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Cho Aaen posted an update 2 months ago
Homocysteine assessment has been proposed as a potential predictive biomarker for the severity of COVID-19 infection. The purpose of this review was to analyze the correlation between the prevalence of MTHFR C677T gene polymorphism and COVID-19 incidence and mortality worldwide.
Data regarding MTHFR C677T gene mutation were obtained from the interrogation of the Genome Aggregation Database (genomAD), which is publicly available from the web”https//gnomad.broadinstitute.org.” COVID-19 cases, including prevalence and mortality, were obtained from”https//www.worldometers.info/coronavirus” 27 August 2020.
There is a clear trend toward the worldwide prevalence of MTHFR 677T and COVID-19 incidence and mortality. The prevalence of MTHFR 677T allele in the Latino population, and the incidence and mortality for COVID-19 was higher for this ethnic group than that reported for most other populations globally. Statistical analysis showed a relatively strong correlation between C677T and death from coronavirus.
Genetic polymorphism of MTHFR C677T may modulate the incidence and severity of COVID-19 pandemic infection.
Genetic polymorphism of MTHFR C677 T may modulate the incidence and severity of COVID-19 pandemic infection.Few in vivo studies have focused on the perivenous association of tubers and iron deposition in the deep gray nuclei in patients with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). We investigated this possible relationship in TSC patients using susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) at 7 T. SWI with high spatial resolution and enhanced sensitivity was performed on 11 TSC patients in comparison with 15 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. The relationship between tubers and veins was evaluated. In addition, the phase images of SWI were processed to produce local field shift (LFS) maps to quantify iron deposition. The mean LFS in the deep gray nuclei was compared between the TSC patients and healthy controls using a covariance analysis. Venous involvement was observed in 211 of the 231 (91.3%) cortical tubers on SWI. The slender tubers often oriented around the long axis of penetrating veins, possibly because cortical tubers typically developed and/or migrated along venous vasculatures. A significant difference in LFS of the thalamus was detected between the TSC patients and healthy controls (3.36 ± 0.50 versus 3.01 ± 0.39, p less then 0.01). The new in vivo imaging features observed at 7 T provide valuable insights into the possible venous association of TSC lesions and iron accumulation in the deep gray nuclei. Our results may lead to a better understanding of the pathological changes involved in TSC under in vivo conditions.Human hearing loss (HL) is often accompanied by comorbidities like tinnitus, which is affecting up to 15% of the adult population. Rodent animal studies could show that tinnitus may not only be a result of apparent HL due to cochlear hair cell damage but can also be a consequence of synaptopathy at the inner hair cells (IHCs) already induced by moderate sound traumata. Here, we investigate synaptopathy previously shown in mice in our animal model, the Mongolian gerbil, and relate it to behavioral signs of tinnitus. NMS-P937 mouse Tinnitus was induced by a mild monaural acoustic trauma leading to monaural noise induced HL in the animals, quantified by auditory brainstem response (ABR) audiometry. Behavioral signs of tinnitus percepts were detected by measurement of prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle response in a gap-noise paradigm. Fourteen days after trauma, the cochleae of both ears were isolated, and IHC synapses were counted within several spectral regions of the cochlea. Behavioral signs of tinnitus were only found in animals with IHC synaptopathy, independent of type of HL. On the other hand, animals with apparent HL but without behavioral signs of tinnitus showed a reduction in amplitudes of ABR waves I&II but no significant changes in the number of synapses at the IHC. We conclude-in line with the literature-that HL is caused by damage to the IHC or by other reasons but that the development of tinnitus, at least in our animal model, is closely linked to synaptopathy at the IHC.
Radiofrequency (RF) ablation with half-normal saline (HNS) has shown promise as a bail-out strategy following failed ventricular tachycardia ablation using standard approaches.
To use a novel infrared thermal imaging (ITI) model to evaluate biophysical and lesion characteristics during RF ablation using normal saline (NS) and HNS irrigation.
Left ventricular strips of myocardium were excised from fresh porcine hearts. RF ablation was performed using an open-irrigated ablation catheter (Thermocool ST/SF) with NS (n = 75) and HNS (n = 75) irrigation using different power settings (40/50 W), RF durations (30/60 s), contact force of 10-15 g, and flow rate of 15 ml/min. RF lesions were recorded using an infrared thermal camera and border zone, lethal, 100° isotherms were matched with necrotic borders after 2% triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining. Lesion dimensions and isotherms (mm
) were measured.
In total, 150 lesions were delivered. HNS lesions were deeper (6.4 ± 1.1 vs. 5.7 ±0.8 mm;p = .03), and larger in volume (633 ± 153 vs. 468 ± 107 mm
; p = .007) than NS lesions. Steam pops (SPs) occurred during 19/75 lesions (25%) in the NS group and 32/75 lesions (43%) in the HNS group (p = .34). Lethal (57.8 ± 6.5 vs. 36.0 ± 3.9 mm
;p = .001) and 100°C isotherm areas (16.9 ± 6.9 vs. 3.8 ± 4.2 mm
; p = .003) areas were larger and were reached earlier in the HNS group.
RFA using HNS created larger lesions than NS irrigation but led to more frequent SPs. The presence of earlier lethal isotherms and temperature rises above 100°C on ITI suggest a potentially narrower therapeutic-safety window with HNS.
RFA using HNS created larger lesions than NS irrigation but led to more frequent SPs. The presence of earlier lethal isotherms and temperature rises above 100°C on ITI suggest a potentially narrower therapeutic-safety window with HNS.
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Start with a huge, uncovered box, or even a kiddie pool, and fill with a thick layer (about 6 inches) of unscented clay or fine sand-like particulate clumping/scoopable litter. For Ollie, you may need to play around with the substrate types to make it more natural. Try using soil or peat.