Ethiopian injera, a soft pancake, baked from fermented batter, is preferentially prepared from tef (Eragrostis tef) flour. The phytic acid (PA) content of tef is high and is only partly degraded during the fermentation step. PA chelates with iron and zinc in the human digestive tract and strongly inhibits their absorption. With the aim to formulate a starter culture that would substantially deg...

Anastomotic stricture (AS) and recurrent tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) are two complications of surgical repair of esophageal atresia (EA). Therapeutic endoscopic modalities include stenting, tissue glue, and clipping for TEF and endoscopic balloon dilation bougienage and stenting for esophageal strictures. We report herein a two-month infant with both EA and TEF who benefited from a surgical...

Alpha1-adrenergic receptor stimulation induces cardiac myocytes to hypertrophy and reactivates many fetal genes, including beta-myosin heavy chain (betaMyHC) and skeletal alpha-actin (SKA), by signaling through myocyte-specific CAT (M-CAT) cis elements, binding sites of the transcriptional enhancer factor-1 (TEF-1) family of transcription factors. To examine functional differences between TEF-1...

a1-Adrenergic receptor stimulation induces cardiac myocytes to hypertrophy and reactivates many fetal genes, including b-myosin heavy chain (bMyHC) and skeletal a-actin (SKA), by signaling through myocyte-specific CAT (M-CAT) cis elements, binding sites of the transcriptional enhancer factor-1 (TEF-1) family of transcription factors. To examine functional differences between TEF-1 and related t...

Esophageal atresia with Tracheoesophageal fistula (EA +TEF) is frequently associated with other congenital anomalies. The commonly associated systems are cardiovascular and gastrointestinal, including anorectal malformations. The associated anomalies adversely affect the outcome of the patient. Based on this association Waterson has given a criteria for risk stratification and survival of neona...

Tracheostomy tube might cause tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) due to high cuff pressure or direct mechanical trauma. Surgical repair provides the ideal way to deal with TEF but it necessitates the weaning the patient from mechanical ventilation. Here we report a spontaneous closure of TEF by managing it with improved tracheal catheters in a patient who is dependent on mechanical ventilation.

Tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) is an abnormal communication between the trachea and esophagus. Iatrogenic TEF can be due to endotracheal intubation, rigid bronchoscopy or tracheostomy. Tracheostomy tube cuff volumes and pressures require constant monitoring to avoid tracheal injury. Acquired TEF which occurs after prolonged intubation, usually develops after 15-200 days of mechanical ventilati...

Proline- and acid-rich (PAR) basic region leucine zipper (bZIP) proteins thyrotroph embryonic factor (TEF), D-site-binding protein (DBP), and hepatic leukemia factor have been involved in neurotransmitter homeostasis and amino acid metabolism. Here we demonstrate a novel role for these proteins in the transcriptional control of a BH3-only gene. PAR bZIP proteins are able to transactivate the pr...

Background: Esophageal Atresia and Tracheo-Esophageal Fistula (EA/TEF) occurs sporadically and its etiology is poorly understood. We observed six cases of EA/TEF within three weeks of October 2007 at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Nigeria. Aims: To analyze the monthly trends of presentation of EA/TEF at the LUTH from 2002-7, test the hypothesis that the October figures were not ...

Tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] is the major cereal crop in the Horn of Africa particularly in Ethiopia where it is staple food for about 50 million people. Its resilience to extreme environmental conditions and high in nutrition makes tef the preferred crop among both farmers and consumers. The efficiency of in vitro regeneration plays significant role in the improvement of crops. We inve...