Genetic polymorphisms of HbE/beta thalassemia related to clinical presentation: implications for clinical diversity

Annals of Hematology - HbE/Beta thalassemia (HbE/β-thalassemia) is one of the common genetic disorders in South East Asia. It is heterogeneous in its clinical presentation and molecular...     

Multi-level basis selection of wavelet packet decomposition tree for heart sound classification

Wavelet packet transform decomposes a signal into a set of orthonormal bases (nodes) and provides opportunities to select an appropriate set of these bases for feature extraction. In this paper, multi-level basis selection (MLBS) is proposed to preserve the most informative bases of a wavelet packet decomposition tree through removing less informative bases by applying three exclusion criteria: frequency range, noise frequency, and energy threshold. MLBS achieved an accuracy of 97.56% for classifying normal heart sound, aortic stenosis, mitral regurgitation, and aortic regurgitation. MLBS is a promising basis selection to be suggested for signals with a small range of frequencies.     

Clinical associations between IL-17 family cytokines and periodontitis and potential differential roles for IL-17A and IL-17E in periodontal immunity

Objective

IL-17A is implicated in periodontitis pathogenesis. The roles of IL-17B–IL-17F and IL-17A/F are unknown. This study aimed to determine clinical associations between IL-17 family cytokines and periodontitis and to investigate the biological roles of IL-17A and IL-17E using in vitro model systems.

Materials and methods

Samples from 97 patients with periodontitis and 77 healthy volunteers were used in the study. Serum, saliva and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) levels of IL-17 family cytokines were measured by ELISA. Oral keratinocytes were stimulated with a P. gingivalis biofilm, or IL-17A, in the presence and absence of IL-17E and the expression of IL-8 and CXCL5 were investigated by ELISA and real-time-PCR. NF-κB phosphorylation in similar experiments was also measured using a cell-based ELISA.

Results

Serum, saliva and GCF IL-17A levels were higher in periodontitis patients and correlated positively with clinical parameters of attachment loss, pocket depth and bleeding on probing. Serum IL-17E levels were lower in periodontitis patients and the serum IL-17A:IL-17E ratio correlated positively with clinical parameters. In vitro, IL-17E inhibited Porphyromonas gingivalis and IL-17A induced expression of chemokines by reducing phosphorylation of the NF-κB p65 subunit.

Conclusions

Serum IL-17A:IL-17E may be a marker of disease severity. IL-17E may have opposing roles to IL-17A in periodontitis pathogenesis. IL-17E can negatively regulate IL-17A and periodontal pathogen induced expression of chemokines by oral keratinocytes.     

Demodicosis among university medical students in Malaysia and the effects of facial cleanser and moisturizer usage

Demodicosis is an infestation of the skin with Demodex, an ectoparasite commonly found on the face. A cross-sectional study was conducted to detect the presence of the ectoparasite and the outcome of facial cleanser and moisturizer usage on its infestation. Universal sampling was performed among 390 medical students, age 20-25 years old in the Klang Valley of Malaysia. The biodata of the participants and information on the use of facial cleanser and moisturizer were obtained through questionnaire. Skin samples were obtained using both skin scraping and cellophane tape method and were subsequently examined directly by microscopy. The results show an overall prevalence of 17.2%. Males (21.5%) were affected more often than females (12.8%) (p = 0.022). There were no significant differences in the prevalence of the ectoparasite among different ethnic groups, age-groups and the presence of existing facial problems among the subjects. A lower infestation rate (11.45%) was found to be associated with the use of a moisturizer (p = 0.033). Both species of ectoparasites that infest man, Demodexfolliculorum and D. brevis, were detected in this study either as single or mixed infestations.     

Irreversible delayed complete heart block secondary to jailed first septal perforator following PCI of the left anterior descending coronary artery

Permanent complete heart block (CHB) secondary to the loss of first septal perforator after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of the left descending artery (LAD) is an extremely rare complication. We describe a case report where a patient underwent PCI of proximal LAD, complicated by loss of first septal perforator, septal infarction, and bifasicular block, which progressed to symptomatic delayed CHB. One week later, the patient required implantation of a permanent pacemaker following failure to wean off the transvenous temporary pacing maker.