Evaluating the results of CEAM regimen as a conditioning regimen for autologous stem cell transplantation in 25 patients with NHL

Background: An effective and useful therapy for NHL patients (relapsed or with incomplete response) is autologous bone marrow/peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (SCT). In this case, the type of conditioning regimen is an important factor for transplant outcome. This study carried out for evaluating the results of CEAM regimen as a conditioning regimen for autologous stem cell transplantation in 25 patients with NHL in Dr Shariati hospital bone marrow transplantation research center, Tehran University of medical sciences. Materials and methods: In this survival study 25 patients were selected according to inclusion criteria: ages between 14-60 years old, in complete or partial remission, in any stage and grade, with good function of bone marrow, heart, kidney and liver, and good performance status. After introducing mobilization regimen with G-CSF alone or with cyclophosphamide, the conditioning regimen (CEAM) was applied to the patients. After transplantation all patients were evaluated for rate of infection, hematologic engraftment, conditioning related organ toxicities and number of transfused packed cell and platelet units. In follow-up period after discharge, patients had regular examinations for B symptoms, lymph nodes and laboratory tests. Results: The peripheral blood was the stem cell source of all patients except one. At transplantation time, 6 (24) were in the first complete remission, 11 (44) in the second, 6 (26) in third and 2 (8) in partial remission. The mean duration of hospitalization after SCT was 25.5 days. From 25 person under going autologous transplantation, 16 (64) did not have relapse 8 (32) had relapse, and one person never had any response to transplant. Mortality rate in this study was 5(20). One-year overall survival (OS) was 78.4 (SE=8.6) two-year overall survival was the same. One-year and two-year disease free survival (DFS) were 70 (SE=9.5) and 59.1 (SE=10.7), respectively . The most common different organ toxicity in admission interval was as follow: Hematologic and gastrointestinal toxicities were seen in 100. The grade IV hematologic toxicities were 96 granulocytopenia, 20 anemia and 52 thrombocytopenia. The greatest part of mucositis in grade I (40), nausea and vomiting in grade II (respectively 44 and 52) were seen. Fever and infection, with or without positive culture, occurred during hospitalization in all patients except one (96). Overally the patients well tolerated the toxicities. Conclusion: According to the results, CEAM regimen can be suggest the as a good alternative for BEAM regimen with the added benefits of shorter duration of conditioning regimen (4 days vs. 6 days), no need for stem cell cryopreservation, no need for cold chain required for BCNU replaced by CCNU, better one year DFS result than previous conditioning regimen in this center (70 vs 30) and tolerable treatment associated toxicities

A Study of the Effect of Aspirin and Atorvastatin on the Phenotypes of Liver Cancer Cells in a Cell Culture Model

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: In patients with type 2 diabetes, liver diseases are the major causes of liver cancer. The invention of new methods and medicinal compounds has led to a significant increase in our ability to treat cancers. This study aims to evaluate the effect of two known compounds, atorvastatin and aspirin, on the phenotypes of liver cancer cell lines. METHODS: In this experimental study, after preparing HepG2 cell line from National Cell Bank of Iran and culturing it, the cytotoxic, apoptotic and metastatic effects of both atorvastatin and aspirin were investigated at concentrations of 50 – 100 – 200 μM in 7 treatment groups and one control group by MTT assay, flow cytometry and zymography tests. FINDINGS: The results of these tests indicated the cytotoxic effects of atorvastatin at all concentrations of 50 – 100 – 200 μM (48%, 99.96% and 100%), and the low cytotoxic effects of aspirin at all concentrations except for 200 μM, mainly observed as necrosis (p<0.05). In both compounds, apoptosis induction was initiated at a specific concentration and the simultaneous use of these two compounds increased the apoptosis from 6.8 and 3.22, respectively for atorvastatin and aspirin, to 20.22 (p < 0.05). Investigating the activity of the MMP-2 enzyme as a key enzyme in metastases indicated a decrease in this phenotype. CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that co-administration of both atorvastatin and aspirin compounds is capable of inducing programmed cell death at low concentrations

Religious experiences of Iranian transgenders: A qualitative study

Background: Gender identity disorder and its treatment with sex reassignment surgery is a profound experience, which can affect the mental, interpersonal, social and religious aspects of one's life. Methods: This was a qualitative content analysis study focusing on the various dimensions of the experiences of seven patients suffering from gender identity disorder in a female-to-male subgroup. This study presents a report concerning the religious aspects of their experience. Results: The findings of this study were categorized into the four following conceptual categories: sense of guilt; accomplishing a sense of submission to God's will as well as God's pleasing; practical commitment to religion; and rejection by the religious communities. Conclusion: Diminishing religion to spirituality comprised the core experiences of these patients having intimate relations with such concepts as secularism, stigma, and technocracy

ALLOGENEIC PERIPHERAL BLOOD AND BONE MARROW STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION FOR CHRONIC MYELOGENOUS LEUKEMIA: A SINGLE CENTER STUDY

In this center, from 1991 to 2002, 89 chronic myelogenous leukemic (CML) patients, age ranging between 8-48 years with a median age of 29, underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Eighty-eight patients were in the first chronic phase of disease. Twenty-three patients received bone marrow transplantation (BMT) and 66 patients received peripheral blood stem cell transplantations (PBSCT). Transplantation was performed at a median interval of 19 months post-diagnosis. All with five exceptions received busulfan + cyclophosphamide (Bu Cy) conditioning regimens. To maintain graft vs. host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis, all with three exceptions received cyclosporine + metothrexate. Administration of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), per protocol, was included in post-transplantation regimens from the year 1999 on 48 patients. All patients received marrow transplantations from sibling donors. Fifty seven of transplanted patients are alive. Disease free survivals (DFS) from 6.2 to 9.5 and from 2.2 to 6.2 years for BMT group were 38.2% and 47.8%, respectively. DFS for PBSCT group was calculated as 54.3% in a period of 1.9 to 4.6 years

Assessment of Ail Gene Marker Amplicon for Mo­lecular Characterization of Pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica in Food Samples Collected in Iran

Background: To assess the utility of the chromosomal ail virulence gene sequence for detection of pathogenic Yersinia en&amp;shy;terocolitica in raw meet food products (beef, lamb, and chicken). Methods: This study included 39 Yersinia enterocolitica positive cultures from suspicious food samples, in a working pe&amp;shy;riod of six months. These samples were referred to the &amp;quot;Food-Borne Diseases and Chronic Diarrhea Lab at Research Cen&amp;shy;tre for Gastric and Liver Diseases&amp;quot; of the Taleghani Hospital at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Te&amp;shy;hran, Iran. Isolates from 8 cultured Y. intermedia, Y. aldovi, Y. intermedia type O:45, Y. kristensenii, Y. enterocolitica type O:12/26, Y. enterocolitica type1/7/8, Y. frederiksenii type O:39, and Y. enterocolitica type O:8 samples were in&amp;shy;cluded in the study. Four non-Yersinia species Salmonella typhi, Shigella dysenteriae, Shigella flexeneri, and Proteus mirabi&amp;shy;lis were used for specificity testing. An established Yersinia type O:9 was used as positive control and for sensitiv&amp;shy;ity testing. An in-house real-time PCR assay was designed in order to rapidly and specifically identifies the pres&amp;shy;ence of specific Yersinia species. Results: Out of 39 tested Y. enterocolitica samples, 6(2.3%) showed positive results for the ail gene PCR prod&amp;shy;uct, typed as O:8, and O:9, respectively. PCR products were sent for sequencing. Two sequences were registered with the Na&amp;shy;tional Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI Genbank) as polymorphic ail gene sequences under the acces&amp;shy;sion numbers of DQ157767 and DQ003329. Conclusions: Collectively, this test is well adapted for definite confirmation of pathogenic Y. en&amp;shy;terocolitica in food sam&amp;shy;ples

Arsenic Trioxide Compound Modulates Multiple Myeloma Phenotypes: Assessment on Cell Line Models

Recent evidences suggest that multiple myeloma phenotypes (MMPs) are involved in the infiltration of multiple myeloma-affected marrow foci. In this study, the effects of arsenic trioxide on the invasive and angiogenic phenotypes of multiple myeloma (MM) cell line were assessed on a dose-response and time-course basis. Multiple myeloma cell line, Karpas 707, was treated with step-wise elevated concentrations of arsenic trioxide compound at 24, 48, and 72 h intervals. Cytotoxicity was assessed with a colorimetric assay. Potential antiinvasive phenotype was analyzed with MMP-2 zymography. To verify directly the anti angiogenic effect, F1 endothelial cell line was also treated with arsenic and the dose-dependent cytotoxicity was assessed with a colorimetric assay. Apoptotic properties of arsenic trioxide compound were investigated using TUNEL assay. The significant dose-dependent inhibitory effects of arsenic trioxide on MMP-2 were seen at given concentrations. Cytotoxicity analysis revealed much higher cell death than untreated cells (P&lt; 0.01), both in Karpas 707 and F1 endothelial cell lines. Colectively, this study showed that arsenic trioxide might potentially elicit anti-invasive anti-angiogenesis properties in the treatment of myeloma dissemination process. In addition, the concurrent inhibition of MMPs activity and endothelial cell proliferation could compose the scenario of neoangiogenesis inhibition in the marrow-infiltrated foci