“Evaluation of a Very Low-Cost and Simple Teleradiology Technique”

This paper describes and analyzes a proposed solution of fundamental limitative factor of teleradiology to overcome the teleradiology usages problems in underdeveloped and developing countries. The goal is to achieve a very simple and cost-efficient way to take advantage of teleradiology in anywhere even in remote and rural areas. To meet the goal of this study, the following methodology which is consists of two main procedures was done: (1) Using a digital camera in order to provide a digital image from radiographs. (2) Using an image compression tool in order to compress digital images. The results showed that there is no significant difference between digital images (non-compress and compress images) and radiographic films. Also, there was a logic relationship between the diagnostic quality and diagnostic accuracy. Since the maximum percent of diagnostic accuracy can be seen among “Good” quality images and the minimum to was related “Poor”. The results of our study indicate that a digital camera could be utilized to capture digital images from radiographic films of chest x-ray. To reduce the size of digital images, a lossy compression technique could be applied at compression percent of 50 or less without any significant differences. The compressed images can be sent easily by email to other places for consultation and also they can be stored with a smaller size.     

Stereotaxic Interstitial Laser Therapy of Early-Stage Breast Cancer

Abstract: Coagulation leading to fibrosis of mammo-graphically detected breast cancers by interstitial laser therapy was tested as an alternative to surgical removal. Availability of computerized stereotaxic digital imaging allows the precise placement of laser and thermal needles into the target tumor and its controlled ablation by heat. The methodology of interstitial laser therapy (ILT), evolution of the subsequently removed tumors, and their histologic appearance are outlined.
Eight patients with mammographically well-defined tumors were selected. Definitive diagnosis and receptor evaluation were made on core biopsies. Under local anesthesia, stereotaxically guided diode laser energy at 5–10 w was delivered via a 400 xm fiber in a 19-gauge needle placed into the center of the tumor until the peripheral temperature exceeded 60°C. Patients experienced transient pain and pyrexia. Subsequent to ILT, seven invasive carcinomas were excised while one case of multiple papillomas was kept under surveillance. Histologic study revealed central necrosis but some peripheral residual tumor in the first five cases. In the last two, central necrosis surrounded by concentrically arranged, recognizable but severely injured, focally "windswept" and "ghostlike" tumor and granulation tissue were noted. The multiple papillomas showed radiologic shrinkage at 5 months and extensive fibrosis on needle biopsy.
ILT is an attractive new method of treating small, well-defined breast tumors and offers a potentially significant alternative to surgical removal; further exploration is warranted.     

Effect of Chlamydia pneumoniae on cellular ATP content in mouse macrophages: role of Toll-like receptor 2

Chlamydiae are obligate intracellular gram-negative bacteria and are dependent on the host cell for ATP. Thus, chlamydial infection may alter the intracellular levels of ATP and affect all energy-dependent processes within the cell. We have shown that both live C. pneumoniae and inactivated C. pneumoniae induce markers of cell death prior to completion of the bacterial growth cycle. As depletion of ATP could account for the observed increase in cell death, the effects of C. pneumoniae on ATP concentrations within mouse macrophages were investigated. Live, heat-killed, and UV-inactivated C. pneumoniae cultures (at multiplicities of infection [MOIs] of 0.01, 0.1, and 1.0) were incubated with mouse bone marrow macrophages isolated from C57BL/6J mice and mice deficient in Toll-like receptors. Treatment of the macrophages with both live and inactivated C. pneumoniae increased the ATP content of the cells. In cells infected with live C. pneumoniae, the increase was inversely proportional to the MOI. In cells treated with inactivated C. pneumoniae, the increase in ATP content was smaller than that induced by infection with live organisms and was proportional to the MOI. The increase in ATP content early in the developmental cycle was independent of the growth of C. pneumoniae, while sustained induction required live organisms. The capacity of C. pneumoniae to increase the ATP content was ablated in macrophages deficient in expression of either Toll-like receptor 2 or the Toll-like receptor accessory protein MyD88. In contrast, no effect was observed in macrophages lacking expression of Toll-like receptor 4.     

Draize rabbit eye test compatibility with eye irritation thresholds in humans: a quantitative structure-activity relationship analysis.

Draize rabbit eye test scores, as modified maximum average score (MMAS), for 68 pure bulk liquids were adjusted by the liquid-saturated vapor pressure P. These 68 adjusted scores, as log (MMAS/P), were shown to be completely equivalent to eye irritation thresholds (EIT), expressed as log (1/EIT), for 23 compounds in humans. Thus, for the first time the Draize eye test in rabbits for pure bulk liquids is shown to be perfectly compatible with eye irritation thresholds in humans. The total data set for 91 compounds was analyzed by the general solvation equation of Abraham. Values of log (MMAS/P) or log (1/EIT) could be fitted to a five-parameter equation with R2 = 0.936, SD = 0.433, AD = 0.000, and AAD = 0.340 over a range of 9.6 log units. When divided into a training set of 45 compounds, the corresponding equation could be used to predict the remaining 46 compounds in a test set with AD = -0.037 and AAD = 0.345 log units. Thus, the 91-compound equation can now be used to predict further EIT values to around 0.4 log units. It is suggested that the mechanism of action in the Draize test and in the human EIT involves passive transfer of the compound to a biophase that is quite polar, is a strong hydrogen bond base, a moderate hydrogen bond acid, and quite hydrophobic. The biophase does not resemble water or plasma, but resembles an organic solvent such as N-methylformamide.     

Concomitant cardiac and hepatic hemangiomas

Primary tumors of the heart are rare with a reported incidence of about 0.002% to 0.3% at autopsy. A cardiac hemangioma is a form of benign primary cardiac tumor that often presents with atypical clinical symptoms. Hemangiomas are generally isolated lesions. Here, we report a patient with previous hepatic hemangioma who later was found to have a large coexistent cardiac hemangioma presenting with cardiac compressive symptoms.     

Synthesis and evaluation of monoclonal antibody against Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface antigen 2

ObjectiveTo assess the quality of expressed MSP-2 and also to confirm the immune response against different domains of these proteins.MethodsMice were immunized with a schizont extract to stimulate the immune system to make antibodies against different antigens of the late stage parasite including production of antibodies against different domains of Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) MSP-2. B lymphocytes of immunized mice were extracted from the spleen and the fusion was performed using NS-1 myeloma cells and the hybridoma cells were assayed by ELISA either with a schizont extract or different domains of MSP-2 and/or by IFAT with whole schizont preparation. Fusion of NS-1 and spleen cells was performed. The positive hybrids were cloned and ELISA was applied against different dilutions. The positive clones were transferred to a small tissue culture flask and after developing they were assayed against schizont extract and the different MSP-2 domains. The positive clones were expanded to large (75 cm²) flask and cultured under the same conditions, checking them using both ELISA and IFAT and the positive cells were frozen as soon as possible.ResultsA total number of 7 fusions including 26 plates (2 496 wells) were performed, of which 1 336 hybrids were produced and the overall efficiency (1 336/2496 × 100) was about 53%. ELISA was performed to detect the positive hybrids against crude schizont extract by which the highest frequency to crude schizont extract was found for the supernatant of the hybrids produced in fusion number 3 (66 out of 315 hybrids). The supernatant of both B5 and F1 hybridoma cells were more positive against domain 2 of the MSP-2 recombinant protein in Western blotting test. Western blotting results also showed that different domains of the MSP-2 recombinant protein and also the MSP-2 of the P. falciparum parasite were recognized by some of the positive clones and also immune sera.ConclusionsBringing together all the results of this study it has been confirmed that some clones have recognized both schizont extract and different domains of the MSP-2 recombinant protein and therefore confirming the quality of the MSP-2 domains.     

High Prevalence of AmpC β-Lactamases in Clinical Isolates of Escherichia coli in Ilam,Iran

Objectives

Widespread use of β-lactam antibiotics could cause resistance to this group of antibiotics in pathogenic bacteria through the production of the enzyme β-lactamases. The aim of this study is to determine the molecular detection of AmpC β-lactamases among clinical Escherichia coli isolated from Ilam hospitals in Ilam, Iran.

Methods

One hundred and twelve clinical isolates of E. coli were collected from hospitalized patients and were identified by biochemical tests. They were evaluated for extended spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) production, and the positive strains were subjected to AmpC enzymes; for detection of AmpC cluster genes, multiplex polymerase chain reaction was applied.

Results

The analysis showed 62.5% of isolates were ESBLs positive and that five strains revealed the AmpC cluster genes. This is the first report of FOXM cluster genes in E. coli in Iran.

Conclusion

Based on our results, the prevalence of AmpC β-lactamases is increasing in Iran, which caused failure in antibiotic therapy. So, the current study recommended the revision of antibiotic policy in Iranian hospitals.     

Ultrasound Modulates the Splenic Neuroimmune Axis in Attenuating AKI

We showed previously that prior exposure to a modified ultrasound regimen prevents kidney ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) likely via the splenic cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway (CAP) and α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7nAChR). However, it is unclear how ultrasound stimulates the splenic CAP. Further investigating the role of the spleen in ischemic injury, we found that prior splenectomy (–7d) or chemical sympathectomy of the spleen with 6-hydroxydopamine (6OHDA; –14d) exacerbated injury after subthreshold (24-minute ischemia) IRI. 6-OHDA–induced splenic denervation also prevented ultrasound-induced protection of kidneys from moderate (26-minute ischemia) IRI. Ultrasound-induced protection required hematopoietic but not parenchymal α7nAChRs, as shown by experiments in bone marrow chimeras generated with wild-type and α7nAChR^–/– mice. Ultrasound protection was associated with reduced expression of circulating and kidney-derived cytokines. However, splenocytes isolated from mice 24 hours after ultrasound treatment released more IL-6 ex vivo in response to LPS than splenocytes from sham mice. Adoptive transfer of splenocytes from ultrasound-treated (but not sham) mice to naïve mice was sufficient to protect kidneys of recipient mice from IRI. Ultrasound treatment 24 hours before cecal ligation puncture–induced sepsis was effective in reducing plasma creatinine in this model of AKI. Thus, splenocytes of ultrasound-treated mice are capable of modulating IRI in vivo, supporting our ongoing hypothesis that a modified ultrasound regimen has therapeutic potential for AKI and other inflammatory conditions.