The diagnostic accuracy of endobronchial ultrasound and spiral chest computed tomography scan in the prediction of infiltrating and non-infiltrating lymph nodes in patients undergoing endobronchial ultrasound

Purpose: Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) and spiral chest computed tomography (CT) scan are important methods in the prediction of infiltrating and non-infiltrating lymph nodes, and the determination of their diagnostic accuracy would result in a reduction of the burden of problems and an improvement in prognosis. The purpose in this study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of endobronchial ultrasound and spiral chest CT scan in the prediction of infiltrating and non-infiltrating lymph nodes in patients undergoing endobronchial ultrasound. Material and methods: In this observational prospective study, 40 consecutive patients with infiltrating and non-infiltrating lymph nodes in Masih-Daneshvari Hospital in 2017 and 2018 were enrolled, and the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of EBUS and CT-scan versus fine needle aspiration pathology results were determined in them. Results: The results in this study demonstrated that the congruence between EBUS and CT scan was 80.5% (p = 0.0001). The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for CT scan were 100%, 22.6%, and 40%, respectively, and the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for EBUS were 100%, 16.1%, and 35%, respectively. Conclusion: According to the obtained results, it may be concluded that CT scan and EBUS results have good congruence and high sensitivity to differentiate infiltrating and non-infiltrating lymph nodes. Hence, these methods are useful for screening methods, but due to their low specificity and accuracy the use of them for a confirmative approach is not beneficial. However, regarding the accessibility and less invasive nature, use of chest CT scan is more rational and is recommended in these patients

Computed tomography pulmonary angiography for acute pulmonary embolism : prediction of adverse outcomes and 90-day mortality in a single test

Purpose: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a potentially fatal cardiopulmonary disease; therefore, rapid risk stratification is necessary to make decisions of appropriate management strategies. The aim of this study was to assess various computed tomography (CT) findings in order to find new prognostic factors of adverse outcome and mortality. Material and methods: The study enrolled 104 patients with acute PE. Based on their outcome, patients were categorised into four groups. Comorbidities such as ischaemic heart disease were obtained from their medical records. Patients CT angiography were reviewed for recording variables such as main pulmonary artery diameter and right ventricle (RV)/left ventricle (LV) ratio. Patient deaths up to three months since diagnosis of PE had been registered. Logistic regression analysis was performed to find predictors. Results: Based on multiple logistic regression, RV/LV ratio, LV diameter, and right-sided pulmonary infarction are predictors of mortality in 30 days. An RV/LV ratio of 1.19 could successfully discriminate patients who died within 30 days and those who did not. Conclusions: RV/LV ratio, LV diameter, right-sided pulmonary infarction, assessed with helical CT, can help predict 30-day mortality

The Impact of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms on the Pharmacokinetics of Tacrolimus in Kidney Allograft Recipients of Northern-West, Iran

Purpose: Calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) such as tacrolimus are a major immunosuppressive therapy after renal transplantation, which inhibit cytokine expression. The pharmacokinetics of such drugs is influenced by cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes, multi-drug resistance-1 (MDR-1), and C25385T pregnane X receptor (PXR). This study aimed to investigate the impact of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in these genes on the ratio of tacrolimus level per drug dosage (C/D ratio), acute graft rejection, and viral infections. Methods: Kidney transplantation recipients (n=65) under similar immunosuppressive treatment were included. Amplification refractory mutation systempolymerase chain reaction (ARMS-PCR) method was applied to amplify the loci containing the SNPs of interest. Results: Overall, 65 patients with a male/female ratio of 37/28 were included. The mean age was 38±1.75 years. The variant allele frequencies of CYP3A5*3, MDR-1 C3435T, and PXR C25385T were 95.38, 20.77, and 26.92%, respectively. No significant correlations were found between the studied SNPs and the tacrolimus C/D ratios. However, there was a significant difference in the C/D ratios at 2 and 8 weeks in homozygote CYP3A5 *3/*3 carriers (P=0.015). No significant association was found between the studied polymorphisms and viral infections and acute graft rejection (P>0.05). Conclusion: Homozygote CYP3A5 *3/*3 genotype could influence the tacrolimus metabolism rate (C/D ratio)

The effects of globalization on firm’s stock in the selected Asian countries

Este estudio tiene como objetivo estudiar los efectos de la globalización económica sobre las acciones de la empresa que se mide por el índice del mercado de valores mediante el uso de datos de panel en países seleccionados de Asia ( Irán, Arabia Saudita , India, China , Singapur , Malasia , Indonesia, Sur Corea, Rusia , Pakistán , Filipinas , Sri Lanka ) durante 1997- pruebas de raíz 2013. Unidad indican que las variables son estacionarias en el nivel. Los resultados de la prueba F , pruebas Breusch - Pagan y Hausman muestran que los efectos fijos unilaterales deben aplicarse . Los resultados muestran que la globalización económica mejora significativamente el índice del mercado de valores . Por otra parte el efecto positivo y significativo sobre las acciones de la empresa depende de la globalización política y variable ficticia , sin embargo el efecto negativo y significativo está relacionado con la tasa de crecimiento del gasto público , el tipo de cambio y los efectos de la interacción de la economía .This study aims to survey the effects of economic globalization on the firm’s stock that is measured by the index of the stock market by using panel data in selected countries in Asia (Iran, Saudi Arabia, India, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, South Korea, Russia, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka) during 1997- 2013. Unit root tests indicate that the variables are stationary on the level. The results of F-test, Breusch-Pagan and Hausman tests show that the unilateral fixed effects must be applied. The results show that the economic globalization significantly improves stock market index. Moreover the positive and significant effect on the firm’s stock depend on political globalization and dummy variable, however the negative and significant effect is related to the growth rate of government expenditure, the exchange rate and the interaction effects of economy

The effects of globalization on firm’s stock in the selected Asian countries

This study aims to survey the effects of economic globalization on the firm’s stock that is measured by the index of the stock market by using panel data in selected countries in Asia (Iran, Saudi Arabia, India, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, South Korea, Russia, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka) during 1997- 2013. Unit root tests indicate that the variables are stationary on the level. The results of F-test, Breusch-Pagan and Hausman tests show that the unilateral fixed effects must be applied. The results show that the economic globalization significantly improves stock market index. Moreover the positive and significant effect on the firm’s stock depend on political globalization and dummy variable, however the negative and significant effect is related to the growth rate of government expenditure, the exchange rate and the interaction effects of economy

APOL1 renal risk alleles in patients on chronic hemodialysis in Northwest of Iran

Introduction: Apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) gene's risk variants located on chromosome 22 are newly discovered factors for the development of chronic renal failure among African-American. These risk alleles were developed on the African continent as an evolutionary defense against sleep sickness due to Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense and then spread with human migrations. Objectives: In the present study, we sought to examine these risk variants in a group of hemodialysis patients of Northwest of Iran. Patients and Methods: Two hundred patients receiving hemodialysis in different centers of the city (Tabriz in Northwest of Iran) were allocated randomly from a total number of 825 patients. The assessment of APOL1 polymorphisms (rs73885319, rs60910145, and rs71785313) was conducted using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. Patients' demographic data, history, and their biochemical parameters were recorded based on their last measurement. Results: No proposed renal risk variants of APOL1 gene in our hemodialysis population were found. All the participants had a wild genotype. Conclusion: The results of our study match with reports from Europe and Asia. In the paleoanthropological point of view, our results do not support African human migration hypothesis.Kidney Research Center of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran [5/D/489418]Open access journalThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]