Recent Articles

The response of human organism tissues to various pathological effects depends to a large extent on the presence of the total amount of key protein in the organism – Src-kinase and the ratio of its active part to inactive. With a sharp preponderance of an inactive portion of this protein over the active, the proliferative activity of cells is suppressed, and with a significant preponderance of the active part, proliferation is inadequately increased. The amount of this protein is embedded in embryogenesis and individually in each person. In the age aspect, a decrease in the Src-kinase content in the human organism is observed. The epithelial tissue of two age groups: 20-40 and 75 years and older responds most acutely to pathological effects, including the entering of viruses, since in 20-40 years the number of Src-kinase is the greatest in relation to other age groups, and in 75 years and older – the least, which causes a decrease in the reactivity of organism tissues or, conversely, hyperactivity.

There is substantial evidence to suggest that mindfulness practices positively affect older adults’ physical, emotional, and cognitive wellbeing. However, there is still little information available about the interest and inclination among older adults for performing mindfulness-related exercises. We conducted a survey study aimed at exploring the prevalence of older adults engaged in such activities. Data were collected from 174 older adults (Males: 48; Females:126) who responded using a self-constructed survey, and analyzed using SPSS. Results indicate that almost two-thirds of older adult respondents engage in at least one mindfulness practice and almost a third engage in more than one, with meditation, deep breathing, and yoga being the most prevalent.

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), spread in few months from a small focus in Wuhan (Hubei province, China) to over 28 million people worldwide , COVID-19 is often more severe in people 60+yrs or with health conditions like lung ,heart disease, diabetes or conditions that affect their immune system (1). Several countries independently adopted strict containment measures to slow the local spread of SARS-CoV-2. As other countries, widespread lockdown measures were applied in Doha –Qatar from March 17 to June 1st 2020 that restricted physical contacts, individual movements including school attendance. This reflected during the beginning of the academic year 2020-2021 by parental fear to send their children with epilepsy back to their school considering that epilepsy could be a risk factor for covid19 infection. The prevalence of epilepsy in children ranges from 3.2 to 5.5 per 1000, being highest in the first year of life, but matching adult rates by the end of the first decade (2). Epilepsy in children is the second greatest neurological disorder burden worldwide (3), often associated with cognitive and psychiatric comorbidities (4). These patients were not highly susceptible to COVID-19 during the pandemic, the estimate rate of infection among pediatric patient with epilepsy was around (0.4%) for those who became sick. Meanwhile Viral infection is a risk factor for seizures in children with certain developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEE) with fever sensitivity, such as Dravet Syndrome and SCN1A-related phenotypes. We aimed to assess if the COVID-19 infection affected children with epilepsy in a higher rate than other children.

Aim and objective: The aim of this study was to investigate a relationship between the different types of electrosurgical energy (monopolar, bipolar, and ultrasonic-harmonic scalpel) and postoperative hypocalcaemia after total thyroidectomy. Additionally, to analyze the frequency of postoperative hypocalcaemia, according to age group, gender, and pathological diagnosis. Materials and Methods: An observational, retrospective and correlational study was carried out in a series of patients who underwent total thyroidectomy in a public and a private hospital in Quito, Ecuador, South America, from January 2016 to July 2019. Results: Among 665 patients, post-thyroidectomy hypocalcaemia was observed in 127 (18.8%) patients. There was no significant difference between males and females. Hypocalcaemia was significantly higher in patients aged between 26 and 35 years, patients operated for malignant tumors and in patients in whom at least one parathyroid gland was removed. Postoperative hypocalcaemia occurred in 52.2% of patients (n = 24) [RR: 3.14; 95% CI: 2.26-4.36; p: 0.001] in the bipolar group, 29.2% (n = 7) [RR: 1.56; 95% CI: 0.82-2.97; p: 0.087] in the harmonic group, 17.3% (n = 34) [RR: 0.87; 95% CI: 0.61-1.24; p: 0.219] in the monopolar group, and 15.2% (n= 60) [RR: 0.61; 95% CI 0.45-0.84; p: 0.001] in the monopolar + harmonic group. Conclusions and clinical significance: The use of a bipolar device appears to be a risk factor for hypocalcaemia, while the use of monopolar + harmonic seems to be a protective factor. Although, when analyzing monopolar + harmonic vs monopolar alone, the addition of the harmonic scalpel didn’t provide statistically significant additional protection against hypocalcaemia.

Background: Inguinal hernia in children remains one of the most common congenital anomaly observed by surgeons. Prompt diagnosis and early treatment of the inguinal hernia continues to be the mainstay to avoid the complications. The present study was undertaken to compare the effectiveness of laparoscopic hernia repair and open herniotomy of inguinal hernia in paediatric age group. Method: A total 104 healthy children of age

Alpha emitting nanoparticulates in internal contamination, an IARC Class 1 carcinogen, have an extremely wide list of effects. New effects are here demonstrated based on a wide epidemiological survey. WHO data in particular is used together with other large sets and juxtaposed to known sources of variations of radioactivity contamination in the environment to demonstrate the link which is always explained by the strong decay energy and its impact on the organism. Some behaviours are shown to be strategies of pain reduction, others of decontamination. This article confirms the simple logic of biophysics (the linear-no-threshold model) outlined by the author in previous publications.

This short note is of interest for depleted uranium cleaning and supraconductivity studies. It presents ways to cleanse depleted uranium efficiently.

Pearson syndrome (PS) is a mitochondrial disorder that presents in early infancy as a multisystemic disease affecting the bone marrow and pancreas. It may present with anemia, diarrhea, exocrine pancreatic dysfunction, and failure to thrive.[1] Delay in diagnosis can lead to severe morbidity and mortality in infancy. We report the case of a 9-month-old presenting with failure to thrive, severe macrocytic anemia and pancytopenia initially thought to have gastroesophageal reflux and feeding intolerance. Severe macrocytic anemia and pancytopenia prompted an early bone marrow evaluation. Abnormal bone marrow findings including vacuolated marrow precursors and ringed sideroblasts along with persistent mild lactic acidosis led to a rapid and extensive genetics workup. Whole exome sequencing including mitochondrial genome sequencing detected a 2.3 kb heteroplasmic deletion in m.12113_14421 encompassing the MT-ND5 gene consistent with the diagnosis of Pearson Syndrome. This case report highlights the advances in molecular genetic testing to diagnose patients with complex medical histories along the spectrum of mitochondrial diseases and the importance of early diagnosis to start treatment.

This letter details principles of fossilization that matter for the study of fossils in general, but with a preference for sites next to volcanic areas.

Objective: The present study aimed to review the medications frequently prescribed in dental practice that are potentially inappropriate for the elderly population due to the risks presented. Methods: An integrative literature review was carried out, based on the Guidance Manual: Prescription and Dispensing of Medicines Used in Dentistry, which reports the main drugs prescribed in dental practice (2017). From this, medications described in the Beers list of the American Society of Geriatrics (2019) were extracted, in order to identify medications that are potentially inappropriate in the elderly, what are the main consequences of use and appropriate management in view of the need for prescription. Results: The prescription and dispensing guidance manual for medicines used in dentistry has a list of 142 medicines, containing anti-inflammatories, antibacterials, opioids, benzodiazepines and other types of drugs. Of the drugs listed, 27 are considered inadequate and the most common therapeutic class among the drugs was anti-inflammatory drugs, being equivalent to 44.5% of the inadequacies found. Conclusion: Despite the risks associated with medications, it appears that they are widely prescribed in dental practice, making these groups worthy of special attention due to their potential for serious adverse events and negative impacts on the elderly and the health system, in addition to to emphasize the importance of the professional regarding the best indications and pharmacotherapeutic follow-up by the clinical pharmacist in caring for the elderly.