Presence of macrovolt T wave alternans and short coupled PVC simultaneously in a patient with long QT syndrome

This report presents a patient with macrovolt T wave alternans, PVC with R on T or a long-short sequence followed by torsades de pointes

Analysis of the potential of cancer cell lines to release tissue factor-containing microvesicles: correlation with tissue factor and PAR2 expression

BackgroundDespite the association of cancer-derived circulating tissue factor (TF)-containing microvesicles and hypercoagulable state, correlations with the incidence of thrombosis remain unclear.MethodsIn this study the upregulation of TF release upon activation of various cancer cell lines, and the correlation with TF and PAR2 expression and/or activity was examined. Microvesicle release was induced by PAR2 activation in seventeen cell lines and released microvesicle density, microvesicle-associated TF activity, and phoshpatidylserine-mediated activity were measured. The time-course for TF release was monitored over 90 min in each cell line. In addition, TF mRNA expression, cellular TF protein and cell-surface TF activities were quantified. Moreover, the relative expression of PAR2 mRNA and cellular protein were analysed. Any correlations between the above parameters were examined by determining the Pearson’s correlation coefficients.ResultsTF release as microvesicles peaked between 30–60 min post-activation in the majority of cell lines tested. The magnitude of the maximal TF release positively correlated with TF mRNA (c = 0.717; p

AIDS knowledge and attitudes in a Turkish population: an epidemiological study

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate and present some pertinent comments concerning Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) knowledge, attitudes and misconceptions among the general population in a city of west Turkey. This study was deemed important and relevant due to the increasing importance of AIDS in Turkey and the other countries. METHODS: Using a multistage area sampling method, a random sample of individuals aged 11–83 years, living in 65 different quarters in the city of Eskisehir, Turkey during September, October and November 2004 were interviewed. RESULTS: In all, 1048 respondents completed the survey. In most items, respondents displayed a fairly good to excellent degree of knowledge about HIV/AIDS. Individuals with higher degrees of education indicated more correct responses in all items relating to knowledge of HIV/AIDS. In general, the respondents' attitudes towards AIDS and people with AIDS were found to be tolerant and positive, with one answer choice showing that the majority of the respondents agreed with the statement that those with HIV/AIDS must be supported, treated and helped (90.7%). Moreover, the proportions of the respondents' misconceptions were found to be significantly low for all the items. However, nearly one fourth of the respondents agreed with the misconceptions 'AIDS is a punishment by God' and 'One is not infected with HIV/AIDS if engaged in sport and well nourished'. CONCLUSION: In general HIV/AIDS related knowledge was high and people showed positive attitudes. However, people continue to hold misconceptions about AIDS and these need to be addressed by health education programs targeting those at higher risk

Overexpression of orphan receptor tyrosine kinase Ror1 as a putative tumor-associated antigen in Iranian patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are a group of enzymes involved in a variety of physiological and pathological processes. The human Ror1 is a member of the RTK family with unknown ligand and biological function. Overexpression of Ror1 has recently been reported in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia. The aim of this study was to explore the expression profile of Ror1 in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cells. Therefore, leukemic cells were isolated from the bone marrow and/or peripheral blood (PB) of 57 ALL patients. Immunophenotyping was performed by flow cytometry and mRNA expression was detected by RT-PCR. Overexpression of Ror1 mRNA was detected in 23 of 57 (40) ALL patients. A similar expression pattern was observed in ALL cell lines, with 4 of 12 (33) being positive. Stimulation of normal PB mononuclear cells with pokeweed mitogen and phorbol myristate acetate induced substantially higher Ror1 mRNA expression compared to unstimulated cultured cells. There has been neither a significant association between Ror1 expression and the immunophenotypic profile of the leukemic cells, nor with other clinical or hematological features of the patients. In conclusion, our findings propose Ror1 as a new tumor-associated antigen and a potential tool for targeted immunotherapy and monitoring of minimal residual disease in ALL. Copyright © 2008 S. Karger AG

<span style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:FA">Fabrication and characterization of amorphous-nanocrystalline <span style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">Al₈₀Fe₁₀Ti₅M₃B₂ (M=Cr, Ni and Nb) <span style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:FA">alloys</span></span></span>

307-312In this study, the formation and characterization of amorphous-nanocrystalline phases in Al80Fe10Ti5M3B2 (M=Cr, Ni and Nb) powder mixtures by the means of mechanical alloying (MA) have been investigated. The milled samples are characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Mechanical alloying of these alloying systems shows that amorphous phase can be formed only in Al80Fe10Ti5Ni3B2 powder mixture and the final products in other systems are combination of amorphous and nanocrystalline phases. The produced amorphous phase in different alloying systems, exhibits one-stage crystallization on on heating (atat temperature up than temperature higher than 800oC) and the crystallization’s activation energy is more than 240±20 kJ/mol. The crystallization products (Al13Fe4) and mechanism (polymorphism) of amorphous phase in these three systems are the same.</span

The Effects of Polyethylene Mulch and Sowing Date on Early Maturity, Growth and Yield of Okra

In order to evaluate the effects of plastic bed mulch and sowing date on early maturity, growth and yield of Ahvazi-Okra and obtaining the highest production during the peak price period, an experiment was executed in Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center of Khuzestan. The experiment was laid out as split plot design in RCBD with four replications. Four sowing dates including Feb. 14, Feb. 24, Mar. 6, and Mar. 16 were considered as main plots and three different kinds of mulch including black plastic, clear plastic and control (without mulch) were considered as sub plots. The results showed that the effects of sowing date, kind of mulch, and their interactions on early maturity, early production, total production, germination period, and the number of days to harvest time were significant. The mulch application led to the acceleration of growth stages, and 2.64, 1.53, and 0.9 &deg;C increases respectively in soil temperature at 10cm depth, soil surface temperature and crop canopy temperature, compared to the control treatment. Sowing date did not have significant effect on weeds population. Black plastic mulch could control weeds population effectively. The results demonstrated that the Feb. 14 sowing date together with using clear bed plastic mulch had the highest early production yield (1.9 t/ha), total yield (6.4 t/ha), and the longest crop growth cycle (135 days), the longest fruit production period (70 days) and the most number of harvestings (22 times) among the other ones

The echocardiographic estimation of left ventricular filling pressures in patients with mitral valve stenosis

&quot;nBackground: Estimation of Left Ventricular End Diastolic Pressure (LVEDP) among patients with Mitral Stenosis (MS) helps to diagnose diastolic dysfunction and to explain their symptoms. However, Conventional Doppler measurements have limitation in predicting of LVEDP. This study sought to establish whether the correlation between measurements derived from Tissue Doppler echocardiography and LVEDP remains valid in the setting of severe mitral stenosis. &quot;n&quot;nMethods: Thirty three patients with moderate to severe MS who had indication for left heart catheterization enrolled during 1387-88 in Imam Khomeini Hospital in Tehran, Iran. The mean diastolic transmitral pressure gradient and mitral valve area (MVA) were calculated, and Two-dimensional, M-mode, color Doppler and tissue Doppler Imaging indices such as: early diastolic mitral inflow velocity (E), annular early diastolic velocity (Ea), E/A ratio, Isovolemic relaxation time (IVRT), Pulmonary Vein systolic and diastolic flow velocities, Velocity Propagation, LA size, TE-Ea, Tei Index were obtained in maximum three hours before cardiac catheterization. The echocardiography analysis was performed offline without knowledge of hemodynamic data Linear correlation and multiple linear regression were used for analysis. p&amp;lt; 0.05 was considered significant. &quot;n&quot;nResults: In univariate analysis, E/Ea was associated with LVEDP significantly (p = 0.04, r = 0.38). There was also a significant correlation between TE-Ea and LVDP (p = 0.01, r = -0.44). In multiple linear regression Tei Index (&amp;szlig; = 0.4, p&amp;lt; 0.02), and TE-Ea (&amp;szlig; = 0.5, p = 0.02) were showed as independent predictors of LVEDP (R2 = 49%). &quot;n&quot;nConclusion: Although we observed a moderate correlation between Doppler measurements and LVEDP in patients with severe MS, more similar studies are required

Colour M-mode superiority in evaluation of improvement in myocardial performance indices following successful percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)

Aim: This study aimed at evaluating the early effects of successful elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on systolic and diastolic function. Methods: We consecutively studied the systolic and diastolic function in 21 patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) > 40 before and 48 hours after successful elective PCI. Results: Tei index and systolic indices (LVEF, regional wall motion abnormality score, tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion and peak systolic velocity of mitral and tricuspid annulus) did not change significantly. Among the diastolic indices, only velocity propagation (Vp) improved significantly (from 42.9 ± 10.8 to 51.8 ± 10.7, p-value = 0.008) following PCI. Diastolic velocities, E/A ratio, deceleration time (DT), early and late diastolic velocities of mitral annulus in TDI, pulmonary vein systolic (PVs) and diastolic flow velocity (PVd) did not show significant improvement. Conclusion: Propagation velocity of mitral inflow was the earliest index to recover following successful PCI in patients with stable CAD

Electrical storm in Brugada syndrome during pregnancy

Clinical and molecular characterization of the Brugada syndrome has progressed rapidly since its initial description. The role of hormonal changes during pregnancy and postpartum period on the pathogenesis of Brugada syndrome has not been studied. Herein, we describe a case of revelation of Brugada syndrome during pregnancy in a young woman who presented with electrical storm as the first manifestation. Low-dose isoproterenol infusion followed by oral quinidine inhibited the recurrence of ventricular tachyarrhythmia and normalized the electrocardiographic pattern. We emphasize the importance of hormonal changes during pregnancy as a precipitating factor for arrhythmic events in Brudaga syndrome. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc