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Abstract Purpose This study explored how exogenous silicon (Si) affects growth and salt resistance in maize. Methods The maize was cultivated in sand-filled pots, incorporating varied silicon and salt stress (NaCl) treatments. Silicon was applied at 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 mM, and salt stress was induced using 0, 60 and120 mM concentrations. Soil salinity triggers a range of physiochemical abnormalities, often leading to growth arrest and, eventually, the demise of susceptible plants. Results The salt stress significantly reduced the total chlorophyll content (12.58–33.14%), antioxidant enzymes, notably SOD (32–46%), POD (10.33–18.48%), and CAT (10.05–13.19%). In contrast, salt stress increased secondary metabolites, including total phenols (49.11–66.35%.), flavonoids (220.99–280.36%), and anthocyanin (50.04–58.6%). Adding silicon under salt stress reduced the absorption of Na+ by 6.69%, 20.7%, 41.12%, and 34.28%, respectively, compared to their respective controls. Additionally, applying Si at 8 mM significantly enhanced antioxidant enzymes such as SOD (50.57%), POD (15.58%), CAT (10.06%) and chlorophyll ratio (21.32%). Conclusion Silicon application positively impacted nearly all growth and physiological features, indicating it helps mitigate against salinity. This was achieved by regulating various salinity indicators, where secondary metabolites, including anthocyanin, ascorbic acid, total phenols, and flavonoids, increased. Graphical Abstract

BackgroundThe combination of cardiovascular disease and diabetes is a highly prevalent condition in the United Arab Emirates. Development and dissemination of evidence-based regional recommendations for optimal screening, treatment and referrals of people with diabetes and high cardiovascular risk is an important priority.Consensus panelAn expert panel of diabetologists, endocrinologists and cardiologists from the Emirates Cardiac Society and Emirates Diabetes and Endocrine Society as well as different entities in the UAE, discussed and reviewed evidence and also a consensus report from the American Diabetes Association to formulate contextualized recommendations that could be applied for optimal management of cardiovascular risk in people with diabetes in the UAE.Consensus findingsThe combination of heart failure and other cardiovascular risks is a highly prevalent finding among people with diabetes in the United Arab Emirates. The causal inter-relationships between diabetes and heart failure are multifactorial and regular assessments of symptoms and steps for mitigation of risk factors are an important priority. The universal definition and classification of heart failure provides a useful framework for recommending optimal screening, treatment, and referral strategies to diabetic individuals at various stages of the cardiovascular continuum. Routine measurement (at least yearly) of natriuretic peptides and high-sensitivity troponins can help identify patients requiring cardiac imaging referrals. However, recommending routine measurements of natriuretic peptides and/or high-sensitivity troponins to all diabetic individuals must balance clinical judgment and cost implications. While SGLT2i must be an important part of the standard of care, insulin, GLP1 receptor agonists and/or metformin can be useful for additional glycemic control.ConclusionThe consensus panel hopes that the recommendations presented herein can offer guidance for optimal screening, treatment and referral of people with a concomitance of diabetes and high cardiovascular risk in the United Arab Emirates.

Epilepsy is a common neurological disease that is treated with medications; however, patients with drug-resistant epilepsy, commonly intractable temporal lobe epilepsy, tend to have better control with surgical treatment. While the mainstay of surgical treatment is anterior temporal lobectomy, it carries risk of potential adverse effects hence minimally invasive techniques are now being used as an alternative to open surgery. This systematic review and meta-analysis compare the efficacy and safety of three of the most used techniques: laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT), radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). Multiple databases were searched and PRISMA guidelines were followed to make an indirect meta-analysis using the currently available studies for the three techniques in terms of seizure freedom, risk of major complications and reoperations. Further subgroup analyses were carried out for LITT in terms of follow up periods and seizure freedom in patients with or without hippocampal sclerosis. A total of 42 papers were included in this study with a total of 1675 patients (1303 treated by LITT, 188 treated by RFA and 184 treated by SRS). LITT had the highest rate of seizure freedom (55.0%, CI 51.5 − 58.5%, P = 0.148), and the lowest rates of major complications (2.3%, CI 1.2 − 3.5%, P = 0.070), and reoperations (14.3%, CI 10.4 − 18.3%, P = 0.042) compared to RFA and SRS which had seizure freedom of 46.3% (CI 18.8 − 73.7%, P = 0.000) and 53.8% (CI 44.4 − 63.3%; I^2 = 40.4%, P = 0.098), major complication rate of 3.9% (CI 0.7 − 7.0%; I^2 = 0%, P = 0.458) and 14.3% (CI 3.1 − 25.5%, P = 0.000) and reoperation rate of 28.6% (CI -4.3 − 61.5%, P = 0.000) and 15.4% (CI 6.1 − 24.8%; I^2 = 0%, P = 0.392) respectively. In conclusion, LITT showed the highest rate of seizure freedom and the lowest rate of major complications and reoperations compared to RFA and SRS in single-arm studies of intractable mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. However, the lack of direct comparisons between treatment modalities limits definitive conclusions. Despite this, LITT appears to offer a favorable safety profile, warranting further prospective, comparative studies to validate these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The combination of cardiovascular disease and diabetes is a highly prevalent condition in the United Arab Emirates. Development and dissemination of evidence-based regional recommendations for optimal screening, treatment and referrals of people with diabetes and high cardiovascular risk is an important priority. Consensus panel: An expert panel of diabetologists, endocrinologists and cardiologists from the Emirates Cardiac Society and Emirates Diabetes and Endocrine Society as well as different entities in the UAE, discussed and reviewed evidence and also a consensus report from the American Diabetes Association to formulate contextualized recommendations that could be applied for optimal management of cardiovascular risk in people with diabetes in the UAE. Consensus findings: The combination of heart failure and other cardiovascular risks is a highly prevalent finding among people with diabetes in the United Arab Emirates. The causal inter-relationships between diabetes and heart failure are multifactorial and regular assessments of symptoms and steps for mitigation of risk factors are an important priority. The universal definition and classification of heart failure provides a useful framework for recommending optimal screening, treatment, and referral strategies to diabetic individuals at various stages of the cardiovascular continuum. Routine measurement (at least yearly) of natriuretic peptides and high-sensitivity troponins can help identify patients requiring cardiac imaging referrals. However, recommending routine measurements of natriuretic peptides and/or high-sensitivity troponins to all diabetic individuals must balance clinical judgment and cost implications. While SGLT2i must be an important part of the standard of care, insulin, GLP1 receptor agonists and/or metformin can be useful for additional glycemic control. Conclusion: The consensus panel hopes that the recommendations presented herein can offer guidance for optimal screening, treatment and referral of people with a concomitance of diabetes and high cardiovascular risk in the United Arab Emirates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study explored how exogenous silicon (Si) affects growth and salt resistance in maize. Methods: The maize was cultivated in sand-filled pots, incorporating varied silicon and salt stress (NaCl) treatments. Silicon was applied at 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 mM, and salt stress was induced using 0, 60 and120 mM concentrations. Soil salinity triggers a range of physiochemical abnormalities, often leading to growth arrest and, eventually, the demise of susceptible plants. Results: The salt stress significantly reduced the total chlorophyll content (12.58–33.14%), antioxidant enzymes, notably SOD (32–46%), POD (10.33–18.48%), and CAT (10.05–13.19%). In contrast, salt stress increased secondary metabolites, including total phenols (49.11–66.35%.), flavonoids (220.99–280.36%), and anthocyanin (50.04–58.6%). Adding silicon under salt stress reduced the absorption of Na+ by 6.69%, 20.7%, 41.12%, and 34.28%, respectively, compared to their respective controls. Additionally, applying Si at 8 mM significantly enhanced antioxidant enzymes such as SOD (50.57%), POD (15.58%), CAT (10.06%) and chlorophyll ratio (21.32%). Conclusion: Silicon application positively impacted nearly all growth and physiological features, indicating it helps mitigate against salinity. This was achieved by regulating various salinity indicators, where secondary metabolites, including anthocyanin, ascorbic acid, total phenols, and flavonoids, increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]