Evaluation of HER2 cell surface protein expression in differentiated thyroid cancers and its relationship with tumor size and stage

Background & Aim: we aimed to evaluate the expression of HER2 marker in differentiated thyroid cancers and its correlation with tumor size and stage. Materials and Methods: this is a cross-sectional study that was performed at Tehran Shohada-E-Tajrish hospital from 2015 to 2019. Patients with differentiated thyroid cancer were enrolled in the study. Patients’ baseline characteristics and tumor properties were recorded. Expression of tumor marker testing was conducted with IHC. Analysis was performed with SPSS version 20. Results: fifty cases of thyroid cancer with a mean age of 46.6 years (78% females) were evaluated. 86% of cases were PTC, 10% FTC, and 4% hurthle cell carcinoma. HER2 positivity rate was 34% totally. HER2 positivity in FTC and PTC patients was 40% and 34.9%, respectively. 84% of patients had a sporadic tumor. HER2 positivity rate in sporadic tumors was 28.6% and 62.5% in familial cases (p=0.063). HER2 status did not correlate with clinicopathologic factors, significantly. Conclusion: with the findings of our study, HER2 can’t be considered a prognostic factor associated with clinicopathologic parameters

Young stand thinning in Western Oregon : cost comparison of harvesting alternatives and comparison of time study techniques

Harvesting costs were determined for commercial thinning of young stands to achieve vegetation and wildlife objectives. This included replicated comparisons of thinning treatments. Treatments were defined based on residual tree stocking after thinning. Study procedures were developed and evaluated to improve statistical relevance. Multiple linear regression models were used to compare cycle times of thinning treatments. Indicator variables were found to be effective in evaluating the treatment effects. Extraction costs of harvesting and 95% confidence intervals were determined for skyline yarding, tractor skidding and mechanized systems. There is not a marked difference in costs between treatments except the heavy thinning treatment of the tractor site. Also the light with openings treatment was more expensive in the mechanized forwarding. Skyline yarding costs are approximately double tractor skidding costs. Skyline costs are more sensitive to yarding distance than tractor skidding. Mechanized harvester costs are higher than manual felling costs. When extraction distance increases the harvester-forwarder system becomes less expensive than the felling-skidding system. Harvesting delay analysis for small and large delays shows that mean delay frequency and duration are not significantly different between treatments. Kolmogorov-Smirnov test results show that delay frequency and delay duration distribution of both small and large delays fit the Poisson and exponential curves respectively. The length of study needed to achieve reasonable delay percentage estimates are roughly equivalent to those needed to achieve delay free cycle time estimates. Simulation of delay demonstrated the need for long study periods to correctly estimate the large delays, which are tracked in shift level studies. A study length of 334 cycles for small delays and 140 days for large delays were predicted with 90% confidence intervals of ±2% and ±3.68% respectively. Comparison of detailed time study versus shift level study shows that although there is no significant difference in predicted means, the 95% confidence interval in shift level studies is much wider than the detailed. To attain an interval width of ±0.20 cycles per hour a detailed time study would be run for 4 days and a shift level could achieve this level only after 171 days

Intra-arterial injection of acrylic cement as a complication of percutaneous vertebroplasty

Percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) with polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) is a minimally invasive procedure that provides significant pain relief in a high percentage of patients with osteoporotic fractures. The complication rate of PVP is reported to be below 6%. This case illustrates, for the first time, an arterial PMMA embolus to the aorta and its branches as a complication of PVP

A Study of The Potential Relationship between COVID-19 (Corona Virus) Daily Outbreak and Temperature Changes in Iran During March 2020

Climate is one of the most important structural factors on planet Earth and it is undoubtedly natural and all manifestations are at a wide range of levels. To recognize, control and adapt it, scientists have tried to improve life and well-being under various climatic conditions. Decreasing ambient temperatures can be common or annihilated by various diseases. The aim of this study is to investigate the possible relationship between covid-19 (Corona virus) disease and temperature fluctuations in Iran during March 2020. This is, of course, a preliminary study, and further research may explore other aspects of the subject. The methodology applied was the chi-square statistic to evaluate the test of independence between the studied variables and linear regression analysis to find the possibility of the influence of temperature as an independent climatic factor in the increase or decrease of the number of patients. In case of failure of linear regression analysis, the quadratic fit estimation was used. Results of this study proved the slight significant correlation between the occurrence of Corona and the temperature changes in the study area during March 2020. Although the temperature element is considered to be an influential climatic factor in Corona-like diseases such as influenza or SARS, this study could not profoundly prove such a relationship. The prevalence of Corona in Iran can be affected by several other factors such as deficiency of medical equipment, the behavior of the Iranian people towards the epidemic and the spread of this virus, socio-political and cultural gatherings

Thymectomy after Plasmapheresis in Myasthenia Gravis: Results of Long Term Follow up

ABSTRACT Background: Myasthenia gravis is the most common disorder of neuromuscular junction and several treatment modalities have bee

The efficacy of addition of dexmedetomidine to intrathecal bupivacaine in lower abdominal surgery under spinal anesthesia

Background: Spinal anesthesia is the common choice for anesthesia in lower abdomen surgery and intrathecal adjutants have gained popularity with the aim of prolonging the duration of block, quality of block and post operation pain control. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of adding dexmedetomidine to hyperbaric bupivacaine in lower abdominal surgery under spinal anesthesia. The main outcomes were considered pain score, duration of analgesia, hemodynamic changes and adverse side effects like nausea and vomiting. Methods: This double-blind randomized clinical trial was conducted on one hundred patients between 18 to 65 years old scheduled for lower abdominal surgery. Fifty patients were randomly allocated to receive either 12.5mg hyperbaric bupivacaine (2.5cc) plus 5µgr dexmedetomidine (0.5cc) intrathecally while fifty patients received either 12.5mg hyperbaric bupivacaine (2.5cc) and 0.5cc Saline 0.9 intrathecally. Results: Vital sign parameters like heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen saturation levels were registered in the normal range in both groups. The average duration of the onset of pain (230±86 min) in bupivacaine group was significantly (p≤0.000) less than dexmedetomidine group (495±138 minutes). The severity of pain at all times in dexmedetomidine group was significantly (p<0.05) less than bupivacaine group. The severity of shivering and the number of patients who needed treatment for nausea and vomiting in dexmedetomedine group has been less in comparison to bupivacaine. Conclusion: We concluded that intrathecal dexmedetomidine increases the duration of analgesia and reduces postoperative pain without changes in the hemodynamic parameters and adverse side effects. It can be considered as an appropriate adjuvant to intrathecal local anesthetics for lower limb surgeries

Optimizing Winter Wheat Resilience to Climate Change in Rain Fed Crop Systems of Turkey and Iran

Erratic weather patterns associated with increased temperatures and decreasing rainfall pose unique challenges for wheat breeders playing a key part in the fight to ensure global food security. Within rain fed winter wheat areas of Turkey and Iran, unusual weather patterns may prevent attaining maximum potential increases in winter wheat genetic gains. This is primarily related to the fact that the yield ranking of tested genotypes may change from one year to the next. Changing weather patterns may interfere with the decisions breeders make about the ideotype(s) they should aim for during selection. To inform breeding decisions, this study aimed to optimize major traits by modeling different combinations of environments (locations and years) and by defining a probabilistic range of trait variations [phenology and plant height (PH)] that maximized grain yields (GYs; one wheat line with optimal heading and height is suggested for use as a testing line to aid selection calibration decisions). Research revealed that optimal phenology was highly related to the temperature and to rainfall at which winter wheat genotypes were exposed around heading time (20 days before and after heading). Specifically, later winter wheat genotypes were exposed to higher temperatures both before and after heading, increased rainfall at the vegetative stage, and reduced rainfall during grain filling compared to early genotypes. These variations in exposure to weather conditions resulted in shorter grain filling duration and lower GYs in long-duration genotypes. This research tested if diversity within species may increase resilience to erratic weather patterns. For the study, calculated production of a selection of five high yielding genotypes (if grown in five plots) was tested against monoculture (if only a single genotype grown in the same area) and revealed that a set of diverse genotypes with different phenologies and PHs was not beneficial. New strategies of progeny selection are discussed: narrow range of variation for phenology in families may facilitate the discovery and selection of new drought-resistant and avoidant wheat lines targeting specific locationsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio