Medicina Internacia Revuo - International Medicine Review

Phenolic acids – Occurrence and Significance in the World of Higher Fungi

2021-03-28T22:27:51+02:00

Phenolic acids constitute a chemically diverse group of bioactive compounds. The activity of phenolic acids is related to the presence of hydroxycarboxylic groups and their position on the aromatic ring. These are compounds commonly found in nature – they are present in many species of plants and fungi. In the world of higher fungi, they constitute the most numerous group among phenolic compounds. The most common phenolic acids in the world of fungi are caffeic acid, gallic acid, gentisic acid, ferulic acid, p–coumaric acid, p–hydroxybenzoic acid, protocatechuic acid, vanillic acid, and a compound with a structure similar to phenolic acids – t–cinnamic acid. Phenolic acids found in fruiting bodies of mushrooms show, among others, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer properties.

Pulmonary Artery Regurgitation and Right Ventricle Performance in Corrected Tetralogy of Fallot with Monocuspid Valved Transannular Patch

2021-03-28T22:27:52+02:00

Background: Pulmonary regurgitation is the most common complication following complete repair of tetralogy of Fallot. There are reports in favor of using valved transannular patch to decrease pulmonary regurgitation.
Methods: All medical records of totally corrected tetralogy of Fallot patients in our center were interrogated. Those accepted to participate in the study were assessed by conventional and tissue Doppler echocardiographies. We compared pulmonary regurgitation and right ventriclular myocardial performance index, dividing the patients into 3 groups: repair by monocuspid polytetrafluoroethylene valved transannular patch, subannular patch and simple transannular patch methods.
Results: From a total of 123 patients in the hospital records, 58 were participated in the study (28 monocuspid, 15 subannular, 15 simple transannular). Average age at total repair was comparable between monocuspid and subannular groups but it was higher in simple transannular group. Pulmonary insufficiency was significantly higher in transannular patch group. Right ventriclular myocardial performance index was comparable between the 3 groups. Thirty five percent of monocuspid valves had malfunction during the follow up.
Conclusion: Monocuspid valve may prevent development of pulmonary insufficiency and preserve RV function in short-term. However, its impact on the performance of the right ventricle in long-term is unknown.

Subaortic Stenosis and Autoimmunity

2021-03-28T22:27:52+02:00

Isolated subaortic stenosis is a disease with unknown etiology. Although familial clusters of the disease suggest a genetic basis, a consistent mode of inheritance was not found. The current treatments are not satisfactory. We interrogated the possibility of an autoimmune basis. As autoimmune disease frequently appear together in a patient or relatives, we studied association between isolated subaortic stenosis and autoimmune disease in a cohort of 14 patients.

History of common autoimmune disease in the patient or relatives, thorough physical examination, and laboratory test (fluorescent antinuclear antibody, antibody against double-strand deoxyribonucleic acid, rheumatoid factor, anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies, tissue transglutaminase, and anti-endomysial antibody were measured.

We found a patient with vitiligo and subaortic stenosis, and a patient with diabetes mellitus type I among the relatives of the patients. All laboratory test results were normal or borderline.

In conclusion, we found weak evidences for an association between isolated subaortic stenosis and autoimmune disease. Further studies are required to interrogate this hypothesis.

Role of potassium ions and ion channels in the muscle or why is one plate meat soup so delicious?

2021-03-28T22:27:53+02:00

The sensory pleasure of a good soup represents a complex synthesis of molecular and cellular inputs of ions. Here we are focusing on the intake of potassium ions affecting the muscles along with the sensorineural science of eating a satisfying bowl of soup. Unbalanced ionic homeostasis and modified expression of ion channels is presumably involved in the inhibition of normal physiological functions. Salts are necessary components of soup with the flavorful broth that the salt complements turn out to activate another components of the sense of taste, the sense of savoury. Here we show the properties, molecular composition and pharmacological effects of potassium ions for the main channels of Kv-type, Kir and connexin channels in the ear system and the muscle components under physiological concentration of K-ions. However, the high concentration of K⁺- and Na⁺-ions evokes an aversive response, which is curiously not well understood at molecular level that respond to sour or bitter flavors. The ionic homeostasis has the main role to keep the cell tone in the muscle cells and, within all cells, what is supported by soup containing a wide variety of ions and flavors.

High-accuracy ideal body weight formulas in relation to body mass index and reference heights

2021-03-28T22:27:54+02:00

Body mass index (BMI) is frequently used in the medical sciences as a measure of adiposity. BMI is the weight (in kg) divided by the square of the height (in meters). In contrast, formulas for ideal body weight (IBW) exist that are linear in the height. Here we obtain new formulas for ideal body weight for height by choosing a more mathematically appropriate reference height. We compare the BMI and IBW formulas by means of the ANSURII database, and show that the IBW formula presented here leads to lower percentage discrepancies in the calculation of the IBW compared to previous formulas.

RILATOJ INTER TIROGENEAJ MALSANTIPOJ KAJ STERILECO

2021-03-28T22:27:55+02:00

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