Tuberculosis Disease Diagnosis Using Artificial Immune Recognition System

Background: There is a high risk of tuberculosis (TB) disease diagnosis among conventional methods.Objectives:This study is aimed at diagnosing TB using hybrid machine learning approaches.Materials and Methods: Patient epicrisis reports obtained from the Pasteur Laboratory in the north of Iran were used. All 175 samples have twenty features. The features are classified based on incorporating a fuzzy logic controller and artificial immune recognition system. The features are normalized through a fuzzy rule based on a labeling system. The labeled features are categorized into normal and tuberculosis classes using the Artificial Immune Recognition Algorithm.Results:Overall, the highest classification accuracy reached was for the 0.8 learning rate (α) values. The artificial immune recognition system (AIRS) classification approaches using fuzzy logic also yielded better diagnosis results in terms of detection accuracy compared to other empirical methods. Classification accuracy was 99.14%, sensitivity 87.00%, and specificity 86.12%.     

The effect of regular exercise on antioxidant enzyme activities and lipid peroxidation levels in both hippocampi after occluding one carotid in rat

Regular exercise has beneficial effects on cerebrovascular diseases; however, its biochemical mechanisms are not fully known. The purpose of this study was to determine antioxidant enzyme activities and lipid peroxidation of both hippocampi after applying exercise followed by occluding one common carotid. Wistar rats were divided into four groups of control, exercise, hypoperfusion and exercise–hypoperfusion (exe-hypo). In the exercise and exe-hypo groups, the rats were forced to run on a treadmill for 1 h a day for 2 months. The right common carotid of the animals in the (exe-hypo) group was occluded after the cessation of exercise. Surgery without occlusion of the carotid was applied on the control (without exercise) and exercise groups. All animals were sacrificed 1 and 24 h after surgery. The levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and antioxidant enzyme activities in the hippocampi were measured. A significant interaction was observed between the exercise and hypoperfusion in both hippocampi (p < 0.05). In comparison with the control group, there was significant elevation of catalase activity in the right and left hippocampus of the hypo group at 24 h (p < 0.0001). Regarding the differences between the hemispheres, there was a significant increase in MDA and decrease in catalase activity in the left hippocampus in hypoperfusion group, but the exercise in the exe-hypo group succeeded in abolishing these alterations which were caused by hypoperfusion, This study shows that exercise pre-conditioning prevents some alterations in brain oxidant–antioxidant status which are induced by cerebral hypoperfusion. Further studies are needed in order to clarify the mechanism of exercise.     

Tissue engineering applications in breast cancer

Abstract

In Iran, breast cancer (BC) is the most prevalent cancer among women. The standard treatment for this cancer is partial or total removal of breast tissue, followed by chemotherapy and radiation. Tissue engineering (TE) has made new treatments for tissue loss in these patients by creating functional substitutes in the laboratory. In addition, cancer biology combined with TE provides a new strategy for evaluation of anti-BC therapy. Several innovations in TE have led to the design of scaffold or matrix based culture systems that more closely mimic the native extracellular matrix (ECM). Currently, engineered three-dimensional (3D) cultures are being developed for modelling of the tumour microenvironment. These 3D cultures fulfil the need for in vitro approaches that allow an accurate study of the molecular mechanisms and a better analysis of the drugs effect. In the present study, we review recent developments in utilising of TE in BC. Moreover, this review describes achievements of Iranian researchers in the field of breast TE.     

Reinfection risk of novel coronavirus (COVID-19): A systematic ‎review of current evidence

BACKGROUNDThere is recently a concern regarding the reinfection and reactivation of previously reCoVered coronavirus disease 2019 (CoVID-19) patients.AIMTo summarize the recent findings and reports of CoVID-19 reinfection in patients previously reCoVered from the disease.METHODSThis study was a systematic review of current evidence conducted in August 2020. The authors studied the probable reinfection risk of novel coronavirus (CoVID-19). We performed a systematic search using the keywords in online databases. The investigation adheres to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist to ensure the reliability and validity of this study and results.RESULTSWe reviewed 31 studies. Eight studies described reCoVered patients with reinfection. Only one study reported reinfected patients who died. In 26 studies, there was no information about the status of the patients. Several studies indicated that reinfection is not probable and that post-infection immunity is at least temporary and short.CONCLUSIONBased on our review, we concluded that a positive polymerase chain reaction retest could be due to several reasons and should not always be considered as reinfection or reactivation of the disease. Most relevant studies in positive retest patients have shown relative and probably temporary immunity after the reCoVery of the disease.     

Human induced pluripotent stem cells can reach complete terminal maturation: in vivo and in vitro evidence in the erythropoietic differentiation model

Background

Human induced pluripotent stem cells offer perspectives for cell therapy and research models for diseases. We applied this approach to the normal and pathological erythroid differentiation model by establishing induced pluripotent stem cells from normal and homozygous sickle cell disease donors.

Design and Methods

We addressed the question as to whether these cells can reach complete erythroid terminal maturation notably with a complete switch from fetal to adult hemoglobin. Sickle cell disease induced pluripotent stem cells were differentiated in vitro into red blood cells and characterized for their terminal maturation in terms of hemoglobin content, oxygen transport capacity, deformability, sickling and adherence. Nucleated erythroblast populations generated from normal and pathological induced pluripotent stem cells were then injected into non-obese diabetic severe combined immunodeficiency mice to follow the in vivo hemoglobin maturation.

Results

We observed that in vitro erythroid differentiation results in predominance of fetal hemoglobin which rescues the functionality of red blood cells in the pathological model of sickle cell disease. We observed, in vivo, the switch from fetal to adult hemoglobin after infusion of nucleated erythroid precursors derived from either normal or pathological induced pluripotent stem cells into mice.

Conclusions

These results demonstrate that human induced pluripotent stem cells: i) can achieve complete terminal erythroid maturation, in vitro in terms of nucleus expulsion and in vivo in terms of hemoglobin maturation; and ii) open the way to generation of functionally corrected red blood cells from sickle cell disease induced pluripotent stem cells, without any genetic modification or drug treatment.Key words: human induced pluripotent stem cells, terminal maturation, erythropoietic differentiation     

Safety and Efficacy of Video Laparoscopic Surgical Debulking of Recurrent Ovarian,Fallopian Tube,and Primary Peritoneal Cancers

Background and Objective:

Studies on the role of laparoscopy in secondary or tertiary cytoreduction for recurrent ovarian cancer are limited. Our objective is to describe our preliminary experience with laparoscopic secondary/tertiary cytoreduction in patients with recurrent ovarian, fallopian, and primary peritoneal cancers.

Methods:

This is a retrospective analysis of a prospective case series. Women with recurrent ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancers deemed appropriate candidates for laparoscopic debulking by the primary surgeon(s) were recruited. The patients underwent exploratory video laparoscopy, biopsy, and laparoscopic secondary/tertiary cytoreduction between June 1999 and October 2009. Variables analyzed include stage, site of disease, extent of cytoreduction, operative time, blood loss, length of hospital stay, complications, and survival time.

Results:

Twenty-three patients were recruited. Only one surgery involved conversion to laparotomy. Seventeen (77.3%) of the patients had stage IIIC disease at the time of their initial diagnosis, and 20 (90.9%) had laparotomy for primary debulking. Median blood loss was 75 mL, median operative time 200 min, and median hospital stay 2 d. No intraoperative complications occurred. One patient (4.5%) had postoperative ileus. Eighteen (81.8%) of the patients with recurrent disease were optimally cytoreduced to < 1cm. Overall, 12 patients have no evidence of disease (NED), 6 are alive with disease (AWD), and 4 have died of disease (DOD), over a median follow-up of 14 mo. Median disease-free survival was 71.9 mo.

Conclusions:

In a well-selected population, laparoscopy is technically feasible and can be utilized to optimally cytoreduce patients with recurrent ovarian, fallopian, or primary peritoneal cancers.