Growth performance, intestinal microflora, plasma fatty acid profile in broiler chickens fed herbal plant (Euphorbia hirta) and mix of acidifiers.

The aim of the current study was to evaluate two feed additives containing Euphorbia hirta and acidifiers on broiler chickens performance, gut microflora and blood fatty acid profiles. A total of 240 one-day-old male broiler chicks were randomly assigned in groups of 15-16 floor pens. On day one, the chicks were assigned to one of 4 dietary treatments; (1) basal diet (control), (2) basal diet. +. 7.5. g/kg E. hirta (EH7.5), (3) basal diet. +. 1.5. g/kg acidifier (OA) and (4) basal diet. +. 7.5. g/kg E. hirta+. 1.5. g/kg acidifier (EHOA). Body weight and feed intake were measured weekly and feed conversion ratio (FCR) was calculated. On days 21 and 42, eight birds from each dietary treatment were chosen at random for ileum viable bacterial counts. On day 42, thiobarbituric acid reactive species as an indicator of lipid peroxidation level were measured. The EH7.5, EHOA and OA supplementation improved overall FCR (P=0.0275). The serum of chickens fed with EH7.5, OA and EHOA showed the lower malondialdehyde value than that of chickens fed the control diet (P=0.0068). On day 42, the lowest total bacteria count and Escherichia coli was observed in EH7.5, OA and EHOA fed birds (P<0.0001). In conclusion, the results of the present study suggest that dietary supplementation with E. hirta in combination with acidifier have a positive impact on FCR and their combination displays antioxidant and antibacterial characteristics in broiler chickens

Autoimmune versus Non-autoimmune Cutaneous Features in Monogenic Patients with Inborn Errors of Immunity

Cutaneous manifestations are one of the most common presentations among patients with inborn errors of immunity (IEI). These skin manifestations are often among the first presenting features in the majority of patients preceding the IEI diagnosis. We studied 521 available monogenic patients with IEI listed in the Iranian IEI registry up to November 2022. We extracted each patient's demographic information, detailed clinical history of cutaneous manifestations, and immunologic evaluations. The patients were then categorized and compared based on their phenotypical classifications provided by the International Union of Immunological Societies. Most patients were categorized into syndromic combined immunodeficiency (25.1%), non-syndromic combined immunodeficiency (24.4%), predominantly antibody deficiency (20.7%), and diseases of immune dysregulation (20.5%). In total, 227 patients developed skin manifestations at a median (IQR) age of 2.0 (0.5-5.2) years; a total of 66 (40.7%) of these patients initially presented with these manifestations. Patients with cutaneous involvement were generally older at the time of diagnosis [5.0 (1.6-8.0) vs. 3.0 (1.0-7.0) years; p = 0.022]. Consanguinity was more common among patients who developed skin disorders (81.4% vs. 65.2%, p < 0.001). The overall skin infection rate and the type of dominant pathogens were significantly different among the IEI patients in different phenotypical classifications (p < 0.001). Atopic presentation, including urticaria, was highly prevalent among patients with congenital defects of phagocytes (p = 0.020). The frequency of eczema was also significantly higher among cases with both syndromic and non-syndromic combined immunodeficiency (p = 0.009). In contrast, autoimmune cutaneous manifestations, including alopecia and psoriasis, were most common in patients with immune dysregulation (p = 0.001) and defects in intrinsic or innate immunity (p = 0.031), respectively. The presence of autoimmune cutaneous complications significantly improved the survival rate of IEI patients (p = 0.21). In conclusion, cutaneous manifestations were observed in nearly 44% of Iranian patients with monogenic IEI. A considerable number of patients with cutaneous involvements developed these disorders as their first manifestation of the disease, which was particularly noticeable in patients with non-syndromic combined immunodeficiency and phagocytic defects. The neglected skin disorders in IEI patients might delay diagnosis, which is generally established within a 3-year interval from the development of skin-related problems. Cutaneous disorders, especially autoimmune features, might indicate a mild prognosis in IEI patients

Association of Paraoxonase-1 Genotype and Phenotype with Angiogram Positive Coronary Artery Disease

Funding Information: This study was supported by Mashhad and Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. The authors would like to thank technicians of Sina, Sadi, Ghaem catheterization laboratory and technicians of Isfahan Alzahra genetics laboratory.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

The clinical and genetic spectrum of autosomal-recessive TOR1A-related disorders.

In the field of rare diseases, progress in molecular diagnostics led to the recognition that variants linked to autosomal-dominant neurodegenerative diseases of later onset can, in the context of biallelic inheritance, cause devastating neurodevelopmental disorders and infantile or childhood-onset neurodegeneration. TOR1A-associated arthrogryposis multiplex congenita 5 (AMC5) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder arising from biallelic variants in TOR1A, a gene that in the heterozygous state is associated to torsion dystonia-1 (DYT1 or DYT-TOR1A), an early-onset dystonia with reduced penetrance. While 15 individuals with TOR1A-AMC5 have been reported (less than 10 in detail), a systematic investigation of the full disease-associated spectrum has not been conducted. Here, we assess the clinical, radiological and molecular characteristics of 57 individuals from 40 families with biallelic variants in TOR1A. Median age at last follow-up was 3 years (0-24 years). Most individuals presented with severe congenital flexion contractures (95%) and variable developmental delay (79%). Motor symptoms were reported in 79% and included lower limb spasticity and pyramidal signs, as well as gait disturbances. Facial dysmorphism was an integral part of the phenotype, with key features being a broad/full nasal tip, narrowing of the forehead and full cheeks. Analysis of disease-associated manifestations delineated a phenotypic spectrum ranging from normal cognition and mild gait disturbance to congenital arthrogryposis, global developmental delay, intellectual disability, absent speech and inability to walk. In a subset, the presentation was consistent with fetal akinesia deformation sequence with severe intrauterine abnormalities. Survival was 71% with higher mortality in males. Death occurred at a median age of 1.2 months (1 week - 9 years) due to respiratory failure, cardiac arrest, or sepsis. Analysis of brain MRI studies identified non-specific neuroimaging features, including a hypoplastic corpus callosum (72%), foci of signal abnormality in the subcortical and periventricular white matter (55%), diffuse white matter volume loss (45%), mega cisterna magna (36%) and arachnoid cysts (27%). The molecular spectrum included 22 distinct variants, defining a mutational hotspot in the C-terminal domain of the Torsin-1A protein. Genotype-phenotype analysis revealed an association of missense variants in the 3-helix bundle domain to an attenuated phenotype, while missense variants near the Walker A/B motif as well as biallelic truncating variants were linked to early death. In summary, this systematic cross-sectional analysis of a large cohort of individuals with biallelic TOR1A variants across a wide age-range delineates the clinical and genetic spectrum of TOR1A-related autosomal-recessive disease and highlights potential predictors for disease severity and survival

Föräldrars upplevelse av att ha ett barn med astma : en litteraturöversikt

Astma är en obstruktiv lungsjukdom som är vanligt hos både barn och vuxna. Cirka 10 procent av befolkningen (ungefär 800 000 individer) i Sverige lever idag med astma. Ungefär 6 – 10 procent av dem är barn som finns både i primärvården och i den sjukhusbundna vården. Att vara förälder till ett barn med en kronisk sjukdom är utmanande och kan påverka hela familjens livssituation. Syftet med denna studie är att belysa upplevelser av att vara förälder till barn som lider av astma. Studien är en litteraturöversikt, vilken inkluderar både kvalitativa och kvantitativa vårdvetenskapliga artiklar. Nio kvalitativa och en kvantitativ vårdvetenskaplig artikel ingår i studien. Dessa hittades genom databaserna Cinahl och Pubmed. Studiens resultat visar att föräldrarnas känslomässiga påfrestningar, svårigheter med läkemedelsadministration samt barnets kroniska sjukdom kan påverka familjelivet. Resultatet beskriver även vilka strategier som kan hjälpa familjerna att hantera deras livssituation samt föräldrarnas upplevelser av vården och skolans hantering av barnets sjukdom. I diskussionsdelen tas sjuksköterskans roll som stöd till föräldrar till barn med kronisk sjukdom upp. Diskussionen betonar behovet av att förstå de individuella behoven föräldrar till sjuka barn har, inte bara förståelse för sjukdomen. Vidare betonas att det krävs ett effektivt samarbete mellan närstående (föräldrar) och vårdpersonal som uppnås genom ett delat ansvar

Effect of conversion of rangelands to planted forests on some physical and chemical soil properties

So far it is well known that the conversion of degraded rangelands to planted forests through afforestation practices affects soil properties. Therefore, we selected one rangeland and two planted forest area to study the physical and chemical properties of soil in different land uses in Hassanabad region of Sanandaj in Kurdistan province. Physical soil characteristics such as the percentage of water content and soil bulk density were sampled in two-week intervals during 2012 to 2013 at three points in each area. In addition, a set of double rings was conducted to measure infiltration rate at three points within each area. The saturated hydraulic conductivity was computed using the experimental infiltration data. The soil samples for measuring chemical properties (e.g. pH, EC, organic carbon content, phosphorus and total nitrogen) were taken from 3 points in each area at the depth of 20 cm with six repeated measurements. The results showed that converting degraded rangelands to tree plantations has resulted in enhancing the quality of soil physical characteristics, whereas only a portion of the chemical characteristics (organic carbon content, phosphorus and total nitrogen) were positively affected

Differentiation of endometrial stem cells into motor neurons by the use of purmorphamin small molecule

Background: Small molecule Purmorphamin (PMA) is the agonist of smoothened protein in Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling pathway. Effect of purmorphamin small molecule on differentiation of mesenchymal cells into bone tissue has been studied previously. Use of Shh causes progression of neural differentiation, and the differentiated cells express specific neural markers. Neurofilament (NF) and acetylcholine esterase (Chat) are specific markers of motor neurons and their expression in differentiated cells indicates their conversion into motor neurons. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of PMA to differentiate the human endometrial stem cells (hEnSCs) into motor neurons. Methods: This analytical study was done in Tehran University of Medical Sciences laboratory on September of 2015. In this study hEnSCs were enzymatically extracted from endometrial tissue. After third passages, the flow cytometry was done for mesenchymal stem cells markers. The mesenchymal stem cells were divided into control and differentiated groups. FBS 10%+DMEM/F12 was added to the culture medium of control group and the differentiating group was treated with differentiating medium containing N2, PMA, DMEM/F12, FBS, B27, IBMX, 2ME, FGF2, RA, BDNF. After 21 days immunocytochemistry (ICC) test was done for the expression of NF and Chat proteins and Real-time PCR analysis for expression of neural markers such as NF, Chat, Nestin and GFAP (as glial marker) at mRNA level. Results: The flow cytometry analysis showed that hEnSCs were positive for mesenchymal markers CD90, CD105 and CD146 and negative for endothelial marker CD31, and hematopoietic marker CD34. The immunocytochemistry and Real time-PCR results showed that the cells treated with PMA expressed motor neuron markers of NF and Chat. Conclusion: According to the results of this study, it can be concluded that small molecule PMA has the potency to induce the differentiation of hEnSCs into neural cells, specifically motor neurons by activating Shh signaling pathway

An unusual presentation of metastatic prostate cancer in a 44‐year‐old man: A case report and review of the literature

Abstract Prostate cancer is one of the two most common non‐cutaneous cancers in men. Its presentation might be with unusual symptoms and cause the wrong initial diagnosis. This case report discusses a rare neurologic manifestation of advanced metastatic cancer in a low‐risk man. He had been receiving treatment for multiple sclerosis incorrectly due to unusual manifestations such as claudication and pelvic, leg, and shoulder pain. The patient underwent a whole‐body bone scan and then a transrectal ultrasound‐guided biopsy, which confirmed metastatic prostate cancer with a Gleason score between 7/10 and 10/10 in all samples. Following treatment with chemotherapeutic injections (docetaxel), luteinizing hormone‐releasing hormone (LHRH) analogous (Zoladex), and testosterone‐suppressing tablets (abiraterone), the disease has been under control and prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) level has decreased significantly. The most common sites of metastasis are regional lymph nodes, bones, and lungs. However, there are reports about the spread of this type of cancer to other parts of the body. Although most patients are diagnosed when the tumor is localized to the prostate, in about 25% of patients, the disease is diagnosed when metastasis has occurred. Some markers can assist physicians in the diagnosis of this disease, such as the Prostate Health Index and the 4 K score. Key Clinical Message The diagnosis of prostate cancer should be considered in all age ranges of adult men. The long‐distance metastasis might cause unusual presentations of the disease, such as neurologic, musculoskeletal, and dermatologic symptoms and signs far from the origin of the cancer, before genitourinary manifestations. It is crucial to keep the diagnosis of prostate cancer in mind for men with suggestive signs and symptoms that are not usually detected in this disease

A woman with eptifibatide (integrilin)‐induced thrombocytopenia following treatment of a clot in her coronary artery: A case report and literature review

Abstract Eptifibatide, a GPIIb/IIIa receptor inhibitor, has shown its efficacy and safety in patients with high clot burden in their coronary vessels. It is widely used in patients with this condition. However, this medication use is accompanied by complications in some cases. Thrombocytopenia which is a relatively common condition in patients admitted to the hospital, especially in the acute setting, can be caused by medications. This condition can occur as an antibody or non‐antibody‐mediated process, caused by medications, such as heparin, clopidogrel, and eptifibatide. In this case, we present a woman with acute coronary syndrome and a complex lesion with a clot in her coronary vessel who was treated with eptifibatide. It led to asymptomatic thrombocytopenia. Once detected in laboratory data, the infusion was held, and the platelet count recovered in less than 5 days without additional treatment for this adverse effect. Eptifibatide is a medication used to treat acute coronary syndrome patients with a large thrombus in their coronary vessels. The mechanism of inducing thrombocytopenia by eptifibatide has not been proven yet, but it might be related to IgG antibodies. The severity of the disease can vary significantly, and the treatment is based on this factor. However, the main pillar of the treatment is the cessation of eptifibatide as soon as possible. This case draws the attention of physicians to one of the infrequent adverse effects of a commonly used medication in cardiology patients. Thrombocytopenia and its manifestations should be investigated and considered in patients who receive eptifibatide