mmol /L, 0.74 4.60 ) mmol /L, 0.18 2.06) milligram / dL ), 0.17 0.84) milligrams / dL. When compared to internationally accepted reference values, the results showed the necessity of working to determine the concentration of creatinine, sodium, and potassium. And chloride through the serum of healthy males in Sabratha and then Libya. In the case of magnesium, it seemed clear that the internationally accepted reference value was sufficient for the purpose. The limits of the reference values were determined for the concentration of sodium, chloride , potassium ions , and the concentration of creatinine , and they were, respectively, (126.6, 149.8) mmol /L, (97.1,114.7) mmol /L, (2.9,6.0) mmol /L, (0.4,1.1) Milligrams / dL, and these limits were wider compared to the limits of reference values used in laboratories. The type of relationship between the study variables was also determined using the person correlation coefficient) , and this relationship) was confirmed graphically using what is known as in kilograms , the concentration of sodium and chloride ions was more interconnected and similar.

Estimating Contact Rates Between Metarhizium anisopliae-Exposed Males With Female Aedes aegypti.

IntroductionEffective control of Aedes aegypti will reduce the frequency and severity of outbreaks of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika; however, control programs are increasingly threatened by the rapid development of insecticide resistance. Thus, there is an urgent need for novel vector control tools, such as auto-dissemination of the entomopathogenic fungi Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana. The aim of this study was to estimate contact rates of M. anisopliae-exposed males with wild female Ae. aegypti. As a control the contact rates of untreated males with wild females was contrasted.MethodsThe study was conducted in Reynosa, Mexico. The treatment and control households (n = 15 per group) were geographically separated by an arid and hot area that naturally prevented the flight of males between arms. In each control household, 40 M. anisopliae-exposed male Ae. aegypti were released per week for 8 weeks (specimens were exposed to a concentration of 5.96 × 107 conidia/cm2 for 24 h; n = 4,800 males). In each control household, 40 untreated males were released per week for 8 weeks (n = 4,800 males). All specimens were dust-marked prior to release. Mosquito abundance was monitored with human landing collections, and captured Ae. aegypti were examined for any dust-marking.ResultsIn the treatment households, the contact rate of Ae. aegypti females with marked, fungus-treated males was 14% (n = 29 females marked from 197). Where in the control households, the contact rate of females with marked, untreated males was only 6% (n = 22 marked from 365). In the treatment households the recapture rate of released males was at 5% and higher than that for the control households (which was 2%). Auto-dissemination of M. anisopliae from infected males to female Ae. aegypti was demonstrated through the recovery of an infected female from the floor of a household.ConclusionsOverall, the contact rate between M. anisopliae-infected males with the natural female population was 60% higher than for the control group of healthy males. The results provide further support to the release of fungus-exposed males as a potentially useful strategy against Ae. aegypti, though further research is required.

A Differential Study into Body Fat in Healthy and Hypertensive Populations Using Multiple Indexes.

ObjectiveThe present study aims to investigate the difference in body fat in healthy and hypertensive populations with the use of five evaluation indexes.MethodsA total of 895 healthy subjects, who underwent physical examination and body composition analysis in the Physical Examination Center of Weifang People’s Hospital from January 2016 to January 2017, were selected as the study subjects. Among these subjects, 527 were male and 368 were female, and their age ranged from 18 to 60 years, with a mean age of 43.12 ± 9.34. They were divided into four groups, according to their blood pressure and biochemical examination results, a male healthy male group, a hypertensive male group, a healthy female group and a hypertensive female group. Their height, weight, waist and hip circumference were measured, and their body composition was analyzed to obtain data for body fat percentage and visceral fat area. The data and indexes were statistically analyzed using SPSS 18.0 statistical software, and P<0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.ResultsThe difference in body mass index (BMI) between the healthy population and the hypertensive population was statistically significant (P<0.05). The difference in waist circumference between the healthy male group and the hypertensive male group was statistically significant (P<0.05). The difference in waist-to-hip ratio between the healthy population and hypertensive population was statistically significant (P<0.05). The difference in body fat percentage and visceral fat area between the healthy population and hypertensive population was statistically significant (P<0.05).ConclusionThe five indexes, namely the BMI, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, body fat percentage, and visceral fat area, demonstrated statistically significant differences between the healthy population and the hypertensive population. However, since the evaluation results of some of the indexes also differed from available critical values, further validation is necessary.

Foundations of Human Consciousness: Imaging the Twilight Zone.

What happens in the brain when conscious awareness of the surrounding world fades? We manipulated consciousness in two experiments in a group of healthy males and measured brain activity with positron emission tomography. Measurements were made during wakefulness, escalating and constant levels of two anesthetic agents (experiment 1, n = 39), and during sleep-deprived wakefulness and non-rapid eye movement sleep (experiment 2, n = 37). In experiment 1, the subjects were randomized to receive either propofol or dexmedetomidine until unresponsiveness. In both experiments, forced awakenings were applied to achieve rapid recovery from an unresponsive to a responsive state, followed by immediate and detailed interviews of subjective experiences during the preceding unresponsive condition. Unresponsiveness rarely denoted unconsciousness, as the majority of the subjects had internally generated experiences. Unresponsive anesthetic states and verified sleep stages, where a subsequent report of mental content included no signs of awareness of the surrounding world, indicated a disconnected state. Functional brain imaging comparing responsive and connected versus unresponsive and disconnected states of consciousness during constant anesthetic exposure revealed that activity of the thalamus, cingulate cortices, and angular gyri are fundamental for human consciousness. These brain structures were affected independent from the pharmacologic agent, drug concentration, and direction of change in the state of consciousness. Analogous findings were obtained when consciousness was regulated by physiological sleep. State-specific findings were distinct and separable from the overall effects of the interventions, which included widespread depression of brain activity across cortical areas. These findings identify a central core brain network critical for human consciousness.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Trying to understand the biological basis of human consciousness is currently one of the greatest challenges of neuroscience. While the loss and return of consciousness regulated by anesthetic drugs and physiological sleep are used as model systems in experimental studies on consciousness, previous research results have been confounded by drug effects, by confusing behavioral “unresponsiveness” and internally generated consciousness, and by comparing brain activity levels across states that differ in several other respects than only consciousness. Here, we present carefully designed studies that overcome many previous confounders and for the first time reveal the neural mechanisms underlying human consciousness and its disconnection from behavioral responsiveness, both during anesthesia and during normal sleep, and in the same study subjects.

Age and Sex Specific Modulation of Serum Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/kexin type 9 Levels in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Background/PurposeProprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is an enzyme that regulates cholesterol homeostasis by inducing posttranslational modification and lysosomal degradation of low‐density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR). However, the role of PCSK9 in dyslipidemia associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is not well studied. The aim of this study was to examine how PCSK9 levels correlate with age [30–45; 46–60; and 61–80 years], sex, and RA disease, and with CD36, a major scavenger receptor targeted for proteasomal degradation by PCSK9.MethodsDe‐identified human RA serum samples (n=66; 33 female and 33 male) were obtained from patients diagnosed with RA according to the American College of Rheumatology 1987 classification criteria and healthy, age and gender‐matched serum samples were used for evaluation. Serum levels of human PCSK9 and CD36 were determined using commercially available ELISA kits.ResultsThe mean (SD) age of healthy group [55.6 (11.2) years] and RA group [57.2 (10.4) years] was observed. Results of the ELISA showed that the serum levels of PCSK9 in RA group is reduced by ~10% (mean ± SEM; 231 ± 11.6 ng/ml vs. 205 ± 11.1 ng/ml; p&lt;0.14). Interestingly, our gender‐based analysis showed that the basal serum PCSK9 levels were around 30% higher in the healthy female group compared to the healthy male group (260 ± 15.9 ng/ml vs. 202 ± 15.4 ng/ml; p=0.01). Furthermore, from a disease perspective, we observed approximately 15% lower serum PCSK9 levels in female RA group (260 ± 15.9 ng/ml vs. 219 ± 14.4 ng/ml; p=0.078) compared to only a modest 5% decline in male RA group (202 ± 15.4 ng/ml vs. 191 ± 16.8 ng/ml; p=0.62) when compared to their respective gender control groups. Analysis of PCSK9 data based on age showed that while PCSK9 levels gradually decreased in healthy female group [274.4 ± 38.9 ng/ml in 30–45y range vs. 241 ± 20.7 ng/ml in 61–80y], we observed an accelerated decrease in serum PCSK9 levels in RA female group [278.5 ± 62.4 ng/ml in 30–45y range vs. 220 ± 19.2 ng/ml in 46–60y; p=0.14]. This suggests that PCSK9 levels rapidly decline with RA progression in aging females. Interestingly, the serum PCSK9 levels in both healthy and RA male groups showed declines at a later stage of life [61–80y range; p&lt;0.001], implicating that PCSK9 levels deplete in male groups, independent of RA disease pathogenesis. Serum CD36 levels in healthy female group were modestly low when compared to the serum levels in healthy male group [mean ± SEM; 1121 ± 164 pg/ml vs. 1280 ± 216 pg/ml; p&lt;0.562]. Interestingly, while the CD36 levels were around 30% higher in RA males compared to the healthy male controls, we observed a modest decrease in serum CD36 by 15–20% in RA females when compared to the healthy female controls.ConclusionOur findings provide evidence of the gender differences in serum PCSK9 levels and its modulation with age. Furthermore, it is speculated that an early decline in serum PCSK9 in female RA patients may contribute towards the establishment of RA in females.Support or Funding InformationWashington State University, Spokane, WAThis abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Validity of the Dickson index regarding primary school physical education

PurposeThe paper is dedicated to the problem of testing physical capacity in primary school with the use of the Ruffier-Dickson test. The research aimed to verify the Dickson index corrected for the children’s age with the intention of usage in primary school physical education.MethodsFour groups of healthy males – aged 6, 7, 8, and 18 years – were randomly selected, 30 participants in each. One way ANOVA, t-test for independent samples, and intra-correlation coefficient were used to evaluate the validity of the Dickson index for the original and age-corrected functions. It was assumed that Dickson index values should not depend upon age among healthy participants in normal physical capacity.ResultsInvalidity of the original Dickson index for 6–8-year-old children was shown, with a significant difference of their results from those of the adults (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; &lt; 0.001). The use of the index formula corrected for the age of children gives no significant difference between all the groups (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; = 0.817) and a good level of validity, taking into consideration the corresponding intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.688. This conclusion is supported with t-test results (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; = 0.915), which show a rather good level of the test validity.ConclusionsTo guarantee the validity of the Dickson index, the results of heart rate measurements should be reduced proportionally to the ratio of a normal heart rate of the young patients’ population to the normal heart rate in adults.

Gut microbiota dysbiosis in male patients with chronic traumatic complete spinal cord injury

BackgroundNeurogenic bowel dysfunction (NBD) is a major physical and psychological problem in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI), and gut dysbiosis is commonly occurs in SCI. Here, we document neurogenic bowel management of male patients with chronic traumatic complete SCI in our centre and perform comparative analysis of the gut microbiota between our patients and healthy males.MethodsA total of 43 male patients with chronic traumatic complete SCI (20 with quadriplegia and 23 with paraplegia) and 23 healthy male adults were enrolled. Clinical data and fresh stool specimens were collected from all participants. Face-to-face interviews were conducted to survey the neurogenic bowel management of 43 patients with SCI. Gut microbiomes were analysed by sequencing of the V3–V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene.ResultsNBD was common in adult male patients with chronic traumatic complete SCI. Patients with quadriplegia exhibited a longer time to defecate than did those with paraplegia and had higher NBD scores and heavier neurogenic bowel symptoms. The diversity of the gut microbiota in the SCI group was reduced, and the structural composition was different from that of the healthy adult male group. The abundance of Veillonellaceae and Prevotellaceae increased, while Bacteroidaceae and Bacteroides decreased in the SCI group. The abundance of Bacteroidaceae and Bacteroides in the quadriplegia group and Acidaminococcaceae, Blautia, Porphyromonadaceae, and Lachnoclostridium in the paraplegia group were significantly higher than those in the healthy male group. Serum biomarkers (GLU, HDL, CR, and CRP), NBD defecation time and COURSE had significant correlations with microbial community structure. Microbial community structure was significantly associated with serum biomarkers (GLU, HDL, CR, and CRP), NBD defecation time, and COURSE.ConclusionsThis study presents a comprehensive landscape of the gut microbiota in adult male patients with chronic traumatic complete SCI and documents their neurogenic bowel management. Gut microbiota dysbiosis in SCI patients was correlated with serum biomarkers and NBD symptoms.

The Role of Primary Arrhythmias in the Sudden Death of Young Athletes Center for Syncope and Cardiac Arrhythmias for children and adolescents

<dm:abstracts xmlns:dm="http://www.elsevier.com/xml/dm/dtd"><ce:abstract xmlns:ce="http://www.elsevier.com/xml/common/dtd" id="ab0005" xml:lang="en" view="all" class="author"><ce:section-title id="st0005">Abstract</ce:section-title><ce:abstract-sec id="as0005" view="all"><ce:simple-para id="sp0055" view="all">With advancing age, the conduction system and heart muscle cells undergo degenerative alterations affecting the electrocardiographic (ECG) parameters. The goal of the study is to determine the effect of age on ECG parameters. Are these changes due to a ‘normal aging’ or are they indicative to a ‘heart disease’?</ce:simple-para><ce:simple-para id="sp0060" view="all">Italian Longitudinal Study on Aging (ILSA) database has been created to evaluate physiologic and pathologic modifications connected with aging. Standard 12-leads ECG recordings (10 s, 500 Hz) have been taken twice in a period of three years. The database consists of 890 individuals aged 65–84 years.</ce:simple-para><ce:simple-para id="sp0065" view="all">Analysis of changes has been done also in two groups of individuals in ILSA database – with and without cardiovascular abnormality. This analysis showed a nearly equal age-related change in both groups.</ce:simple-para><ce:simple-para id="sp0070" view="all">The main changes are reduction in the amplitudes of QRS- and T-waves, referred as ‘ECG attenuation phenomenon’. QRS<ce:inf loc="post">t1</ce:inf> = 0.85 mV at the time of the first recording t1, and QRS<ce:inf loc="post">t2</ce:inf> = 0.81 mV at the time of the second recording t2, the period between the two recordings being three years (p &lt; 0.0001). Respectively T<ce:inf loc="post">t1</ce:inf> = 0.11 mV, T<ce:inf loc="post">t2</ce:inf> = 0.10 mV, p = 0.0013.</ce:simple-para><ce:simple-para id="sp0075" view="all">ECG attenuation phenomenon is more common in males, and it is not significant in females. This attenuation is manifested significantly also in healthy male group, suggesting geriatric changes of “normal aging”. Nevertheless, some cardiovascular diseases, such as arrhythmias and hypertension, may have a strong influence on the QRS attenuation, and this supports the open question of the clinical relevance of the phenomenon.</ce:simple-para><ce:simple-para id="sp0080" view="all">ECG attenuation phenomenon is more manifested in younger individuals and occurs independently of body mass.</ce:simple-para><ce:simple-para id="sp0085" view="all">ECG attenuation phenomenon is a significant fact, and therefore it should be considered in any serial ECG study, for example in the ECG analysis for human identification.</ce:simple-para></ce:abstract-sec></ce:abstract></dm:abstracts>

Interatrial block predicts atrial fibrillation in patients with coronary and carotid artery disease

<dm:abstracts xmlns:dm="http://www.elsevier.com/xml/dm/dtd"><ce:abstract xmlns:ce="http://www.elsevier.com/xml/common/dtd" id="ab0005" xml:lang="en" view="all" class="author"><ce:section-title id="st0005">Abstract</ce:section-title><ce:abstract-sec id="as0005" view="all"><ce:simple-para id="sp0055" view="all">With advancing age, the conduction system and heart muscle cells undergo degenerative alterations affecting the electrocardiographic (ECG) parameters. The goal of the study is to determine the effect of age on ECG parameters. Are these changes due to a ‘normal aging’ or are they indicative to a ‘heart disease’?</ce:simple-para><ce:simple-para id="sp0060" view="all">Italian Longitudinal Study on Aging (ILSA) database has been created to evaluate physiologic and pathologic modifications connected with aging. Standard 12-leads ECG recordings (10 s, 500 Hz) have been taken twice in a period of three years. The database consists of 890 individuals aged 65–84 years.</ce:simple-para><ce:simple-para id="sp0065" view="all">Analysis of changes has been done also in two groups of individuals in ILSA database – with and without cardiovascular abnormality. This analysis showed a nearly equal age-related change in both groups.</ce:simple-para><ce:simple-para id="sp0070" view="all">The main changes are reduction in the amplitudes of QRS- and T-waves, referred as ‘ECG attenuation phenomenon’. QRS<ce:inf loc="post">t1</ce:inf> = 0.85 mV at the time of the first recording t1, and QRS<ce:inf loc="post">t2</ce:inf> = 0.81 mV at the time of the second recording t2, the period between the two recordings being three years (p &lt; 0.0001). Respectively T<ce:inf loc="post">t1</ce:inf> = 0.11 mV, T<ce:inf loc="post">t2</ce:inf> = 0.10 mV, p = 0.0013.</ce:simple-para><ce:simple-para id="sp0075" view="all">ECG attenuation phenomenon is more common in males, and it is not significant in females. This attenuation is manifested significantly also in healthy male group, suggesting geriatric changes of “normal aging”. Nevertheless, some cardiovascular diseases, such as arrhythmias and hypertension, may have a strong influence on the QRS attenuation, and this supports the open question of the clinical relevance of the phenomenon.</ce:simple-para><ce:simple-para id="sp0080" view="all">ECG attenuation phenomenon is more manifested in younger individuals and occurs independently of body mass.</ce:simple-para><ce:simple-para id="sp0085" view="all">ECG attenuation phenomenon is a significant fact, and therefore it should be considered in any serial ECG study, for example in the ECG analysis for human identification.</ce:simple-para></ce:abstract-sec></ce:abstract></dm:abstracts>

T-wave Amplitude in aVR for Left Ventricular Dyssynchrony in Patients with Complete Left Bundle Branch Block

<dm:abstracts xmlns:dm="http://www.elsevier.com/xml/dm/dtd"><ce:abstract xmlns:ce="http://www.elsevier.com/xml/common/dtd" id="ab0005" xml:lang="en" view="all" class="author"><ce:section-title id="st0005">Abstract</ce:section-title><ce:abstract-sec id="as0005" view="all"><ce:simple-para id="sp0055" view="all">With advancing age, the conduction system and heart muscle cells undergo degenerative alterations affecting the electrocardiographic (ECG) parameters. The goal of the study is to determine the effect of age on ECG parameters. Are these changes due to a ‘normal aging’ or are they indicative to a ‘heart disease’?</ce:simple-para><ce:simple-para id="sp0060" view="all">Italian Longitudinal Study on Aging (ILSA) database has been created to evaluate physiologic and pathologic modifications connected with aging. Standard 12-leads ECG recordings (10 s, 500 Hz) have been taken twice in a period of three years. The database consists of 890 individuals aged 65–84 years.</ce:simple-para><ce:simple-para id="sp0065" view="all">Analysis of changes has been done also in two groups of individuals in ILSA database – with and without cardiovascular abnormality. This analysis showed a nearly equal age-related change in both groups.</ce:simple-para><ce:simple-para id="sp0070" view="all">The main changes are reduction in the amplitudes of QRS- and T-waves, referred as ‘ECG attenuation phenomenon’. QRS<ce:inf loc="post">t1</ce:inf> = 0.85 mV at the time of the first recording t1, and QRS<ce:inf loc="post">t2</ce:inf> = 0.81 mV at the time of the second recording t2, the period between the two recordings being three years (p &lt; 0.0001). Respectively T<ce:inf loc="post">t1</ce:inf> = 0.11 mV, T<ce:inf loc="post">t2</ce:inf> = 0.10 mV, p = 0.0013.</ce:simple-para><ce:simple-para id="sp0075" view="all">ECG attenuation phenomenon is more common in males, and it is not significant in females. This attenuation is manifested significantly also in healthy male group, suggesting geriatric changes of “normal aging”. Nevertheless, some cardiovascular diseases, such as arrhythmias and hypertension, may have a strong influence on the QRS attenuation, and this supports the open question of the clinical relevance of the phenomenon.</ce:simple-para><ce:simple-para id="sp0080" view="all">ECG attenuation phenomenon is more manifested in younger individuals and occurs independently of body mass.</ce:simple-para><ce:simple-para id="sp0085" view="all">ECG attenuation phenomenon is a significant fact, and therefore it should be considered in any serial ECG study, for example in the ECG analysis for human identification.</ce:simple-para></ce:abstract-sec></ce:abstract></dm:abstracts>

Allerjik Rinitin Erektil Disfonksiyon Üzerine Etkisi Var mıdır?

Objective: Allergic rhinitis (AR) affects daily activities of patients by causing several symptoms including insomnia and chronic fatigue. That being said, the effect of AR on erectile dysfunction (ED) has not been examined adequately. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of AR on ED. Material and Methods: This study included a total of 196 male subjects, 100 of them being allergic rhinitis patients who admitted to Allergic and Clinical Immunology, Urology and Internal Diseases outpatient clinics of University of Health Sciences, Bursa Postgraduate Research and Training Hospital between October 2015 and December 2016, and 96 of them being healthy controls.18 to 55 year-old males with and without allergic rhinitis were included into the study. Males without any known disease comprised the healthy group. AR group included otherwise healthy patients who were regarded as having AR by skin prick test. This study used the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) to evaluate the quality of sexual life of males with AR, and the results were compared to the healthy male group matched for age and sex. Results: The ages, ED scores and ED categories of the AR and control groups were compared. A difference was found in terms of ED scores and ED categories between two groups (p<0.001; p=0.002). No difference was detected in terms of age. ED score of the AR group was found to be significantly lower than the healthy group. In pairwise comparisons conducted for ED category, mild ED rate in the AR group was found to be higher than the healthy group, and the rate of subjects without ED in the healthy group was found to be higher. In terms of mild-tomoderate ED, no difference was found between the AR group and healthy group. The difference between allergic rhinitis and healthy subjects was significant in the 25-34 and 45-55 age groups in terms of ED categorization (p<0.005, p<0.001). Conclusion: As other diseases and medical therapies were excluded from our study, we detected AR has adverse effects on ED and increases ED independently from medication use. We concluded that patients admitting for AR should also be evaluated for ED. Nonetheless, it is clear that larger studies examining the effects of allergic inflammation on ED and investigating the causal relationship between AR and ED are needed.

Respiration monitoring by Electrical Bioimpedance (EBI) Technique in a group of healthy males. Calibration equations.

Several research groups have proposed the electrical impedance tomography (EIT) in order to analyse lung ventilation. With the use of 16 electrodes, the EIT is capable to obtain a set of transversal section images of thorax. In previous works, we have obtained an alternating signal in terms of impedance corresponding to respiration from EIT images. Then, in order to transform those impedance changes into a measurable volume signal a set of calibration equations has been obtained. However, EIT technique is still expensive to attend outpatients in basics hospitals. For that reason, we propose the use of electrical bioimpedance (EBI) technique to monitor respiration behaviour. The aim of this study was to obtain a set of calibration equations to transform EBI impedance changes determined at 4 different frequencies into a measurable volume signal. In this study a group of 8 healthy males was assessed. From obtained results, a high mathematical adjustment in the group calibrations equations was evidenced. Then, the volume determinations obtained by EBI were compared with those obtained by our gold standard. Therefore, despite EBI does not provide a complete information about impedance vectors of lung compared with EIT, it is possible to monitor the respiration.

High-Sensitive C-Reactive Protein Levels in a Group of Syrian University Male Students and Its Associations with Smoking, Physical Activity, Anthropometric Measurements, and Some Hematologic Inflammation Biomarkers.

In Syria, health risk data on young males are limited. Hence, the aim of the present study was to evaluate cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors along with C-reactive protein levels measured by high-sensitive method (hsCRP) in a group of healthy males of university students (n = 101, 18–25 years old). Participants' anthropometric characteristics; alcohol drinking, smoking, and physical activity habits; parents medical history; and some inflammatory biomarkers were inspected for their associations with hsCRP. Results. Regarding hsCRP level, 19 participants were at average (1–3 mg/L) and 13 were at high (>3 mg/L) risk of CVD. Nonparametric statistical tests (p value < 0.05) revealed that hsCRP level was higher in participants who had high body mass index (BMI), had high BMI with high waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), or did not practice sport frequently. Unexpectedly, it did not vary between smokers and nonsmokers. In general, it correlated positively with anthropometric and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) measurements. Nevertheless, it negatively correlated with sports practicing in overall and nonsmoker groups and in participants whose parents were without medical history. Finally, when participants with high BMI were smokers, did not practice sport frequently, or had a parent with medical history, their hsCRP levels were higher than others who had the same circumstances but with low BMI.

Tidal volume monitoring by a set of tetrapolar impedance measurements selected from the 16-electrodes arrangement used in electrical impedance tomography (EIT) technique. Calibration equations in a group of healthy males

Abstract Previously, our research group obtained a set of calibration equations for being used by an electrical impedance tomograph (EIT). All equations transform the impedance changes into a measurable volume signal in a group of healthy males. The performance of EIT, using these equations, was acceptable for respiration monitoring. The EIT impedance changes were obtained from a set of 16-electrodes placed around the thoracic box at level of the sixth intercostal space. Each cycle of impedance measurements is ordered in a matrix (IEITM). Each IEITM's element depicts a configuration of 4-electrodes. Now, our main challenge is to replace the EIT's 16-electrodes by a 4-electrodes configuration. We analyzed the impedance changes obtained from each element and the volume determinations obtained by a pneumotachometer (gold standard) in order to determine the optimal 4-electrodes configuration. For each selected configuration a set of 20 calibration equations were obtained. The best results were obtained by using two 4-electrodes configurations. Both consisting in two adjacent electrodes for current injection and two electrodes for voltage detection. The mean R 2 of the 20 equations determined by the 16-electrodes information, and for the best two 4-electrode configurations were 0.943 ± 0.010, 0.848 ± 0.062 and 0.690 ± 0.122, respectively. The error (%) of volume determinations obtained by the use of 16-electrodes, and by the use of the two best 4-electrode configuration with regarding to the real volume obtained by pneumotachometer were of 15 ± 6%, 16 ± 4% and 43 ± 41%, respectively. The volume differences between the one obtained by the use of 16-electrodes and that for the best 4 electrode configuration were not significant. We conclude that although the determinations of impedance obtained by the best 4-electrode configuration has a lower sensitivity than those obtained by the 16-electrodes, it is possible to measure the respiratory pattern in healthy males.

Abstract 3110: Urinary miR-1825 and miR-484: An oncogene and a tumor- suppressor gene among prostate cancer patients

Abstract MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short, single-stranded RNA molecules with the ability of acting as post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression. MiRNAs regulate a number of important pathways, such as: cellular differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis. MiRNA expression profiling patterns were demonstrated to have more potential than the common mRNA expression profiling for the characterization of poorly differentiated tumours. Studying miRNA expression profiles “signatures” will help in understanding the role of these miRNAs in the process of cancer development. The aim of this study was to profile the urinary miRNA expression signatures among prostate cancer patients in comparison to healthy male individuals. To identify the miRNA signatures specific for PCa, total RNA was isolated from 2.5mL of urine from all prostate cancer patients and from healthy males. RNA isolated from each group were pooled together and the differential expression analysis of miRNAs between the pooled samples was performed using MiRNA Microarray technology. Differential expression of two individual miRNAs, miR-1825 and miR-484, was observed between healthy males and prostate cancer patients. The relative expression of these two miRNAs were assessed among among the prostate cancer group and the healthy male group using RT-qPCR. MiR-1825 was up-regulated in seven out of eight PCa samples (88%), whereas miR-484 was down-regulated in six out of the eight PCa samples (75%). It has been found that the putative target for miR-1825 is member-1 of the Discoidin Domain family of Receptors (DDR1). The over-expression of DDR1 was reported to be a prognostic marker for the poor survival in several cancer types and therefore is proposed that miR-1825 might function as a tumor-suppressor by normally or in response to cancer, inhibiting DDR1's translation. As for miR-484, E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase (UBR5), which is thought to be involved with DNA repair, has been found to be the putative target for miR-484. It has be reported that the over-expression of a mutated version of UBR5 was found in breast and ovarian cancers where its deregulation was cited as a possible cause of malignant progression. It is therefore being proposed that miR-484 might function as a tumor- suppressor whereby its expression controls progression via the regulation of genes, such as UBR5, that have already been potentially associated with cancer progression. Citation Format: Moemen Abdalla, Taha A. Haj-Ahmad, Yousef Haj-Ahmad. Urinary miR-1825 and miR-484: An oncogene and a tumor- suppressor gene among prostate cancer patients. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 3110. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-3110

Age-related reflex responses from peripheral and central chemoreceptors in healthy men.

ObjectiveThe study aimed: (i) to characterize reflex responses from peripheral and central chemoreceptors in different age groups of healthy men (<50 years old vs ≥50 years old) and, (ii) to assess, within these groups, whether there is any relationship between ventilatory and hemodynamic responses from chemoreceptors and indices of autonomic nervous system (ANS).MethodsPeripheral chemoreflex sensitivity was assessed by the transient hypoxia method and respiratory, heart rate (HR) and blood pressure responses were calculated. Central chemoreflex sensitivity was assessed by the rebreathing method and respiratory response was calculated. ANS was assessed using heart rate variability indices and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS).ResultsSixty-seven healthy men were divided into 2 groups: <50 years (n = 38, mean age: 32 ± 10 years) and ≥50 years (n = 29, mean age: 61 ± 8 years). There were no differences in respiratory response from central and peripheral chemoreceptors between the older and younger groups of healthy males. We found a significantly different pattern of hemodynamic responses from peripheral chemoreceptors between the older and the younger groups. The former expressed attenuated HR acceleration and exaggerated blood pressure increase in response to transient hypoxia. Blunted HR response was related to reduced BRS and sympathovagal imbalance characterized by reduced vagal tone. Blood pressure responses seemed to be independent of sympathovagal balance and BRS.InterpretationAgeing impacts hemodynamic rather than respiratory response from chemoreceptors. Impaired arterial baroreflex and sympathovagal imbalance related to ageing may contribute to decreased heart rate response, but not to increased blood pressure response from peripheral chemoreceptors.

Evaluation of chromium and manganese in biological samples (scalp hair, blood and urine) of tuberculosis and diarrhea male human immunodeficiency virus patients.

The consequence of trace elements deficiency has been associated with an increased risk of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) disease progression and mortality. This study examined the association between high concentrations of chromium (Cr) and manganese (Mn) in scalp hair, blood, and urine and opportunistic infections in hospitalized patients with the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). The study was performed on 62 male HIV+ patients (HIV-1) from different cities of Pakistan. The patients were divided in two groups according to secondary infections (tuberculosis, diarrhea, or high fever). The biological samples (scalp hair, blood and urine) were collected from AIDS patients, and for comparative study 120 healthy subjects (males) of same age group (31 - 45 years), socio-economic status, localities, and dietary habits were also included. The elements in the biological samples were analyzed by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrophotometry after microwave-assisted acid digestion. The validity and accuracy of the methodology was checked by using certified reference materials (CRMs) and with the values obtained by conventional wet acid digestion method on the same CRMs. The results indicated significantly lower concentrations of Cr and Mn in the biological samples (scalp hair, blood, and urine) of male HIV-1 patients, compared with control subjects. It was observed that the lower levels of these trace elements may be predictors for secondary infections in HIV-1 patients. There was a significant decrease in mean values of Cr and Mn in whole blood and scalp hair, whilst higher concentrations were observed in urine samples of the three groups of AIDS patients as compared to a controlled healthy male group (p < 0.001). Low Cr and Mn levels may be due to increased Cr and Mn losses. These data present guidance to clinicians and other professional investigating deficiencies of Cr and Mn in biological samples of AIDS patients.

Therapeutic Applications of Vitamin D Supplementation on Type 2 Diabetes

Background: Many studies have found that vitamin D deficiency is associated with impaired human insulin action, suggesting a role in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2DM). This study investigated the effects of vitamin D3 supplementation on serum HbA1c values and 25(OH) vitamin D concentrations in healthy and diabetic individuals. Methods: 722 individuals aged from 36 to 61 years old were selected (360 males and 362 females) divided into two groups. Healthy male group consisted of 180 person with HbA1c value (6.78 ± 2.14) and 180 persons diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (HbA1c 11.64 ± 3.85). The healthy female group had also 180 person (HbA1c 7.42 ± 2.86) and 182 diabetic females (HbA1c 11.43 ± 2.88). Each group was then divided into two subgroups. One supplemented with (2000 IU/day) of vitamin D for 90 days and the other one was not given any vitamin D supplements. HbA1c and serum 25(OH) vitamin D were recorded. Results: Mean serum HbA1c values for both males and females improved with vitamin D supplementations but the improvement was significant in the diabetic group (males and females) comparing with healthy group. Serum HbA1c in healthy group improved by 4.8% and 2.7% for males and females respectively whereas serum HbA1c for diabetic group declined by 13.4% and 21.8% for group 7 9 and 9.6 and 22.1% for group > 9 for males and females respectively. Also, serum 25(OH) vitamin D concentrations improved dramatically with supplementation in healthy and diabetic groups. 25(OH) vitamin D for the healthy males improved by 67.9% and for healthy females 47.7% whereas for diabetic males and females improved by 53% and 31.7% and 56.6% and 77.2% for males and females HbA1c 7 - 9 and for HbA1c > 9 respectively. Conclusion: Vitamin D supplementation lowered serum HbA1c values of males and females especially in the group Hba1c values > 9 and this can be considered as a cheap and effective therapeutic tool in the management of type 2 diabetes. Also vitamin D supplementation improved concentration of serum 25(OH) vitamin D in both healthy and diabetic group upgrading their vitamin D status from deficiency to sufficiency.