T regulatory lymphocytes and endothelial function in pediatric obstructive sleep apnea.

BackgroundObstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a low-grade inflammatory disease affecting the cardiovascular and metabolic systems. Increasing OSA severity reduces T-regulatory lymphocytes (Tregs) in OSA children. Since Tregs modulate endothelial activation, and attenuate insulin resistance, we hypothesized that Tregs are associated with endothelial and metabolic dysfunction in pediatric OSA.Methods50 consecutively recruited children (ages 4.8-12 years) underwent overnight polysomnography and fasting homeostatic model (HOMA) of insulin resistance was assessed. Percentage of Tregs using flow cytometry, and endothelial function, expressed as the time to peak occlusive hyperemia (Tmax), were examined. In a subgroup of children (n = 21), in vitro Treg suppression tests were performed.ResultsCirculating Tregs were not significantly associated with either BMI z score or HOMA. However, a significant inverse correlation between percentage of Tregs and Tmax emerged (p<0.0001, r = -0.56). A significant negative correlation between Tregs suppression and the sleep pressure score (SPS), a surrogate measure of sleep fragmentation emerged (p = 0.02, r = -0.51) emerged, but was not present with AHI.ConclusionsEndothelial function, but not insulin resistance, in OSA children is strongly associated with circulating Tregs and their suppressive function, and appears to correlate with sleep fragmentation. Thus, alterations in T cell lymphocytes may contribute to cardiovascular morbidity in pediatric OSA

Role of eEF2K in DNA damage response

Many of the DNA damage inducing chemotherapeutic drugs preferentially kill cancer cells but they also have a negative impact on normal cells in the body. Having a better understanding of how tumors respond to the DNA damage caused by chemotherapeutic agents can improve the chemotherapy regimen and reduce the harm done on the patient. Eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase (eEF2K) is a regulator of mRNA translation which is over-expressed in medulloblastoma, gliomas, and some breast cancer patients with poor prognosis. Under stress conditions, such as nutrient deprivation or DNA damage, eEF2K inhibits mRNA translation elongation by phosphorylating and inhibiting the activity of eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2). It was reported that eEF2K increases cellular sensitivity to inducers of DNA damage, including hydrogen peroxide and doxorubicin. The goal of this thesis work was to define the mechanistic role of eEF2K in DNA damage response (DDR) and its role in sensitizing cells to genotoxic agents. To this aim, we used cisplatin to study the DDR in the presence and absence of eEF2K expression. We found that eEF2K enhances the overall DDR in response to cisplatin treatment and the sensitivity phenotype depends on the level of cisplatin that the cells are exposed to. When cells are treated with high levels of cisplatin, eEF2K enhances the activity of the ATM and ATR DDR pathways that lead to higher apoptosis through p53 activity. However, when treated with low levels of cisplatin, eEF2K enhances the DNA repair pathways and prevents cell death. In summary, our findings show that eEF2K boosts the DNA damage response to help repair the damaged DNA, or helps to kill the cell if the damage cannot be repaired. Overall, these results reinforce the role of eEF2K as a stress response protein.Medicine, Faculty ofPathology and Laboratory Medicine, Department ofGraduat

FIGURE 4 in Some scleractinian corals (Scleractinia: Anthozoa) of Larak Island, Persian Gulf

FIGURE 4. Montipora cf. aequituberculata, a, exoskeleton; b & d, close ups of corallites; c & e, underwater photographs of different colonies; f, underwater photograph of polyps.Published as part of Samiei, Jahangir Vajed, Dab, Koosha, Ghezellou, Parviz & Shirvani, Arash, 2013, Some scleractinian corals (Scleractinia: Anthozoa) of Larak Island, Persian Gulf, pp. 101-143 in Zootaxa 3636 (1) on page 105, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3636.1.5, http://zenodo.org/record/24943

Some scleractinian corals (Scleractinia: Anthozoa) of Larak Island, Persian Gulf

Samiei, Jahangir Vajed, Dab, Koosha, Ghezellou, Parviz, Shirvani, Arash (2013): Some scleractinian corals (Scleractinia: Anthozoa) of Larak Island, Persian Gulf. Zootaxa 3636 (1): 101-143, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3636.1.

The Therapeutic Effectiveness of Risperidone on Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia in Comparison with Haloperidol: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Introduction: A number of research studies have shown that the new generation of neuroleptic medications can more effectively contribute to treating negative symptoms of schizophrenia compared with the first generation by influence cognitive functioning. The present study examined the therapeutic effectiveness of manufactured Risperidone and Haloperidol in Iran on treating the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Methods: This randomized clinical trial (RCT) study examined 100 hospitalized patients who met DSM-IV. TR criteria for schizophrenia were sampled at Razi psychiatric hospital in Tehran, Iran. After two weeks of stopping neuroleptic medications, the patients were randomly assigned into two groups, Risperidone and Haloperidol group. During 8 weeks of the study, baseline and weekly assessments were performed by completing brief psychiatric report scale (BPRS). Results: Both Risperidone and Haloperidol were effective in treating the negative symptoms of schizophrenia and improvements in both groups were initiated in the second week of treatment. The most prominent response rate was the second week in Haloperidol group and the eighth week in Risperidone group but this difference was not statistically significant. Discussion: Prescribing Risperidone or Haloperidol for treating negative symptoms of schizophrenia can be influenced by other criteria including side effects, previous treatment histories of patients and their families and a patient`s or physician` preference in prescribing a medication. Studies in other countries show that Haloperidol has better therapeutic effects in treating the negative symptoms of schizophrenia in comparison with Risperidone. Further studies on the therapeutic effectiveness of Risperidone and Haloperidol are suggested

Pattern of Antipsychotic Use and Its Determinants in Razi Psychiatric Hospital

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and its determinants of Antipsychotic Use in patients with psychiatric disorders. Materials and Methods: This study was on patients with psychiatric disorder that have discharged from the hospital. We have assessed all patients with psychiatric interview and evaluation of their psychiatric documentations. Results: 90.7% of all of patients had taken antipsychotic medications and antipsychotic polypharmacy was in 27.2% of these patients. The most prevalent component of antipsychotic polypharmacy was consisting of Chlorpromazine, Halopreidol and Chlorpromazine, Risperidone and then Chlorpromazine, Olanzapine respectively. There were significant relations between pattern of antipsychotic use and gender, occupation status, type of psychiatric ward, duration of hospitalization and cost of treatment but no relationship with age, educational status and duration of illness. Discussion: This study suggests that prevalence of antipsychotic polypharmacy is high in in-patient psychiatric patients

Photosynthetic response of Persian Gulf acroporid corals to summer versus winter temperature deviations

With on-going climate change, coral susceptibility to thermal stress constitutes a central concern in reefconservation. In the Persian Gulf, coral reefs are confronted with a high seasonal variability in water temperature, and both hot and cold extremes have been associated with episodes of coral bleaching and mortality. Using physiological performance as a measure of coral health, we investigated the thermal susceptibility of the common acroporid, Acropora downingi, near Hengam Island where the temperature oscillates seasonally in the range 20.2–34.2 °C. In a series of two short-term experiments comparing coral response in summer versus winter conditions, we exposed corals during each season (1) to the corresponding seasonal average and extreme temperature levels in a static thermal environment, and (2) to a progressive temperature deviation from the annual mean toward the corresponding extreme seasonal value and beyond in a dynamic thermal environment. We monitored four indictors of coral physiological performance: net photosynthesis (Pn), dark respiration (R), autotrophic capability (Pn/R), and survival. Corals exposed to warming during summer showed a decrease in net photosynthesis and ultimately died, while corals exposed to cooling during winter were not affected in their photosynthetic performance and survival. Coral autotrophic capability Pn/R was lower at the warmer thermal level within eachseason, and during summer compared to winter. Corals exposed to the maximum temperature of summer displayed Pn/R < 1, inferring that photosynthetic performance could not support basal metabolic needs under this environment. Our results suggest that the autotrophic performance of the Persian Gulf A. downingi is sensitive to the extreme temperatures endured in summer, and therefore its populations may be impacted by future increases in water temperature

Unusual case of aortic coarctation complicated by mycotic pseudoaneurysm and bicuspid aortic valve endocarditis

Coarctation complicated with mycotic pseudo-aneurysm is very rare. We are reporting a case of a 26-year-old man suffered from this pathology. As the incidence of mycotic pseudo-aneurysm is very rare in patients with aortic coarctation, the choice of this pathology for a patient presenting with unexplained fever is the only way to reduce the mortality risk