No evidence of association between CTLA-4 polymorphisms and systemic lupus erythematosus in Iranian patients

Aim: Cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) is an important negative regulator of T-cell responses. CTLA-4 polymorphisms have been confirmed to be associated with several autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We analyzed the role of CTLA-4 polymorphism at positions -1661 and -1722 in Iranian patients suffering from SLE. Methods: One hundred and eighty SLE patients and 304 ethnically and age-matched healthy controls were studied. Polymerase chain reaction restriction fragments length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was used to analyze the genotype and allele frequencies of these polymorphisms. Results: There was no significant association between the studied genotypic and allelic frequencies between SLE patients and the controls. Although the TC genotype in 1722TC polymorphism was more common among the control group, the correlation was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the -1661AG and -1722TC polymorphisms in the promoter region of the CTLA-4 gene does not play any role in genetic susceptibility to SLE. However, further studies on larger sample sizes are needed to approve our results. © 2013 Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd

EXOGEN ultrasound bone healing system for long bone fractures with non-union or delayed healing: a NICE medical technology guidance

Open Access. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial License which permits any noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and the source are credited.This article has been made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund.A routine part of the process for developing National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) medical technologies guidance is a submission of clinical and economic evidence by the technology manufacturer. The Birmingham and Brunel Consortium External Assessment Centre (EAC; a consortium of the University of Birmingham and Brunel University) independently appraised the submission on the EXOGEN bone healing system for long bone fractures with non-union or delayed healing. This article is an overview of the original evidence submitted, the EAC’s findings, and the final NICE guidance issued.The Birmingham and Brunel Consortium is funded by NICE to act as an External Assessment Centre for the Medical Technologies Evaluation Programme

A geology-based 3D velocity model of the Amatrice Basin (Central Italy)

In this paper we present a new methodological approach which integrates geological and geophysical data into a 3D modelling process to be mainly employed in seismic hazard assessment studies of earthquake-prone areas around the world, as well as in applications for land use and urban planning. As a case study, the reconstruction of a geology-based 3D velocity model of the uppermost hundreds of metres of the Amatrice high-seismic-hazard area is described. The model was constructed using geological (e.g., maps, cross-sections and core-wells) and geophysical (e.g., down-hole, MASW, refraction, and seismic noise measurements) data, which were georeferenced and uploaded into 3D geological modelling software, where faults, stratigraphic boundaries, and geophysical attributes were digitised, checked, hierarchised, and modelled. The performed 3D geological model was parameterised with Vs and Vp velocities and, finally, the environmental noise (i.e., horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio analysis, HVSR) recorded at some seismic stations was compared with the seismic responses modelled at some nearby control points. In the study area, the proposed geology-based 3D velocity model represents both a new potential geophysical prediction tool for areas devoid of geophysical measurements (i.e. HVSR curves) and a potential input-model for future ground-motion and seismic-wave-propagation simulations aimed at a more precise local seismic response assessment and, consequently, at the development of more realistic seismic hazard scenarios. The model here presented constitutes a first version of the 3D geological-geophysical model for the studied area, which will be improved with new data and more advanced algorithms available in the future

Can spontaneous pneumothorax be resolved in COVID-19 without hospital care? A case report

Background: We encountered the novel coronavirus infection as a pandemic in 2020. The infection started in Wuhan, China, and spread rapidly all over the world. CT scan has been used as an important diagnostic method in the detection of suspicious patients. One of the uncommon complications of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is pneumothorax. Case presentation: A 47-year-old smoker male with COVID-19 diagnosis, good general condition and no respiratory complaint, complicated by pneumothorax. He refused hospitalization. After educating him about the red flags and quarantine protocols, he continued treatment at home .Cap amoxicillin/clavulanic acid 625mg was prescribed for one week. A follow-up CT represented only small involvement of lungs. Pneumothorax was resolved spontaneously without any medical intervention and hospitalization. O2 saturation was in normal range an there was no dry cough anymore. Conclusion: According to our clinical experience, pneumothorax is resolved spontaneously in a COVID-19 case. Considering general status and hemodynamic stability, it is suggested to reduce invasive interventions in COVID-19 cases with pneumothorax. © The Author(s