Coronary slow flow: Benign or ominous?

Objective: Coronary slow flow phenomenon has been arbitrarily defined as delayed coronary blood flow in the absence of obstructive coronary artery disease. The present study sought to investigate the clinical features, natural history, and outcomes of affected patients. Methods: In this prospective cross-sectional study, 217 consecutive patients who had undergone coronary angiography and showed features of coronary slow flow phenomenon were evaluated for demographic and coronary risk factor profile, as well as clinical outcomes, at baseline and following treatment. Results: The study population consisted of 165 (76) males and 52 (24) females. The mean age of patients was 52.6±10 years. Mean ejection fraction was 48.2±5.4, 39.3 had diabetes, 43.3 had hypertension, 49.8 was a cigarette smoker, 41.9 had dyslipidemia, and 15 had a familial history of cardiac disease. Forty-nine percent was detected to have abnormal hsCRP levels. The most prevalent presenting complaint was atypical chest pain. Fifty-four percent of patients had slow blood flow in all three vessels. Thirty-six people had undergone repeat coronary angiography in a follow-up period of 5-7 years due to persisting or worsening clinical symptoms, of whom 6 (16.6) showed significant coronary artery stenosis. Eight (22.2) had mild CAD, and the rest still showed coronary slow flow without significant stenosis. The most common complaint during follow-up and after initiation of medical therapy was nonanginal chest pain. Conclusion: Patients with coronary slow flow phenomenon are predisposed to atherosclerosis and obstructive coronary artery disease. Therefore, this pathology should not be considered as a totally benign condition. Primary and secondary cardiovasculature preventive measures should be constituted and seem worthwhile in this patient population. © Copyright 2015 by Turkish Society of Cardiology

Epidemiology and the agreement rate of serological tests in human brucellosis in North East of Iran

Background: Brucellosis still remains a major health problem with different symptoms and various diagnostic methods. Diagnostic methods of brucellosis are usually based on detecting specific antibodies in the patient’s serum. Nowadays, many serological tests are applied for the diagnosis of human brucellosis. Most routine tests are serum agglutination tests based on Wright and 2-Mercaptoethanol (2-ME). Objectives: The aim of this study (cross sectional study) was to evaluate the prevalence of brucellosis and assess the degree of agreement among serum samples of suspected brucellosis serological tests routinely performed in Mashhad, Iran. Patients and Methods: This study was conducted in Mashhad from August 2011 to September 2012. Sera (2 - 3 mL) were collected from 83 cases suspected of brucellosis among 594 patients. Ten serum samples were collected from healthy subjects as control sera. Rose Bengal test for initial screening and Wright and 2 ME as standard tests were conducted to determine antibody titers. Thereafter, IgG and IgM levels were determined by the Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) method. Results: Among 83 serum samples, Rose Bengal test was able to identify 20 (12%) positive specimens; the standard tube agglutination test was able to detect 30 (18%) positive samples, and the ELISA IgG and ELISA IgM were able to trace 42 (21%) and 13 (6.5%) positive samples, respectively. Ten control samples had negative results for the ELISA method. The results were calculated by the Kappa formula. The highest level of agreement was among 1 = KRB-SAT tests and the lowest level of agreement was among tests K ELISA IgM-IgG = 0.30. Conclusions: According to the results, brucellosis has remained endemic in this region. Most cases were detected by ELISA IgG. The highest kappa agreements were between tests KRB-SAT, KRB-IgG and KSAT-IgG, while the lowest levels of agreement were between tests SAT-IgM and ELISA IgM-IgG. Considering that ELISA IgM results are covered by SAT and ELISA IgG test results, applications of this test do not seem necessary. © 2015, Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center

Mathematical modelling of solid tumour growth: a Dynamical Density Functional Theory-based model

We present a theoretical framework based on an extension of Dynamical Density Functional Theory (DDFT) to describe the structure and dynamics of cells in living tissues and tumours. DDFT is a microscopic statistical mechanical theory for the time evolution of the density distribution of interacting many-particle systems. The theory accounts for cell pair-interactions, different cell types, phenotypes and cell birth and death processes (including cell division), in order to provide a biophysically consistent description of processes bridging across the scales, including the description of the tissue structure down to the level of the individual cells. Analysis of the model is presented for a single species and a two-species cases, the latter describing competition between a cancerous and healthy cells. In suitable parameter regimes, model results are consistent with biological observations. Of particular note, divergent tumour growth behaviour, mirroring metastatic and benign growth characteristics, are shown to be dependent on the cell pair-interaction parameters

Three-Dimensional Nonlinear Integral Operator with the Modelling of Majorant Function

 تقدم هذه الورقة البحثية طريقة  لايجاد الحل التقريبي لمؤثر فولتيرا التكاملي  الثلاثي الأبعاد غير الخطي في  R3. حيث يتم استخدام مفهوم (Majorant function) وباستخدام طريقة نيوتن المعدلة  لتحويل مؤثر فولتيرا التكاملي  الثلاثي الأبعاد غير الخطي  إلى متتالية  لمؤثر فولتيرا التكاملي  الثلاثي الأبعاد الخطي ومن يتم استخدام طريقة (Gaussian-Legendre)  التربيعية لايجاد الحل التقريبي لمؤثر فولتيرا التكاملي  الثلاثي الأبعاد الخطي من خلال التعامل مع نظام جبري خطي.تم مناقشة وجود ووحدانية الحل للطريقة المستخدمة مع اعطاء أمثلة توضيحية لإظهار دقة وكفاءة الطريقة.In this paper, the process for finding an approximate solution of nonlinear three-dimensional (3D) Volterra type integral operator equation (N3D-VIOE) in R3 is introduced. The modelling of the majorant function (MF) with the modified Newton method (MNM) is employed to convert N3D-VIOE to the linear 3D Volterra type integral operator equation (L3D-VIOE). The method of trapezoidal rule (TR) and collocation points are utilized to determine the approximate solution of L3D-VIOE by dealing with the linear form of the algebraic system. The existence of the approximate solution and its uniqueness are proved, and illustrative examples are provided to show the accuracy and efficiency of the model. Mathematical Subject Classification (2010):  45P05, 45G10, 47H9

Dynamic properties of crushed glass and tyre rubber in unbound pavement applications

Flexible pavements consist of treated unbound materials between the surface, typically bituminous, and the natural subgrade layer. A laboratory study was conducted to assess the dynamic behavior under the influence of repeated loads of the two most common global waste materials for their performance as road materials. The study investigated the behavior and properties of crushed rock (R) blended with waste glass (G) and tyre rubber (T) and evaluated them as alternatives to natural unbound materials. Preliminary tests included Modified Proctor compaction and Particle Size Distribution tests (before and after the compaction stage), and a more specialised test to determine the resilient modulus (Mr) and the permanent deformation values; the Repeated Triaxial Load Test (RLTT). The mixtures were prepared at different percentages of the whole specimen's total dry weight: from 12 to 45 % waste glass, and from 5 to 15 % tyre rubber. To simulate typical in situ materials, the mixtures were also prepared at the lower target moisture contents of 70% and 80% of OMC. The moisture content and the dry density after the RLTT were measured. Results showed a positive correlation between permanent deformation and glass content, while glass content can improve Mr value of rock specimens by up to 50%. Under RLTT, the addition of tyre rubber to crushed rock decreased permanent deformation

In vitro Anti-adenovirus activity of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) peel extract

Background and aims: Human adenoviruses can cause a diversity of clinical diseases, but there is no antiviral therapy formally approved by adenovirus infections. Thus, antiviral agents derived from medicinal plants which are effective against adenoviruses infections are urgently required. Therefore, this research was aimed to evaluate in vitro antiadenovirus activity of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) peel extract. Methods: In this research, crude ethanol extract of pomegranate peel was prepared. Anti-adenovirus activity of the extract was evaluated on Hela cell line using MTT (3-4,5-dimethylthiazol–2-yl-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. The 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) and 50% Cytotoxicity Concentration (CC50) of the extract were determined using regression analysis. To determine antioxidant activity, total phenol content, and flavonoids content of the extract, the 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay; Folin-Ciocalteu method and aluminum chloride colorimetric method was used, respectively. Results: The CC50 and IC50 of the extract were 165±10.1 and 18.6±6.7µg/ml, respectively. The selectivity index (SI), the ratio of CC50 and IC50, was 8.89. The IC50 of DPPH radical was 7.7±1.21 μg/ml, compare with butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), with IC50 of 25.41±1.89 μg/ml. The total phenol and Flavonoid contents were 282.9 mgGAE/g and 136.6mg/g, respectively. This study revealed that the pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) Conclusion: peel extract exhibited Anti-adenovirus activity, with SI value of 8.9, suggesting its potential use as Anti-adenovirus agents. Also this extract with high phytoconstituents could be a promising source of medicinally important natural compound

A novel PKP2 mutation and intrafamilial phenotypic variability in ARVC/D

Background: Arrhythmogenic ventricular cardiomyopathy (AVC) is an inherited cardiac disorder affecting 1 in 1000 individuals worldwide. The mean diagnosed age of disease is 31 years. In this article, an Iranian family reported that they were affected by ARVC due to a novel PKP2 mutation. Methods: Clinical evaluations, 12-lead ECG, CMR, and signal-averaged ECG were performed. After DNA extraction, genetic testing was done, and PCR-sequencing was applied to find causal mutations. Segregation analysis was also performed for the family. Results: ARVC criteria were documented in the patients. Genetic testing revealed a novel chain termination mutation (p.Tyr168Ter) in PKP2 gene; this mutation was transmitted from the mother to her 23-year-old son, but only the son was affected with ARVC. Conclusion: Modifier genes were indicated using interactome analysis of Plakophilin 2 protein (PKP2); they might have led to phenotypic variability through cellular mechanisms, such as nonsense-mediated mRNA decay. At least, 9 proteins were identified that might have affected Plakophilin 2 protein function, and consequently, rationalizing this intrafamilial phenotypic variability. This study highlighted the role of modifier genes involved in ARVC as well as the major role of PKP2 mutation in developing the disease in our population. © Iran University of Medical Sciences

Study on effect of extraction techniques and seed coat on proteomic distribution and cheese production from soybean milk

Soybean-based food products are a major source of protein. In the present study, proteins in soybean milk from seeds of the cultivar Bunya (Glycine max) were extracted using the cheesecloth and the centrifuge methods. The milk was produced through mechanical crushing of both whole and split seeds in water. Following separation by either the cheesecloth or centrifuge, proteins were isolated from the soybean milk by using thiourea/urea solubilisation and then separated them using two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The isolated proteins were identified by mass spectrometry. A total of 97 spots were identified including 49 that displayed different abundances. Of the two separation techniques, centrifuge separation gave higher protein extraction and more intense protein spots than cheesecloth separation. Eleven of the β-subunits of β-conglycinin, three of the α-subunits of β-conglycinin, and four of the mutant glycinin showed different levels of abundances between separation techniques, which might be related to subsequent cheese quality. Notably, split-seed soybean milk has less allergenic proteins with four α-subunits of β-conglycinin compared to whole-seed milk with eight of those proteins. The sensory evaluation showed that the cheese produced from split-soybean milk received higher consumer preferences compared to that of whole seed, which could be explained by their proteomic differences. The demonstrated reference map for whole and split-seed soybean milk could be further utilized in the research related to soybean cheesemaking