The role of D-dimer in diagnosis of cerebral sinus venous thrombosis

Background: Cerebral sinus venous thrombosis (CSVT) is a fatal condition and should be considered in all patients with acute new onset headache. D-dimer has been shown to be a sensitive diagnostic tool in deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary thromboembolism. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether this test could be useful in the diagnosis of CSVT.Methods: In this prospective study, we reviewed patients referring to Nemazee hospital with presentations suggestive of CSVT. Diagnosis was established, using MRI and MRV. Serum D-dimer level was checked among 24 hours after hospital admission.Results: From 117 enrolled patients, 37 (31.6%) patients had CSVT. The reported D-dimer levels showed negative (< 500 ng/ml) in 21 (56.76%) and positive level in 16 (43.24 %) patients who had CSVT. Also, D-dimer was negative in 66 (82.5%) and positive in 14 (17.5%) patients who did not have CSVT. These results demonstrated a sensitivity of 43.24%, specificity of 82.5%, positive predictive value of 53.3%, and negative predictive value of 75.86%.Conclusion: Normal D-dimer levels make the presence of CSVT very unlikely; our study suggests that D-dimer test may guide us to approach patients who are suspected with CSVT in emergency situations with limited access to MRI/MRV. However, every patient with D-dimer level more than 500 ng/mL and high clinical suspicion of CSVT should undergo MRI/MRV. In addition, our results showed a negative D-dimer test was not a reliable assay to completely rule out CSVT. However, we recommend further studies to confirm our results

The impact of endogenous estrogen exposure duration on fracture incidence : a longitudinal cohort study

Author's accepted version (postprint).This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Oxford University Press in Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism on 04/05/2022.Available online: https://academic.oup.com/jcem/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1210/clinem/dgac248/6580306?redirectedFrom=fulltextacceptedVersio

Is There any Association between Age at Menarche and Risk of Metabolic Syndrome? The Tehran Lipid & Glucose Study

publishedVersio

One-step versus two-step screening for diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus in Iranian population : A randomized community trial

publishedVersio

Synthesis And Characterization Of 3D-Printed Functionally Graded Porous Titanium Alloy

This study aims to 3D print titanium alloy constructs incorporating gradient of porosities, from the fully dense core to the porous outer surface. Gradient porous specimens were prepared using selective laser melting (SLM). Fully dense specimens fabricated by SLM were used as the control group. Characterization of samples was done using X-ray tomography, uniaxial compression testing, and optical and scanning electron microscopes. The biocompatibility of fabricated samples was investigated using human periodontal ligament stem cells via assessment of cell attachment, viability, and proliferation by direct and indirect assays. The data were analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey’s post hoc test. Characterization of constructs reveals interconnected gradient porosities and higher contact angle in porous samples. The introduction of porosity leads to a significant decrease in compression strength. However, Young’s modulus of the samples with gradient porosity was more similar to the natural bone modulus. The surface microstructure consists of loosely bonded spherical particles. Biocompatibility of the dense and porous samples is appropriate. Although the porosity size led to a reduced cell proliferation rate in the gradient sample, the extract of the gradient sample results in more cell proliferation than the dense sample’s extract. The study demonstrates that a biocompatible functionally graded porous titanium structure can be well fabricated by SLM, and this structure leads to a good match of Young’s modulus to that of the bone

Detection of Epstein Barr Virus by Chromogenic In Situ Hybridization in cases of extra-hepatic biliary atresia

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licens

The Effect of Radiation on Secondary Sex Ratio among Radiologists in Shiraz, Iran

Environmental and occupational exposure may play a role in gender offspring. This study aimed to investigate the effect of radiation on gender ratio in the offspring of radiologists and technicians. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 262 participants with a total of 354 children. A data collection form including age, years spent in radiology practice, number of children, sex of each child, observance of radiation protection principles, and intensity of exposure based on International Commission Radiological Protection was completed. Male to female ratio was calculated 0.85 in fathers and 0.75 in mothers in comparison to this ratio estimated in Iran demographic statistics sex ratio which is 1.03. Highly-exposed parents (Prevalence ratio [PR]: 1.67, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.67, 95% confidence interval [CI: 1.11-2.52), as well as fathers (PR: 2.72, 95%CI: 1.56-4.72), had a significant propensity to have female offspring. However, this criterion in female radiologists was not found to be significant (P= 0.57). Moreover, in fathers a significant relationship was found between the years spent in radiology field up to the time of the child’s birth or age of the parents’ at child’s conception with offspring gender (4-6 year: PR: 2.07, 95% CI: 1.15-3.72; ≥7 year: PR:1.81, 95%CI: 1.18-2.78). Highly-exposed radiology male personnel, as well as those exposed to radiation 4 years or more before the offspring’s birth, were more likely to have daughters than sons. Although no exact mechanism has been identified for this preponderance, further animal studies are required to evaluate whether x ray is an influential factor in offspring gender

Millifluidic-assisted ionic gelation technique for encapsulation of probiotics in double-layered polysaccharide structure

A unique double-layered vehicle was fabricated for the first time based on a millifluidic/direct gelation to encapsulate probiotics. Free probiotic bacteria are usually very sensitive to severe gastrointestinal conditions and maintaining their survival when passing through the digestive tract is essential. The effects of alginate concentration (20–30 g/L), flow rates of alginate (0.8–1.2 mL/min), and W/O emulsion (0.5–0.7 mL/min) on encapsulation efficiency (EE), size, and sphericity of core–shell millicapsules were optimized for encapsulation of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis and Lactobacillus plantarum. The optimized calcium-alginate millicapsule was spherical (0.97 ± 0.01 SF), with an average diameter of 4.49 ± 0.19 mm, and encapsulation efficiency of 98.17 ± 0.5 %. Two strains were encapsulated separately in W/O emulsion as a core of the millicapsule. After coating with chitosan, the encapsulation yield of the bacteria, survival rates under simulated gastrointestinal (GI) conditions, and viability during storage were determined. Survival efficiency of B. animalis subsp. lactis and L. plantarum after millifluidic encapsulation were found to be 92.33 and 90.81 %, respectively. Cell viability of encapsulated probiotics after passing through the GI system was improved (7.5 log CFU mL−1 for both strains). Although the viability of the encapsulated probiotics stored at −18 °C for five months significantly decreased (p<0.05), the number of live cells was approximately in accordance with the standard definition of long-term probiotic survival (6 log CFU/g). This work provides a pathway for the construction of an innovative delivery system with high efficiency and protective effects for probiotics