Single wall Carbon Nanotubes (SWCNTs) are hydrophobic and do not disperse in aqueous solvents. Acid functionalization of SWCNTs results in attachment of carboxy and sulfonate groups to carbon atoms and the resulting acid functionalized product (AF-SWCNTs) is negatively charged and disperses easily in water and buffers. In the present study, effect of AF-SWCNTs on blood erythrocytes was examined...

Aims The incidence and predictors of stroke in patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction (HF-PEF), but without atrial fibrillation (AF), are unknown. We described the incidence of stroke in HF-PEF patients with and without AF and predictors of stroke in those without AF. Methods and results We pooled data from the CHARM-Preserved and I-Preserve trials. Using Cox regression, ...

Diabetic foot ulcer is a serious complication of diabetes, which affects a significant percentage (15%) of diabetics and up to 15%-24% of those affected may require amputation. Therefore, the economic burden of diabetic foot ulcers is enormous and is associated with high cost of treatment and prolongs hospitalization. The present study was conducted to evaluate antibacterial and in vivo wound h...

Attributable fraction (AF) is an important concept in clinical and epidemiological studies. The concept has mainly been discussed in relation to case–control studies, cross-sectional studies, and follow-up studies of fixed length. Here, we propose and discuss several ways of defining and estimating AFs with right-censored survival data, and thus with varying lengths of follow-up. In particular,...

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) affects, worldwide, 50% of 60-year-old men. The Peruvian plant red maca (Lepidium meyenii) inhibits BPH in rodents. This study aimed to determine the effects of methanolic red maca extract and its n-butanol and aqueous fractions on expression of androgen and oestrogen receptors in rats with testosterone enanthate-induced BPH. Thirty-six rats in six groups were...

INTRODUCTION Uric acid is a cardiovascular risk marker associated with oxidative stress and inflammation. Recently, atrial fibrillation (AF) has been associated with inflammation and oxidative stress. We therefore investigated the association between AF and uric acid levels. METHODS Consecutive patients with AF and healthy control subjects were screened. Demographic, clinical, and echocardiog...

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between atrial fibrillation (AF) and pericardial fat. BACKGROUND Pericardial fat is visceral adipose tissue that possesses inflammatory properties. Inflammation and obesity are associated with AF, but the relationship between AF and pericardial fat is unknown. METHODS Pericardial fat volume was measured using computed t...

AIMS Data on the epidemiology of atrial fibrillation (AF) and its antithrombotic management in elderly populations are scarce. The aims of this study were to estimate the incidence and prevalence of AF in the elderly in Germany and to describe antithrombotic management of AF cases. METHODS AND RESULTS Estimation of prevalence and incidence was based on data of three German statutory health in...

BACKGROUND Atrial fibrillation/flutter (AF) and heart failure often coexist; however, the effect of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) on the incidence of AF and on the outcome of patients with new-onset AF remains undefined. METHODS AND RESULTS In the CArdiac REsynchronisation in Heart Failure (CARE-HF) trial, 813 patients with moderate or severe heart failure were randomly assigned to ...

Atrial fibrillation (AF) may cause systolic abnormality via inadequate diastolic filling and tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy. Global longitudinal strain (GLS) is a very sensitive method for detecting subtle left ventricular systolic dysfunction. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate whether AF patients had a more impaired GLS, AF was a major determinant of GLS, and determine the major correlat...