Prediction of pathological stage in patients with prostate cancer: a neuro-fuzzy model

The prediction of cancer staging in prostate cancer is a process for estimating the likelihood that the cancer has spread before treatment is given to the patient. Although important for determining the most suitable treatment and optimal management strategy for patients, staging continues to present significant challenges to clinicians. Clinical test results such as the pre-treatment Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) level, the biopsy most common tumor pattern (Primary Gleason pattern) and the second most common tumor pattern (Secondary Gleason pattern) in tissue biopsies, and the clinical T stage can be used by clinicians to predict the pathological stage of cancer. However, not every patient will return abnormal results in all tests. This significantly influences the capacity to effectively predict the stage of prostate cancer. Herein we have developed a neuro-fuzzy computational intelligence model for classifying and predicting the likelihood of a patient having Organ-Confined Disease (OCD) or Extra-Prostatic Disease (ED) using a prostate cancer patient dataset obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Research Network. The system input consisted of the following variables: Primary and Secondary Gleason biopsy patterns, PSA levels, age at diagnosis, and clinical T stage. The performance of the neuro-fuzzy system was compared to other computational intelligence based approaches, namely the Artificial Neural Network, Fuzzy C-Means, Support Vector Machine, the Naive Bayes classifiers, and also the AJCC pTNM Staging Nomogram which is commonly used by clinicians. A comparison of the optimal Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) points that were identified using these approaches, revealed that the neuro-fuzzy system, at its optimal point, returns the largest Area Under the ROC Curve (AUC), with a low number of false positives (FPR = 0.274, TPR = 0.789, AUC = 0.812). The proposed approach is also an improvement over the AJCC pTNM Staging Nomogram (FPR = 0.032, TPR = 0.197, AUC = 0.582)

Evaluation of the Protective Effect of Nigella Sativa Oil on Testicular Tissue and Sperm Parameters in Adult NMRI Mice Treated with Para-nonylphenol

Introduction: Para-nonylphenol (p-NP) is an important environmental pollutant that can affect the male reproductive system through endocrine disruption and inducing of oxidative stressence. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the protective effect of Nigella sativa oil (NSO) on testicular tissue and sperm parameters (count, motility, viability and morphology), sperm DNA and chromatin abnormalities against toxicity induced by p-NP in adult NMRI mice. Methods: Twenty-four adult male NMRI mice (32±3g) were divided into 4 groups (n=6): control, NSO (5ml/kg/day), p-NP (250mg/kg/day) and p-NP+NSO. After 34 days of oral treatment, the left testis was removed and used for histopathological observations. Left caudal epididymis was cut in the Ham’s F10 and released spermatozoa were utilized in order to analyze sperm motility, viability, number and morphology. Sperm chromatin quality was assessed by nuclear staining using acridine orange and aniline blue. The blood serum malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were also measured. The study data were analyzed utilizing one Way ANOVA and Tukey’s test, and P<0.05 was considered as the significant level. Results: A significant decrease was observed in the p-NP group in regard with the motility, viability, number, normal sperm morphology, diameter of seminiferous tubules and germinal epithelium thickness, whereas a significant increase was reported in regard with the diameter of the seminiferous tubules lumen and MDA levels compared to the control group. Above parameters were significantly compensated by Nigella sativa oil in p-NP+NSO group compared to Para-nonylphenol group. The application of Nigella sativa oil alone significantly increased the number, motility, normal morphology of the sperm and significantly decreased the MDA levels compared to the control group. Conclusion: The study results indicated that the Nigella sativa oil, as a potent antioxidant, could compensate for the toxicity induced by p-N

The first report of Ito-cell in Iran

Ito cell (Fat Storing Cell=FSC) is one of the cells which forms the liver sinusoidal wall; it also forms the connective tissue of the liver. The cell was first identified in 1963 by a scientist named Ito. It will get damaged due to the plasma fat increase which is resulted from a diet of corn oil 10% and fish oil 10%; the damage wil be in form of fat storing cell. The FSC morphology may represent the damage to the liver tissue. The biopsy of an infant&apos;s liver reveals that, Ito cell has a very small cell body which contains a core in the middle occupying 2/3 of the area of cytoplasm its basal cytoplasm is hollow and very clear. This study indicated that not only the ultrastructure of Ito cell is circular and three dimensional, but also its presence may show the damage to the liver tissue

Comparison of different culture and smear preparation in detection of mycologic

History and Objectives: Due to the prevalence and importance of diagnosis of fungi in Iran and considering the difficulties and the economic cost of providing different stains and culture media, the present study was undertaken. Materials and Methods: A descriptive study on 10 strains of fungi including opportunistic, dermatophytes and yeast were performed. The effects of culture media and staining techniques were studied on the modified water agar, saboraud's agar, mycobiotic agar, corn meal agar, nutrient agar with methods of Riddle, Microslide, Hole making, Scotch tape, Gram, Giemsa, Wright Giemsa, PAS, Wright, Lactophenole catton blue, Kinyoun's acid fast, Methylene blue, Calcofour white, Congo red and Acridine organ. Results: The present study showed that Sepedonium, Trichotheclum, Microsporum gypseum, Candida albicans, Aspergillus fungi were etiologic agents in the modified water agar and in the microslide, epidermophyton fluccosum modified water agar and Trichophyton mentagrophyton in Riddle method were grown better than other procedures. Conclusion: Due to the results of the present study, both Gram and Giemsa stains were better than other staining techniques and water agar is selective medium for better identification of fungi