Cervical gland area: a new sonographic marker in predicting preterm delivery

Purpose  

Preterm delivery is one of the important causes of morbidity and mortality in newborns. Nowadays, a new sonographic marker is suggested for prediction of preterm delivery which is termed “Cervical Gland Area” (CGA). Absence of normal mucosal glands of the cervix can be utilized as a predictor in preterm delivery. This study was performed to evaluate the role of absence of CGA for the prediction of preterm delivery <37 weeks.     

Dalteparin in the management of recent onset central retinal vein occlusion: a comparison with acetylsalicylic acid

BACKGROUND: The present study assessed the therapeutic effects of dalteparin in patients who had recent onset central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) as compared with those of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA). METHODS: Patients with recent onset of CRVO were randomly assigned to receive dalteparin subcutaneously every day for 20 days or ASA daily for the same period. Complete ophthalmic examinations were conducted at baseline and at each follow-up interval: 1 week and 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 months later. Best-corrected visual acuity was assessed by an investigator blind to the treatment group. RESULTS: The mean 6-month change in logMAR visual acuity for dalteparin-treated patients was an increase of 5.5 letters (Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study chart) (-0.11 [SD 0.71] logMAR) and for ASA-treated patients was a decrease of 14 letters (+0.28 [SD 0.79] logMAR), representing a significant difference between the 2 groups (p = 0.016). One patient in the dalteparin group and 14 in the ASA group showed iris neovascularization (NVI) (2.1% vs. 30.4%, p = 0.0001). INTERPRETATION: Dalteparin was found to be superior to ASA in terms of improving visual acuity and preventing NVI over the first 6 months of treatment. Similar studies are recommended of other newer types of anticoagulants, especially those that could be used orally.     

Effects of hydralazine on the pulmonary vasculature and respiratory control in humans

This study sought: (1) to clarify the effects of hydralazine on both the pulmonary vasculature and respiratory control in euoxia and hypoxia in healthy humans; and (2) to determine whether hydralazine alters the expression of genes regulated by hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1). Ten volunteers participated in two 2 day protocols. Hydralazine (25 mg) or placebo was administered at 1 pm and 11 pm on the first day, and at 1 pm on the second day. In the mornings and afternoons of both days, we measured plasma vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and erythropoietin (EPO) concentrations (both HIF-1-regulated gene products), systemic arterial blood pressure, and changes in heart rate, cardiac output, maximal systolic pressure difference across the tricuspid valve (delta Pmax) and ventilation in response to 20 min of isocapnic hypoxia. Recent hydralazine: (1) decreased diastolic blood pressure; (2) increased heart rate and cardiac output in euoxia and hypoxia whilst having no effect on delta Pmax; and (3) increased the ventilatory sensitivity to hypoxia. Hydralazine had no effect on plasma EPO or VEGF concentration. We conclude that hydralazine increases the sensitivity of the ventilatory response to hypoxia, but lacks any effect on the pulmonary vasculature at the dose studied. It did not affect the expression of HIF-1-regulated genes.     

Repurposing new drug candidates and identifying crucial molecules underlying PCOS Pathogenesis Based On Bioinformatics Analysis

BackgroundsPolycystic ovary syndrome affects 7% of women of reproductive ages. Poor-quality oocytes, along with lower cleavage and implantation rates, reduce fertilization.ObjectiveThis study aimed to determine crucial molecular mechanisms behind PCOS pathogenesis and repurpose new drug candidates interacting with them. To predict a more in-depth insight, we applied a novel bioinformatics approach to analyze interactions between the drug-related and PCOS proteins in PCOS patients.MethodsThe newest proteomics data was retrieved from 16 proteomics datasets and was used to construct the PCOS PPI network using Cytoscape. The topological network analysis determined hubs and bottlenecks. The MCODE Plugin was used to identify highly connected regions, and the associations between PCOS clusters and drug-related proteins were evaluated using the Chi-squared/Fisher''s exact test. The crucial PPI hub-bottlenecks and the shared molecules (between the PCOS clusters and drug-related proteins) were then investigated for their drug-protein interactions with previously US FDA-approved drugs to predict new drug candidates.ResultsThe PI3K/AKT pathway was significantly related to one PCOS subnetwork and most drugs (metformin, letrozole, pioglitazone, and spironolactone); moreover, VEGF, EGF, TGFB1, AGT, AMBP, and RBP4 were identified as the shared proteins between the PCOS subnetwork and the drugs. The shared top biochemical pathways between another PCOS subnetwork and rosiglitazone included metabolic pathways, carbon metabolism, and citrate cycle, while the shared proteins included HSPB1, HSPD1, ACO2, TALDO1, VDAC1, and MDH2. We proposed some new candidate medicines for further PCOS treatment investigations, such as copper and zinc compounds, reteplase, alteplase, gliclazide, Etc.ConclusionSome of the crucial molecules suggested by our model have already been experimentally reported as critical molecules in PCOS pathogenesis. Moreover, some repurposed medications have already shown beneficial effects on infertility treatment. These previous experimental reports confirm our suggestion for investigating our other repurposed drugs (in vitro and in vivo).Graphical abstract Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40199-021-00413-9.     

HER2/neu expression in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients is not significantly elevated

Background: HER2/neu, a member of EGFR family, is over expressed in some tumors .The purpose of thisstudy was to determine the salivary level and tissue expression of HER2/neu in patients with head and necksquamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and any correlation with clinicopathologic parameters. Methods: An enzymelinkedimmunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to evaluate the salivary level and immunohistochemistry (IHC) toassess tissue expression of HER2/neu in 28 patients with HNSCC and 25 healthy controls. Results: The salivarylevels of HER2/neu in HNSCC patients was not significantly higher than in the healthy controls (p>0.005). Therewas no apparent correlation in salivary HER2/neu level with clinicopathological features such as age, sex, grade,tumor size and nodal status. All HNSCC specimens were positive (membranous or/and cytoplasmic) for HER2/neu, except one sample. Only one HNSCC specimen was stained in cytoplasm purely. All control specimens weremembranous and cytoplasmic positive for HER2/neu. There was a significant difference between cytoplasmicstaining in case and control groups (p-value<0.05). Conclusion: In our cases, no overexpression of HER2/neuwas observed. Thus, our findings suggested that the use of Her-2 as a salivary marker of HNSCC cannot berecommended.     

Growth, motor, and social development in breast- and formula-fed infants of metformin-treated women with polycystic ovary syndrome

OBJECTIVES: To test the hypothesis that metformin during lactation versus formula feeding would have no adverse effects on infants' growth, motor-social development, or intercurrent illness. STUDY DESIGN: Growth, motor-social development, and illness requiring a pediatrician visit were assessed in 61 nursing infants (21 male, 40 female) and 50 formula-fed infants (19 male, 31 female) born to 92 mothers with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) taking a median of 2.55 g metformin per day throughout pregnancy and lactation. RESULTS: Within sex, at 3 and 6 months of age, weight, height, and motor-social development did not differ (p > or = .06) between breast- and formula-fed infants. No infants had retardation of growth, motor, or social development. Intercurrent illnesses did not differ. CONCLUSIONS: Metformin during lactation appears to be safe and effective in the first 6 months of infancy.     

Pustular psoriasis induced by infliximab

Pustular psoriasis is an uncommon variant of psoriasis characterized by widespread pustules on an erythematous background. Recent reports document the efficacy of immunobiologic agents such as infliximab in the treatment of pustular psoriasis. We present a patient that developed cutaneous and pathologic changes consistent with pustular psoriasis while receiving treatment with infliximab for chronic ulcerative colitis. More long-term studies need to be conducted in order to fully understand this paradoxical reaction as well as the mechanism of action and side effect profiles of infliximab and other immunobiologic agents.     

Wnt-5a and G-protein signaling are required for collagen-induced DDR1 receptor activation and normal mammary cell adhesion

The collagen-induced phosphorylation of discoidin domain receptor 1 (DDR1) in Wnt-5a-expressing HB2 mammary cells was effectively inhibited by pertussis toxin, but not by cholera toxin or antibodies blocking beta(1) integrins. Moreover, pertussis toxin reduced adhesion of the cells to collagen by approximately 50%, and antibodies against beta(1) integrins had a similar effect that was in fact additive to that of pertussis toxin. Cholera toxin had accordingly no such effect on adhesion. By comparison, pertussis toxin did not influence adhesion of Wnt-5a-antisense HB2 cells or MCF-7 mammary tumor cells, neither of which express Wnt-5a or exhibit activation of DDR1. In accordance with these results, direct mastoparan-induced activation of G-proteins in Wnt-5a-deficient MCF-7 cells enabled collagen-induced phosphorylation of DDR1 and enhanced their adhesion. The inactive analogue mastoparan-17 had no such effects on MCF-7 cells nor did active mastoparan affect adhesion of Wnt-5a-expressing HB2 cells. A possible explanation for how DDR1, a receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK), potentiates mammary cell adhesion comes from our observations that pertussis toxin also inhibited the recruitment of the cytoskeletal regulator phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) to DDR1 as well as its phosphorylation/activation. In accordance with that, the PI3K inhibitor wortmannin significantly impaired adhesion of normal Wnt-5a-expressing HB2 cells but had little effect on adhesion of Wnt-5a-antisense HB2 cells. Thus, a G(i/o)-protein signaling pathway mediates the effect of Wnt-5a expression by enabling collagen-induced activation of DDR1, which, in parallel with beta(1) integrins, regulates adhesion of mammary cells.     

Gene polymorphisms of Interleukin-4 in allergic rhinitis and its association with clinical phenotypes

Background

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is an inflammatory disorder of the upper airway. T-helper (Th)2 cytokines seems to have major roles behind the scene of unpleasant symptoms resulted from AR. Expression of interleukin (IL)-4 and its receptor could be affected by single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). This study assessed the effect of 4 genetic variants within genes of IL-4 and IL-4R in AR.

Methods

Allele frequencies of one IL-4R variant (rs1801275) and three SNPs of IL-4 (rs2243248, rs2243250, and rs2070874) were investigated in 98 patients with AR, compared to a group of controls, using PCR sequence-specific-primers (PCR-SSP) method.

Results

Homozygosity for the C allele of rs2243250 in IL-4 was significantly overrepresented in the patient group. CC genotype in rs2070874 significantly was correlated with AR. GG/CC/CC and TT/TT/TT (rs2243248, rs2243250, and rs2070874) haplotypes in the IL-4 gene had a significant negative correlation with AR.

Conclusion

SNPs in IL-4 are associated with AR and could change the clinical picture of the disease in patients.     

Prevalence of needlestick and sharps injuries in the healthcare workers of Iranian hospitals: an updated meta-analysis

Background

Needlestick and sharps injuries (NSIs) are critical occupational risk among health care workers (HCWs), which is extremely worrying due to the potential risk of transmitting bloodborn pathogens (BBPs). This study was carried out to evaluate the prevalence of NSIs among Iranian HCWs.

Methods

In this systematic review and meta-analysis, the key terms percu* injur*, needle* stick injur*, needlestick* injur*, or sharp* injur* were searched in the Scientific Information Database (SID), MagIran, IranMedex, Google Scholar, Science Direct, PubMed, and Scopus. A prefabricated checklist, including variables: first author, publication year, study population, sample size, gender, total prevalence of needlestick in each gender, type of questionnaire, region, and type of hospitals, was used to extract data from the selected articles included which were published between 2003 and 2016.

Results

The analysis showed that the prevalence of NSIs in the Iranian HCWs was 42.5% (95% CI 37–48). Moreover, the prevalence of NSIs was more in women (47%; 95% CI 36–58) compared to men (42%; 95% CI 26–58).

Conclusion

Given the high prevalence of NSIs, it is necessary to supply safe needles and instruments, hold training programs focused on new methods of using sharp objects safely, observe safety principles and standards, reinforce the practical skills of personnel, and pay more attention to reporting and improving occupational behaviors like avoiding needle recapping in order to reduce the prevalence of NSIs and consequently reduce potential risk of transmission of BBPs.