Exercise during pregnancy activates cardioprotective genes without a further increase in pregnancy-induced cardiac hypertrophy

Pregnancy and exercise promote cardiovascular remodeling: pregnancy is associated with prolonged, but reversible, cardiac volume overload secondary to increased blood volume and significant hormonal changes that together result in cardiac hypertrophy. During pregnancy, cardiac output increases gradually and reaches a peak from the second trimester through term. This increase in cardiac output is achieved by either gradual and substantial increases in heart rate and stroke volume or a fall in vascular resistance. In addition to hemodynamic alterations during pregnancy, the levels of circulating progesterone gradually increase with advancing gestational age, which contributes to pregnancy induced cardiac hypertrophy.

How Often Should Surgical Instruments Be Sterilized?

Proper and timely sterilization of surgical instruments is crucial for achieving desirable postoperative outcomes. Though the methods of sterilization have long been standardized, standardization of the specific time period after which they should be repeated, is yet to be achieved. A recent study regarding the same illustrated that surgical instruments remain sterile up to 6 hours after the sterilization procedure, after which the bacterial colonies begin to develop. It is hence recommended to re-sterilize surgical instruments after 6 hours of use. This newfound information specifically correspond to replacing surgical instruments after 6 hours of commencement of surgery, especially in those extensively lengthy multiple surgical regimes.

Effect of structured patient education program on the knowledge level of mothers regarding childhood gastroenteritis and pneumonia at El-Raml Pediatric Hospital

Diarrhea and pneumonia are leading childhood killers; together, they are responsible for almost one quarter of all deaths in children under 5. There is nothing new or exotic about these two diseases. In fact they are some of the oldest and most common in the world; most children contract pneumonia and diarrhea at some point during childhood. Globally more than 1.4 million children die every year, from diarrhea and pneumonia, particularly in settings with limited access to health services, nutritious foods, basic sanitation and hygiene.

New Onset Diabetes after Liver Transplantation (NODAT): Myths and Facts

NODAT is considered as one of the crucial factors that limit the real time therapeutic efficacy of patients who undergo liver transplantation. While family history of Diabetes Mellitus, immunosuppressive treatment regimen used, obesity, and etiology of CLD are considered as chief contributors towards development of post-surgical NODAT in majority of liver transplantation cases, recent study results indicate otherwise. Most cases of NODAT are transient in nature i.e. the patients recover within six months to one year. Furthermore, the total percentage of people NODAT has also declined significantly in the recent past. Hence, a multifactorial and extended analysis of NODAT is crucial to accessing the real time therapeutic efficiency of the surgical procedure.

Fistulous communication between the circumflex artery and right atrium: Diagnostic imaging and surgical repair

Coronary artery fistulas are rare anatomic anomalies that may be congenital or acquired. The most commonly affected vessel is the right coronary artery while origination from the left circumflex is rare. A coronary fistula creates a left-to-right shunt eventually leading to ventricular overload and congestive heart failure. Due to the low incidence of coronary fistulas, data is limited with regards to treatment strategies. We report the successful treatment of a large fistulous communication between the circumflex artery and the right atrium by proximal and distal ligation of the circumflex artery and selective revascularization of the excluded marginal branch.