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Background Cardiovascular disease is considered a common cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis. Elevated levels of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) are associated with CVD in diabetic patients. However, there is lack of information regarding HbA1c and CVD risk in non-diabetic HD patients. This study aims to investigate the relationship between glycated hemoglobin levels and the risk for CVD in non-diabetic HD patients. Methods A prospective, cross-sectional study, which included 60 non-diabetic HD patients, 30 patients taking erythrocyte stimulating agents (ESA), and 30 patients with no-ESA. Each group was subdivided according to the presence or absence of CVD. All participants were subjected to full history taking, clinical examination, and laboratory investigations. Results Non-diabetic HD patients with CVD had higher mean ± SD HbA1c% (5.8 ± 0.2) and HOMA-IR (4.7 ± 0.7), than those with no-CVD (5.5 ± 0.3), and (4.2 ± 0.3) (p ˂0.05). Non-diabetic HD patients with CVD had longer dialysis duration, lower serum albumin, and HDL, but higher total cholesterol, CRP, Hb%, HbA1c%, and insulin resistance than those with no-CVD. HD patients who received higher doses of ESA therapy mean ± SD (80.8 ± 22.4) IU/Kg/Week had significantly lower HbA1c% (˂5%) than those who received lower doses (53.9 ± 23.8), who had HbA1c% (≥ 5.5–6%) (p˂0.05). There was a significantly positive correlation between the presence of CVD in HD patients and the HbA1c% levels (r = 0.492) (p˂0.05). Conclusion HbA1c can predict CVD in non-diabetic HD patients, and its lower levels are associated with lower CVD.

Naphtha catalytic reforming process using bimetallic platinum and titanium loaded on nano synthesized HY zeolite was investigated for the product octane number enhancement. The activity of five samples of the prepared catalyst with different bimetallic loading of 0.13, 0.25 wt% Pt and 0.75, 1, 2.2 wt% Ti were investigated for Iraqi heavy naphtha catalytic reforming at the temperature range of 490, 500 and 510 °C and pressure of 10 bar in a packed bed pilot plant reactor. The best result of the research octane number was 84 for reformate product using the sample of 0.13% Pt–0.75% Ti%/HY zeolite at temperature 510 °C and 10 bar achieving 47% increase. All samples of the prepared catalyst showed a good stability during the operation at severe conditions and the maximum carbon content was about 9% due to the deposition of coke precursor on the catalyst surface. The reformate yield was investigated for all catalyst samples under 10 and 20 bars and the same range of temperature and ranged from 89 to 94%. These results are encouraging for future possible replacement of the conventional catalyst by the local synthetic zeolite. Octane number was correlated on the basis of constituent’s boiling points. The maximum absolute error between the experimental and predicted octane number was about 3 and 5% using 10 and 20 bar respectively.

Up to 30% of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) exhibit an inadequate response to serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs). To date, genetic predictors of OCD treatment response have not been systematically investigated using genome-wide association study (GWAS). To identify specific genetic variations potentially influencing SRI response, we conducted a GWAS study in 804 OCD patients with information on SRI response. SRI response was classified as 'response' (n=514) or 'non-response' (n=290), based on self-report. We used the more powerful Quasi-Likelihood Score Test (the MQLS test) to conduct a genome-wide association test correcting for relatedness, and then used an adjusted logistic model to evaluate the effect size of the variants in probands. The top single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) was rs17162912 (P=1.76 × 10(-8)), which is near the DISP1 gene on 1q41-q42, a microdeletion region implicated in neurological development. The other six SNPs showing suggestive evidence of association (P

Securing a place in medical school is extremely difficult-students who are successful all have similar high levels of academic achievement. So why do some students, and not others, have difficulty with the course, and in some cases, leave the programme? Studies on medical school attrition offer valuable insight into why medical students under-perform. Identification of the 'at-risk' student can trigger additional support and early remediation, helping some students remain in their chosen profession.

A studentized weighted least squares estimator in a linear regression model is given, this statistic is proved to be asymptotically normal and can be used in applications, also an asymptotic expansion for the distribution of a standardized weighted least square with weights estimated by replication is given and we will comment on the asymptotic expansion for a studentized weighted least square, these expansions are useful in proving the validity of other procedures.

Excessive infant crying is a common and often stress-inducing condition for parents that can ultimately result in infant abuse. Although the infantile colic is reported commonly and causes appreciable distress for both parents and pediatricians, its pathogenesis remains unclear, despite 40 years of research. This work studied the role of H. pylori in infantile colic. This study was conducted in a primary health care office in Sharkia Governorate. The study included 50 infants with infantile colic according to Wessel's criteria, along with age and sex matched 50 healthy controls. All-infants without apparent cause for their colic underwent full history taking, clinical examination and H. pylori antigen in their stools. This study supports the new evidence for the role of H. pylori in the pathogenesis of infantile colic. H. pylori stool antigen was present in 31 (62%) of cases in contrast to 10 (20%) of controls (P

Several aspects of social and emotional functioning are abnormal in people with eating disorders. The aim of the present study was to measure facial emotional expression in patients with eating disorders and healthy controls whilst playing a therapeutic video game (Playmancer) designed to train individuals in emotional regulation. Participants were 23 ED patients (11 AN, 12 BN) and 11 HCs. ED patients self reported more anger at baseline but expressed less facial expression of anger during the Playmancer game. The discrepancy between self-report and non-verbal expression may lead to problems in social communication.

A general asymptotic expansion for the distribution of the studentized least squares estimate in multiple linear regression models is obtained without assuming normal errors and under simple easily verifiable conditions. This expansion provides a better than the normal approximation for estimation and testing . It is also shown that the bootstrap approximation for the distribution of the studentized least squares estimate has a valid asymptotic expansion and this shows that the bootstrap is better than the normal for approximating the distribution of the studentized least squares estimate. A comparison between the bootstrap approximation and the empirical Edgeworth expansion is also provided showing that the bootstrap approximation for the distribution of the studentized least squares estimate is better than the two-term Edgeworth expansion.

Asymptotic expansions for the standardized as well as the studentized least squares estimate in multiple linear regression models are obtained without assuming normal errors and under simple assumptions that are easy to check.

Genome-wide association studies have been successful in identifying loci that underlie continuous traits measured at a single time point. To additionally consider continuous traits longitudinally, it is desirable to look at SNP effects at baseline and over time using linear-mixed effects models. Estimation and interpretation of two coefficients in the same model raises concern regarding the optimal control of type I error. To investigate this issue, we calculate type I error and power under an alternative for joint tests, including the two degree of freedom likelihood ratio test, and compare this to single degree of freedom tests for each effect separately at varying alpha levels. We show which joint tests are the optimal way to control the type I error and also illustrate that information can be gained by joint testing in situations where either or both SNP effects are underpowered. We also show that closed form power calculations can approximate simulated power for the case of balanced data, provide reasonable approximations for imbalanced data, but overestimate power for complicated residual error structures. We conclude that a two degree of freedom test is an attractive strategy in a hypothesis-free genome-wide setting and recommend its use for genome-wide studies employing linear-mixed effects models.