Correlation of dysoxia metabolism markers with trauma scoring systems in multiple trauma patients admitted to the emergency department: A cross-sectional observational study

Background: All the trauma scoring systems (TSSs) have some limitations, and none is useful for patient monitoring. Recently, investigators have tried to modify the TSSs to improve their use. Aims: This study was conducted to determine whether any correlation exists between dysoxia metabolism markers (DMMs), including venous base deficit (BD) and HCO3level with different TSSs. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, all multiple trauma patients admitted to the emergency department were eligible. Blood samples for venous blood gas analysis were taken at the onset of resuscitation process. TSSs, including trauma index (TI), abbreviated injury score (AIS), Injury Severity Score (ISS), Revised Trauma Score (RTS), and Trauma Score-ISS (TRISS), were calculated for the patients. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient test was applied to find the association between the independent variables. Results: A total of 285 patients with a mean age of 33.37 ± 15.29 fulfilled the inclusion criteria, of which, 211 cases (74.0) were male. Statistical analysis revealed that there was a correlation between TI and HCO3level (P = 0.0001, r = 0.37) and also TI and BD (P = 0.0001, r = 0.47). Furthermore, there was an indirect correlation between AIS and ISS with HCO3and BD levels and the direct correlation between RTS and TRISS with HCO3and BD levels. Conclusion: It is likely that there is a statistical correlation, although weak, between TSSs with DMMs, including HCO3and BD level

Comparison of food intake in multiple sclerosis patients and healthy individuals – A hospital-based case-controlled study

ObjectivesNutritional factors affect the incidence, severity of symptoms and progression of multiple sclerosis (MS). However, the role of specific nutritional factors remains largely unknown in MS. We conducted this hospital-based case-controlled study to investigate the association between dietary intake and risk of MS.Methods: This study was conducted on 93 MS patients and 94 age-matched controls. MS was diagnosed based on 2010 McDonald criteria and Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Dietary intake was assessed by using a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Odds ratio and 95% confidence interval of MS was calculated in different food item groups using multiple logistic regression models adjusted for potentially confounding variables and compared between the two groups. Results: There was no significant difference between age (34.62 ±9.68vs. 33.96±8.75) and BMI (23.96 ±4.07 vs. 24.47 ±4.07) of MS and control group respectively. Higher intake of processed meat (OR (95% CI)) = (2.07(1.18-3.63) and non-processed meat (1.38(1.13-1.68)) was found in the MS group compared with the control. Conclusion: Higher intake of processed meat and non-processed meat is associated with increased risk of MS. Further studies on the probable role of these nutritional factors in the pathogenesis of MS are suggested.

Head and Neck Cancers in North-East Iran: A 25 year Survey

Introduction Cancers are among the worst noncommunicable diseases around the world. Head and neck cancers are ranked as the fifth most common cancers worldwide. As there are different distributions of risk factors around the world, the incidence of these cancers varies from one place to another. Materials and Methods: We conducted a descriptive analytic cross-sectional study, based on census-based records from the private oncology clinic in Mashhad, Iran. Data from 1,075 patients with head and neck cancers were analyzed from 1986 to 2010. We categorized the duration of study into five periods: 1986–1990, 1991–1995, 1996–2000, 2001–2005, and 2006–2010. Head and neck cancers refers to cancers originating from seven sites in the head and neck including the nasal cavity, oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, salivary glands, paranasal sinuses, and thyroid. Results: Data of 1,075 patients were analyzed. 66.2% were male. Mean ± standard deviation (SD) age at the time of diagnosis was 55.37±15.55 years. The most frequent type of head and neck cancer was larynx cancer (36%), followed by pharynx (28.5%), oral (17.5%), thyroid (6.8%), sinus (6.4%), salivary gland (4.10%), and nasal cancer (0.70%). although larynx cancer was the most frequent cancer over the whole study duration, there was a significant (P=0.04) difference in the relative frequency of these cancers across the five time periods. There was a significant difference in mean age between cancer categories (

Lichen planus and Hepatitis C: a case-control study

BACKGROUND: The association of lichen planus with hepatitis C (HCV) has been widely reported in the literature. However, there are wide geographical variations in the reported prevalence of HCV infection in patients with lichen planus. This study was conducted to determine the frequency of hepatitis C in Iranian patients with lichen planus at Razi hospital, Tehran. METHODS: During the years 1997 and 1998, 146 cases of lichen planus, 78 (53.1%) women and 69 (46.9%) men were diagnosed. They were diagnosed on the basis of the usual clinical features and, if necessary, typical histological findings. The patients were screened for the presence of anti-HCV antibodies by third generation ELISA and liver function tests. We used the results from screening of blood donors for anti HCV (carried out by Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization) for comparison as the control group. RESULTS: Anti-HCV antibodies were detected in seven cases (4.8%). This was significantly higher than that of the blood donors' antibodies (p < 0.001). The odds ratio was 50.37(21.45–112.24). A statistically significant association was demonstrated between erosive lichen planus and HCV infection. Liver function tests were not significantly different between HCV infected and non-infected patients. CONCLUSION: HCV apears to have an etiologic role for lichen planus in Iranian patients. On the other hand, liver function tests are not good screening means for HCV infection

Therapeutic plasma exchange may adjust IL-6 and TGF-β signals in relapsed MS patients peripheral blood

Objective: Effects of therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) on immune cells and their cytokine production in MS, are unknown. Since interleukine-6 and tumor growth factor-β have critical roles in MS immunopathogenesis, the impacts of TPE on the expression of these cytokines and their receptors on the surface of CD4+ T lymphocytes, were investigated. Methods: Blood cells were obtained from 30 Relapsing-Remitting (RR) MS patients, before and after a complete TPE course. Cytokines mRNA and their receptor expression on the CD4+ T cells surface were assessed using real-time PCR and flowcytometry, respectively. Results: TPE reduced symptom severity (P =.01) and the relief was higher in males than in females (P =.039). TPE also increased TGF-β mRNA and decreased IL-6 receptor expressing cells frequency (P =.009 and P =.028, respectively). Moreover, the frequency of CD4+IL6R+ T cells was positively correlated with disease severity (P =.001). Conclusion: TPE impacts simultaneously on the TGF-β mRNA and IL-6 receptor expression, and this may be a mechanism of improvement in MS relapse symptoms induced by the TPE

Detection of Interleukin-19 mRNA in C57BL/6 Mice Astroglial Cells and Brain Cortex

Introduction: Astrocytes are the most abundant glial cell type. In addition to their neurological roles, astrocytes also have immune functions. They have been involved in antigen presentation in the central nervous system (CNS). Activated astrocytes express adhesion molecules, chemokines and release several inflammatory mediators, pro-inflammatory cytokines, neurotrophic and neuroprotective factors, thus these cells have a dual role within the CNS: neuroinflammation and repair processes. IL-19, IL-20, IL-22, IL-24, IL-26, IL-28A, IL-28B, and IL-29 are members of the IL-10 family of cytokines. These cytokines have different biological functions in spite of partial amino acid sequences homology. Signal transduction of the IL-10 family of cytokines is through R1-type and R2-type receptors. Methods: No information has been available about the expression and regulation of IL-19 in mice astrocytes and brain. To investigate the expression of IL-19, we examined its expression in C57BL/6 mice astroglial cells in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), using reversetranscription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method.  Results: We provide for the first time, evidence that astrocytes can express IL-19 mRNA following LPS stimulation. Furthermore, we have found the expression of IL-19 mRNA in the cortex of adult C57BL/6 mice following intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of LPS.  Discussion: This finding will contribute to current knowledge on the function and behavior of cells and mediators during inflammatory conditions in the brai

A Simple, Rapid, and Efficient Method for Isolating Mesenchymal Stem Cells From the Entire Umbilical Cord

Several reports have been published on the isolation, culture, and identification of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from different anatomical regions of the umbilical cord (UC). UC is suitable for standardizing methods of MSC isolation because it is a uniform source with high MSC numbers. Although the UC is considered a medical waste after childbirth, ethical issues for its use must be considered. An increased demand for MSCs in regenerative medicine has made scientists prioritize the development of MSC isolation methods. Several research groups are attempting to provide a large number of high-quality MSCs. In this study, we present a modulated explant/enzyme method (MEEM) to isolate the maximum number of MSCs from the entire UC. This method was established for the isolation of MSCs from different anatomical regions of the UC altogether. We could retrieve 6 to 10 million MSCs during 8 to 10 days of primary culture. After three passages, we could obtain 8-10 × 10(8) cells in 28-30 days. MSCs isolated by this method express CD73, CD90, CD105, and CD44, but they do not express hematopoietic markers CD34 and CD45 or the endothelial marker CD31. The genes SOX2, OCT4, and NANOG are expressed in isolated MSCs. The capacity of these MSCs to differentiate into adipocytes and osteocytes highlights their application in regenerative medicine. This method is simple, reproducible, and cost efficient. Moreover, this method is suitable for the production of a large number of high-quality MSCs from an UC in less than a month, to be used for cell therapy in an 80-kg person

Development of a new vesicular formulation for delivery of Ifosfamide: Evidence from in vitro, in vivo, and in silico experiments

Ifosfamide (IFO) is a member of the oxazaphosphorine family of alkylating drugs that exhibits anticancer and immunoregulatory properties. The toxicity of IFO is dose-limited because of its biotransformation into highly reactive metabolites, including acrolein and chloroacetaldehyde. Here, we aimed to design novel niosomal formulations to encapsulate IFO within niosomes and assess the efficacy of the nanoformulation via conducting in vivo, in vitro, and in silico analyses. Niosomal IFO showed a monodisperse size distribution with an average size of 97 nm. In addition, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed a spherical morphology with high stability and no aggregation. On the other hand, niosomal IFO (0.01–100 µg/mL) showed high cytotoxicity against breast cancer (MCF7) and neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) cells in a concentration-dependent fashion. IFO-loaded niosomes had lower IC50s in cancerous cell lines than the standard IFO, the most pronounced being in SH-SY5Y cells (IC50 = 0.184 µg/mL). Intravenous treatments of rats with niosomal IFO at 0.1 mg/kg body weight (bw) and 0.2 mg/kg bw significantly increased biochemical parameters such as blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (CR), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Moreover, the 0.2 mg/kg bw doses of niosomal IFO caused obvious changes in the liver tissue. Both 0.1 mg/kg bw and 0.2 mg/kg bw doses of free IFO caused histopathological lesions and significantly increased biochemical parameters. In silico calculations revealed the interaction of IFO through its oxygen and nitrogen connected to the phosphor atom and nitrogen with a head group of Span 60 and tween 60. For the first time, we designed a well-characterized niosomal formulation for the targeted delivery of IFO. Our formulation exhibited optimum size with desirable anticancer activity and can be considered a suitable carrier with a high potential for future usage in the controlled release of other chemotherapeutics; however, more studies are needed to assess its safety towards normal human cells

DataSheet1_Study of tyramine-binding mechanism and insecticidal activity of oil extracted from Eucalyptus against Sitophilus oryzae.docx

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