Evaluation of the ultrastructure and expression of desmoglein 2 in breast cancer: A novel biomarker

Background and purpose: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among Iranian women. In recent years, the study of dysfunction in the expression of cell-cell junction genes and the related proteins in the malignant process has been at the center of attention. Materials and methods: In this study, 50 patients were selected who had both cancerous tissue and adjacent healthy tissue. The expression of the desmoglein 2 gene was evaluated. Healthy and cancerous tissue were compared using routine hematoxylin and eosin staining. The total protein was also compared between these two groups. The ultrastructural examination was performed. Results: The real-time polymerase chain reaction results showed a decrease in the expression of the desmoglein 2 gene in all tumor samples compared to the healthy samples (p<0.0001). Besides, receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the area under the curve was equal to 0.98. Transmission electron microscopy microscopic studies revealed a change in the status of desmosomal junctions. Conclusions: Overall, the findings showed that the association between desmoglein 2 gene expression and alterations in cellular connections leads to impaired cellular connections, which is an important risk factor for breast cancer. This result proposed the understudy gene as a new biomarker in the development of breast cancer

Primary dural lymphoma: a comprehensive literature review and report of a case

Primary dural lymphoma (PDL) is a subtype of primary central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma (PCNSL) with only an extra-axial dural location. It accounts for less than 1% of all CNS lymphomas. PDL is a sporadic CNS tumor, and in the preoperative period, because of imaging characteristics, it is usually mimicking a meningioma. Usually, PDL is a low-grade B-cell lymphoma with a relatively good response to surgical resection with or without radiotherapy. Here we reviewed 102 case reports of PDL in the literature. Then, we present the case of our patient with PDL and explain the complexity of our treatment approach

Izolati streptokoka grupe B u mokraći i njihova antimikrobna osjetljivost u skupini iranskih žena: učestalost i sezonske razlike

Streptococcus agalactiae is one of the uropathogens responsible for urinary tract infections (UTI ) in children, pregnant women, and elderly people with chronic underlying diseases. This study was performed to determine the prevalence of urinary tract isolates of group B streptococci (GBS) in a group of females referred to a referral University Hospital in Iran. In this retrospective cross-sectional study, urine analysis and urine culture results of all female subjects referred to the laboratory of the Rasoul-e-Akram Hospital, Tehran, Iran in 2010 were reviewed. Bacteriuria, colony count, pyuria and demographic data of patients were also evaluated. In this study, 10,256 females were investigated; 2061 (20.1%) of them had positive urine cultures. GBS was the isolated microorganism in 184 (8.92%) cases, yielding a prevalence of 1.79% in total study population. The mean age of subjects with positive GBS cultures was 48.24}18.8 years, with a higher prevalence recorded in the 51-60 and 21-30 age groups. The highest rates of cultures positive for GBS were seen in December and January. GBS was found to be sensitive to the following antibiotics: cephalothin (100%), norfloxacin (96.9%), ampicillin (96%), nitrofurantoin (95.5%), and vancomycin (95%). In this study, GBS showed greatest resistance to tetracycline (81.6%) and co-trimoxazole (68.9%). In conclusion, the prevalence of GBS in females with suspected UTI is relatively low; however, attention to the age and susceptibility pattern of antibiotic treatment for UTI caused by this microorganism is necessary.Streptococcus agalactiae je jedan od uropatogena odgovornih za infekcije mokraćnog sustava kod djece, trudnica i starijih osoba s kroničnim osnovnim bolestima. Cilj ove studije bio je utvrditi učestalost izolata streptokoka grupe B u mokraćnom sustavu skupine žena upućenih u referentnu Sveučilišnu bolnicu u Iranu. U ovoj retrospektivnoj studiji obrađeni su rezultati analize mokraće i kulture mokraće svih ženskih osoba upućenih u laboratorij Bolnice Rasoul-e-Akram u Teheranu, Iran tijekom 2010. godine. Obrađeni su i podaci o bakteriuriji, broju kolonija, piuriji, te demografski podaci svih bolesnica. Od ukupno 10.256 ispitanih žena pozitivna kultura mokraće utvrđena je u 2061 (20,1%) žene. Streptokok grupe B bio je izolirani mikroorganizam u 184 (8,92%) slučajeva, dok je njegova ukupna učestalost u čitavoj ispitivanoj populaciji bila 1,79%. Srednja dob žena s pozitivnom kulturom streptokoka grupe B bila je 48,24}18,8 godina, s većom učestalošću u dobnim skupinama od 51-60 i 21-30 godina. Najviše stope pozitivnih kultura streptokoka grupe B zabilježene su u prosincu i siječnju, a mikroorganizam je pokazao osjetljivost na slijedeće antibiotike: cefalotin (100%), norfloksacin (96,9%), ampicilin (96%), nitrofurantoin (95,5%) i vankomicin (95%). U ovoj studiji je streptokok grupe B pokazao najveću otpornost na tetraciklin (81,6%) i kotrimoksazol (68,9%). Zaključuje se kako je učestalost streptokoka grupe B kod žena sa sumnjom na infekciju mokraćnog sustava relativno niska, međutim, pozornost treba posvetiti dobi bolesnice i profilu osjetljivosti antibiotske terapije za infekciju mokraćnog sustava uzrokovanu ovim mikroorganizmom

Prevalence of amyloid deposition in long standing rheumatoid arthritis in Iranian patients by abdominal subcutaneous fat biopsy and assessment of clinical and laboratory characteristics

BACKGROUND: The study was aimed at determining the prevalence of secondary amyloidosis in a group of Iranian patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), and the assessment of its correlation with the clinical and laboratory findings and data. METHOD: A total number of 220 patients (167 female and 53 male) with a minimum five-year history of RA were selected. Congo red staining method was used for staining the specimens obtained by abdominal subcutaneous fat biopsy (ASFB) method. All of the specimens were examined for apple-green birefringence under polarized light microscope. Clinical and laboratory characteristics of the patients were assessed. Chi-square test and unpaired student's t-test were run for intergroup comparisons. RESULTS: Amyloid deposition test yielded positive results in 15 out of the 220 cases (6.8%) examined by the ASFB technique. Thirteen patients were found to have minimal amyloid deposits. Of all the clinically significant cases, 8 (53%) presented with proteinuria, and 7 cases (46.6%) had severe constipation. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of fat amyloid deposits in Iranian patients with RA is low. In up to half of the study group the deposits were subclinical. Follow up studies are required to determine whether this subclinical amyloidosis can develop into full-blown clinically significant amyloidosis

Expression of Progestrone Receptor and Proliferative Marker ki 67, in Various Grades of Meningioma

Meningiomas are slow-growing neoplasms which recur locally, their morphologic grading is simple but do not always correlate with patient outcome. The aim of present study is to evaluate the status of progesterone receptor (PR) and proliferation marker Ki67 in various grades of meningioma in a group of Iranian patients. 78 cases of meningioma were selected from the file of a hospital university. All archival H&E stained sections were reviewed and regraded according to WHO criteria. Immunohistochemical analysis for PR and Ki67 was performed on formalin- fixed, paraffin- embedded samples. PR status considered positive if > 10% of tumor cell's nuclei were strongly immunoreactive, or if > 50% of nuclei were stained with medium intensity. The Ki67 labeling index (LI) is defined as the percentage area with strongest immunostaining. PR were positive in 61/63(96.8%) of grade I tumors,2/10(20%) of grade II,and 0/5(0%) of grade III tumors.Ki67 LI was %2.98±2.27 in grade I tumors, %9.30±5.79 in grade II tumors and %34.00±5.47 in grade III tumors. For both markers, differences between grade I,II and III tumors were significant(P<0.001).There was a reverse relationship between mean of Ki67 LI and PR status,with increasing grade of tumor. Evaluation of PR status and Ki67 LI together with conventional histologic evaluation can help in providing more information about the biologic behaviour of meningiomas,especially for those that histological grading is not straightforward

Epidermodysplasia Verruciformis Associated with Plasmablastic Lymphoma and Hepatitis B Virus Infection

Epidermodysplasia verruciformis is a rare genodermatosis characterizedby inherited susceptibility to infection with certain papillomaviruses, whichleads to the development of disseminated plane wart-like lesions. In some patients,lesions resembling pityriasis versicolor appear. Epidermodysplasia verruciformishas also been reported in immunosuppressed patients, most notably thosewith HIV infection. The affected patients are predisposed to development of skinand mucosal malignancies. We describe the rare occurrence of plasmablastic lymphomain a patient with long lasting epidermodysplasia verruciformis and hepatitisB virus infection.</p

Epidermodysplasia Verruciformis Associated with Plasmablastic Lymphoma and Hepatitis B Virus Infection

Epidermodysplasia verruciformis is a rare genodermatosis characterizedby inherited susceptibility to infection with certain papillomaviruses, whichleads to the development of disseminated plane wart-like lesions. In some patients,lesions resembling pityriasis versicolor appear. Epidermodysplasia verruciformishas also been reported in immunosuppressed patients, most notably thosewith HIV infection. The affected patients are predisposed to development of skinand mucosal malignancies. We describe the rare occurrence of plasmablastic lymphomain a patient with long lasting epidermodysplasia verruciformis and hepatitisB virus infection.</p

Unusual presentation of pilomatricoma: A case report and comprehensive review of the literature

Key Clinical Message Pilomatricoma is a benign proliferative lesion of skin appendages that often affects the head, upper limbs, and lower limbs. The clinical appearance of the lesions is that of asymptomatic nodules measuring less than 3 cm. pathologically, these skin lesions show the presence of basaloid cell islands, eosinophilic cytoplasmic cells without nuclei, as well as hemorrhage and calcification. In this study, we present the case of an 8‐year‐old girl with a 5 × 5 cm skin lesion on the forearm, which lacked the typical firmness associated with pilomatricoma lesions during examination. After biopsy, the lesion was confirmed to be pilomatricoma. Furthermore, we have reviewed studies documenting pilomatricoma lesions with atypical clinical features. Based on reports of different clinical manifestations of pilomatricoma in these studies, we suggest that the clinical diagnosis of pilomatricoma should not be limited to the typical presentation of these lesions. In cases where the lesions exceed 3 cm in size, display cystic characteristics, are painful, or resemble keloids, consideration should also be given to the possibility of pilomatricoma