Expression of cell proliferation markers in benign, premalignant and malignant lesions and human papillomavirus isolation

AMAÇ: Bu çalışmada çeşitli benin, premalin ve malin deri lezyonlarında proliferasyon belirleyicilerinin rolü ve bu lezyonlarda insan papilloma virusu (HPV) pozitifliğinin saptanması amaçlandı. GEREÇ-YÖNTEM: Çalışmaya, parafin bloktaki 62 doku [12 seboreik keratoz (SK), 10 keratoakantom (KA), 8 aktinik keratoz (AK), 22 bazal hücreli karsinom (BHK) ve 10 skuamöz hücreli karsinom (SHK)] alındı. Doku örnekleri, Ki-67, p21 ve bcl-2 ekspresyonunu belirlemek amacıyla, immünohistokimyasal yöntemle çalışıldı. HPV DNA’sını tespit etmek için PCR uygulandı. BULGULAR: BHK tanısı almış olan iki dokuda HPV (tip-16) pozitifliği saptandı. Lezyonlarda Ki-67, p21 ve bcl-2 ekspresyonu sırası ile şu şekildeydi: KA<BHK<AK<SHK<SK (p<0.05), BHK<KA<SK<SHK<AK (p<0.05), AK<KA<BHK<SHK<SK (p<0.05). p21 ekspresyonundaki artışın, premalin lezyonlarda (AK), malin lezyonlara göre (BHK, SHK) daha belirgin olduğu saptandı (p<0.05). SONUÇ: Sonuçlarımıza göre HPV’nin benin, premalin ve malin lezyonların etyolojisinde doğrudan rol oynamadığı söylenebilir. Proliferasyon belirleyicilerinin ise benin, premalin ve malin lezyonların ayırd edilmesinde, hematoksilen-eozin boyaması ile birlikte ve yeni prospektif çalışmaların ışığında değerlendirilmesinin uygun olduğu görüşüne varıldı.Background and Design: This study was designed to investigate the role of proliferation markers in various benign, premalignant and malignant skin lesions and also aimed to detect HPV positivity in these lesions. MATERIAL-METHOD: A total of 62 paraffin blocks [12 seborrheic keratoses (SK), 10 keratoacantoma (KA), 8 actinic keratoses (AK), 22 basal cell carcinoma (BCC), and 10 squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)] were included in the study. Specimens were studied immunohistochemically for the expression of Ki-67, p21 and bcl-2. PCR was performed to detect HPV DNA. RESULTS: HPV positivity was detected in two tissues of BCC (HPV type-16). In the lesions, the Ki-67, p21 and bcl-2 expressions were found to be increased respectively: KA&lt;BCC&lt;AK&lt;SCC&lt;SK (p&lt;0.005), BCC&lt;KA&lt;SK&lt;SCC&lt;AK (p&lt;0.05), AK&lt;KA&lt;BCC&lt;SCC&lt;SK (p&lt;0.05). p21 expression was more prominent in premalignant (AK) lesions compared with malignant (BCC, SCC) ones (p&lt;0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that HPV does not have a direct role in the aetiology of benign, premalignant and malignant lesions. Proliferation markers should be evaluated along with hematoxylen&amp;eosin stained specimens for distinguishing benign, premalignant and malignant lesions. Prospective studies are still needed in this field

A Three years retrospective analysis of agents isolated from cerebrospinal fluid in a University Hospital

Objectives: In this study, we aimed to investigate the agents which were isolated from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples in our hospital for three years, retrospectively.Materials and methods: The CSF samples, which were sent our laboratory, of the patients those had presumptive diagnosis of meningitis between September 2008 and September 2011 were included into the study. Isolated bacteria were identified with conventional methods, biochemical tests and/or Phonix (BD, US) kits. Antimicrobial susceptibility of the strains were investigated according to Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) recommendations.Results: 11 Streptococcus pneumoniae, 8 Klebsiella pneumoniae, 7 Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 7 Acinetobacter baumannii, 5 Escherichia coli, 4 Enterococcus spp., 2 Enterobacter spp., 25 Coagulase-negative staphylococcus, 1 Morganella morganii, 2 Neisseria meningitidis, 1 Brucella spp., and 1 Candida albicans were isolated (overall n:74; 5.2%) from total 1408 CSF samples. In susceptibility test, 2 S.pneumonia was found as penicillin-resistant, and one E.coli and two K.pneumoniae were found as extended spectrum of beta-lactamase producers. Additionally, carbapenem resistance was detected in three A.baumannii and one P.aeruginosa strains.Conclusion: Determination of agent profile and antimicrobial resistance pattern from different localizations and patients’ groups will help to improve protective and therapeutic health policies

Detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the Serum Samples of Healthy Blood Donors

Introduction: The transmission rate of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by blood transfusion is thought to be low; however, it has not yet been proven whether the virus is transmitted by blood transfusion. Published studies have reported that SARS-CoV-2 RNA has been detected in the blood, plasma, or serum of infected individuals. This study aimed to investigate the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the serum of blood donors and evaluate the risk of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 by transfusion. Materials and Methods: In this study, 200 blood samples were taken from volunteer blood donors. In all serum samples, SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected by reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay. Medical records of the donors and recipients were retrospectively reviewed. Results: SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in seven (3.5%) of the donor serum samples. None of the positive donors had symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and none had been admitted to the hospital after donation. Seven SARS-CoV-2 RNA-positive donor blood components were given to 12 recipients. No medical records indicated that COVID-19 occurred after the transfusion of blood components for recipients. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the serum of asymptomatic donors. Although our data suggest that the transfusion of blood products from asymptomatic donors to recipients with SARS-CoV-2 RNA in their serum may not result in COVID-19, further studies are needed to prove that SARS-CoV-2 is not transmitted by blood transfusion

DHEA supplementation improves endometrial HOXA-10 mRNA expression in poor responders

WOS: 000423956200002PubMed ID: 29278227Objective: The study was planned to investigate whether DHEA supplementation had an impact on endometrial receptivity in women who were poor responders (POR). Material and Methods: Twenty-eight POR women who were undergoing hysteroscopy and five fertile control subjects were included. The POR women were equally subdivided into two separate groups as patients who were currently using DHEA and those who were not. Endometrial samples of the subjects were obtained during hysteroscopy at the late follicular phase. Expression levels of endometrial HOXA-10, HOXA-11, and LIF mRNA were measured with the using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Spontaneous clinical pregnancy rates were also noted. Results: Compared with POR women who were not given DHEA, upregulated endometrial HOXA-10 (7.33-fold) and HOXA-11 (2.39-fold) mRNA expression were detected in POR women on DHEA. The increase in HOXA-10 mRNA was significant (p<0.03). The fold increase in HOXA-11 mRNA was found as 2.39, which indicated a positive upregulation. However, this fold increment was insignificant (p<0.45). An insignificant increase in spontaneous clinical pregnancy rates in POR women on DHEA (53.3%) was observed compared with POR women who were not given DHEA (43.8%). Conclusion: Oral DHEA supplementation in POR upregulates endometrial HOXA-10 mRNA expression, which is known to positively modulate endometrial receptivity.Turkish German Gynecologic Research and Education Foundation for HOXA and LIF genes kit