The definition of recurrent shoulder dislocation in tramadol induced seizure patients

Background: Prevalence of recurrent shoulder dislocation in patients taking tramadol has not been studied yet; so, this study aims to study the recurrent shoulder dislocation following tramadol induced seizure. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 205 patients with recurrent shoulder dislocation complaints (2 or more) referred to Shafa Orthopedic and Iranmehr hospitals Tehran, Iran, from October 2012 to October 2014 were studied. Data on patient history and physical examination, patient demographic information such as age, sex, age at first dislocation, total number of dislocation, cause of the first dislocation, history of tramadol use, number of dislocation following tramadol induced seizure, history of other drugs use, the dominant hand, involved side, direction of dislocations and greater tuberosity fracture was recorded using a pre-designed questionnaire. Categorical variables were compared by chi-square test and the means were compared with student T-test. Results: In this study, 50 patients (24.4) suffered from tramadol induced seizures and recurrent shoulder dislocation. Results showed that there was a significant relationship between the number of dislocation and tramadol use (P = 0.02). Recurrent shoulder dislocation following tramadol induced seizure was significantly associated with greater tuberosity fracture of humerus (P = 0.04); in 49 out of 50 patients (98) dislocation was of anterior type. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that tramadol induced seizure may increase the risk of recurrent shoulder dislocation. Furthermore, the prevalence of greater tuberosity fracture in shoulder dislocation increases following tramadol induced seizure; and anterior shoulder dislocation is the most common type of dislocation following tramadol induced seizure

Familial Mediterranean fever: Unusual age of presentation and the role of genetic diagnosis

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a genetic disease characterized by periodic fever and/or painful inflammatory manifestations. Repeated attacks at irregular intervals and in an unpredictable sequence are typical of the disease. Most of the patients become symptomatic between ages 5 to 15 years. Rarely, the disease may manifest as early as during the first year. Until recently, the diagnosis of FMF was mainly based on the presence of typical clinical picture and dramatic response to colchicine. Recent insight to the genetic basis of the disease has made DNA study available for diagnosis of FMF. We report a 20-month-old Iranian boy with recurrent attacks of abdominal pain and fever since the 4th month of birth. A molecular analysis was carried out, confirming mutation of the FMF-gene

How does functional constipation affect growth status in children?

Background: There are some evidences suggesting functional constipation-related growth retardation in children, especially in early childhood. Considering high prevalence of constipation, early diagnosis and treatment of constipated patients may improve the quality of life in these children. In this study, weight and height of Iranian children aged 2 to 12 years with functional constipation was evaluated compared to healthy children. Methods: A total of 130 Iranian children aged 2-12 years, 65 with functional constipation and 65 as healthy children referred to pediatric gastroenterology clinic during Jan to Dec of 2016, were enrolled in this case-control study. Functional constipation was defined as Rome III criteria. The growth status was evaluated using the growth charts, and Z scores of weight and height for age were recorded, with the consent of parents and child willingness. Results: 65 constipated patients (44 boys, 21 girls) with the mean age of 8.28 ± 3.24 years and 65 healthy children (25 boys, 40 girls) with the mean age of 8.32 ± 3.42 years were evaluated. The mean weight of case group was 23.69 ± 4.14 kg and mean height 126.49 ± 10.34 cm. The mean weight of control group with 31.62 ± 4.85 kg and mean height 153.47 ± 13.88 cm, demonstrated significant difference with the case group. The observed mean weight and height were significantly lower in constipated group and the differences of height-for-age and weight-for-age Z scores were statistically meaningful in constipated and healthy children. Conclusions: Functional constipation in children aged 2 to 12 years may retard their weight and height growth, so early diagnosis and treatment of children with constipation is beneficial in their adequate growth status. © 2019, Author(s)

Dynamic Properties of Mixtures of Waste Materials

The stockpiling of waste mining by-products, i.e. steel furnace slag (SFS) and coal wash (CW) has brought significant environmental hazard and attracted research attention to reuse them in a more innovative way. In recent years, SFS+CW mixtures have been successfully applied in geotechnical projects, while the inclusion of rubber crumb (RC, from waste tyres) will extend them into dynamic projects. Thus the investigation of the geotechnical properties of SFS+CW+RC mixtures under dynamic loading is in urgent need. In this paper, the dynamic properties (i.e. shear modulus and damping ratio) have been explored based on extensive drained cyclic triaxial tests. The influences of number of loading cycles, RC contents, shear strain level, and the effective confining pressure have been presented. The dynamic properties of SFS+CW +RC mixtures presented in this paper will be essential for the application of the mixtures in the seismic isolation projects or railway foundation

Xerostomia after radiotherapy and its effect on quality of life in head and neck cancer patients

Background: Xerostomia is one of the one complications following radiotherapy that can affect quality of life (QoL). This study aims to assess the severity of xerostomia in patients with head and neck cancers after radiotherapy and its effect on QoL. Methods: In this longitudinal prospective study, the severity of xerostomia and related QoL was assessed in 63 head and neck cancer patients who referred to the Radiotherapy Ward. Patients completed a xerostomia questionnaire (XQ) at the beginning, and 2, 4, and 6 weeks after treatment over a period of 6 months. Additionally, unstimulated saliva was collected using the spitting method at all 4 visits. Results: QoL significantly worsened with increased time (P = 0.0001); meanwhile, the severity of xerostomia increased significantly (P = 0.0001). However, there was no significant change in the amount of saliva at these 4 time points (P = 0.23). Regression analysis showed that with each milliliter decrease in saliva secretion, the QoL score decreased 2.25. With one score increase in xerostomia, from the QoL mean score there was a 1.65 decrease. Conclusion: The decrease in saliva and xerostomia that resulted from radiotherapy plays an important role in worsening QoL among patients who undergo radiotherapy for head and neck cancers. Although the amount of saliva has a significant association with QoL, the xerostomia score which shows subjects' general feeling also independently impacts QoL. In future studies, we recommend patient assessments for periods longer than 6 months

A literature review on the parvovirus B19 infection in sickle cell anemia and β-thalassemia patients

Background: Parvovirus B19 is the causative agent for erythema infectiosum, and also as a potentially life-threatening infectious agent, it is mainly presented in high erythrocyte turnover patients. Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited monogenic hematological disorder resulting from the mutations in the hemoglobin β-chain gene. Thalassemia is a hereditary hematological syndrome that happens in consequence of deficiencies in the production of one or more globin chains. We summarize current knowledge about the prevalence rates of the parvovirus B19 infection in sickle cell anemia and thalassemia patients. Methods: Several online databases were searched including, Scopus, EMBASE, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and PubMed, which were performed amidst 2009�2019 by using distinct keywords: �Thalassemia,� �Parvovirus,� �Anemia,� �Sickle cell anemia,� �parvoviridae,� �parvoviridae infection,� and �parvovirus B19.� Results: Search results indicated 4 and 7 studies for the prevalence of the parvovirus B19 in β-thalassemia and SCD, respectively. Among the β-thalassemia patients, the B19V seroprevalence for IgG and IgM were ranged from 18.2�81 and 14.5�41.1, respectively; meanwhile, B19V DNA positively results was 4�15.3. Moreover, in the SCD group, the extent of B19V IgG was varied from 37.6 to 65.9 and that of IgM was in a range of 2.9�30, and the DNA detection rate was 4�54. Conclusion: B19V seroprevalence changes in several conditions including, different epidemiological features, socio-economic status, and overpopulation. Age can expand the incidence of anti-B19V IgG/IgM in SCD and beta-thalassemia patients. Reinfection and diverse genotypes are relevant factors in the seroprevalence of B19v. The patients� immunological-hematological station and higher abundance of transfusions can affect the B19V seroprevalence in SCD and beta-thalassemia group. Further investigations in this field could be suggested to better understand the virus distribution in this susceptible population of patients. © 2020, The Author(s)

Evaluation of haptoglobin phenotypes in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and their association with some risk factors

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is one of the most common cardiovascular complications with a complex pathogenesis where inflammatory markers are involved in disease etiology. The aim of this study was to investigate haptoglobin phenotypes and their association with some risk factors in patients with a history of AMI. 120 patients who were referred to the emergency department of Amir Al Momenin hospital of Zahedan city, Zahedan-Iran were recruited in a cross-sectional case control study. 120 normal individuals were also chosen as controls for this study. Serum was isolated from routine bloods taken for diagnostic tests and used to determine haptoglobin phenotype distribution by electrophoresis. Phenotype differences as percent of phenotype frequency in patient and control groups were analysed using the χ2 test and SPSS software. A high frequency of serum Hp2-2 haptoglobin phenotype in patients and healthy control were found (62.5% and 58.3% respectively). A meaningful statistical correlation between high frequency of Hp2-2 haptoglobin phenotype and AMI was not found (p value = 0.484). Whereas high frequency of Hp1-1 and HP2-2 phenotypes was associated with hyperlipidemia and hypertension respectively (p value = 0.01 and 0.04). Our results showed that there was a high frequency of Hp2-2 haptoglobin phenotype in patients as well as healthy controls in the population studies. High frequencies of Hp1-1and Hp2-2 phenotypes were associated with AMI in patients with hyperlipidemia and hypertension respectively. Thus these phenotypes in AMI patients may modulate the inflammatory response in combination with hyperlipidemia and hypertension

Functional Analysis of a Dominant Negative Mutation of Interferon Regulatory Factor 5

BACKGROUND: Interferon regulatory factor (IRF) family members have been implicated as critical transcription factors that function in immune response, hematopoietic differentiation and cell growth regulation. Activation of IRF-5 results in the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNFalpha, IL6 and IL12p40, as well as type I interferons. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In this study, we identify a G202C (position relative to translation start codon) missense-mutation transcript of IRF-5 in transformed B and T cell lines, which were either infected or non-infected by viruses, and peripheral blood from ATL or CLL patients. The mutated transcript encodes a novel protein in which the sixty-eighth amino acid, Alanine, is substituted by Proline (IRF-5P68) in the DNA binding domain of IRF-5. IRF-5P68 phenotype results in a complete loss of its DNA-binding activity and functions as a dominant negative molecule through interacting with wild type IRF-5. Co-expression of IRF-5P68 inhibits MyD88-mediated IRF-5 transactivation. Moreover, Toll-like receptor (TLR)-dependent IL6 and IL12P40 production induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), R837 or CpG ODN 1826 was reduced in IRF-5 (P68) expressing cells as compared to the control cells. CONCLUSION: IRF-5P68 acts as a dominant negative regulator that interferes with IRF-5-mediated production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. The functional characterization of the novel IRF-5 mutant in transformed B and T cell lines and in ATL and CLL patients may lead to a better understanding of the role of these transcriptional regulators in hematopoietic malignancies

Estimation of hydraulic conductivity and its uncertainty from grain-size data using GLUE and artificial neural networks

peer reviewedaudience: researcher, professionalVarious approaches exist to relate saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) to grain-size data. Most methods use a single grain-size parameter and hence omit the information encompassed by the entire grain-size distribution. This study compares two data-driven modelling methods, i.e.multiple linear regression and artificial neural networks, that use the entire grain-size distribution data as input for Ks prediction. Besides the predictive capacity of the methods, the uncertainty associated with the model predictions is also evaluated, since such information is important for stochastic groundwater flow and contaminant transport modelling. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) are combined with a generalized likelihood uncertainty estimation (GLUE) approach to predict Ks from grain-size data. The resulting GLUE-ANN hydraulic conductivity predictions and associated uncertainty estimates are compared with those obtained from the multiple linear regression models by a leave-one-out cross-validation. The GLUE-ANN ensemble prediction proved to be slightly better than multiple linear regression. The prediction uncertainty, however, was reduced by half an order of magnitude on average, and decreased at most by an order of magnitude. This demonstrates that the proposed method outperforms classical data-driven modelling techniques. Moreover, a comparison with methods from literature demonstrates the importance of site specific calibration. The dataset used for this purpose originates mainly from unconsolidated sandy sediments of the Neogene aquifer, northern Belgium. The proposed predictive models are developed for 173 grain-size -Ks pairs. Finally, an application with the optimized models is presented for a borehole lacking Ks data

Regional development gaps in Argentina: A multidimensional approach to identify the location of policy priorities

Spatial inequalities within Latin American countries have historically attracted the interest ofacademics, policy-makers, and international agencies. This article aims to provide amultidimensional diagnosis of provincial development gaps in Argentina, in order to identifythe location of policy priorities. Therefore, we built a large database, which covers sevendevelopment dimensions, and applied multivariate analysis techniques to overcome someanalytical limitations of previous studies. Results show the stability of provincial developmentgaps between 2003 and 2013 and some heterogeneity within geographic regions. Instead,cluster analysis offers a better classification of Argentine provinces according to theirdevelopment gaps, which can help the government to prioritize the places wheredevelopment policies are strategic.Fil: Niembro, Andrés Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Río Negro; ArgentinaFil: Sarmiento, Jesica Isabel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Río Negro; Argentin