Malaria in Mazandaran,Northern Iran: Passive Case Finding During 1997-2012

Background

Malaria is one of the most important parasitic diseases in tropical and temperate regions. The aim of this study was to determine the trend of malaria in Mazandaran Province, northern Iran during 1997-2012.

Methods

This retrospective study was conducted from 1997 to 2012. The population''s study was individuals who registered at health centers of Mazandaran Province. Peripheral blood smear were prepared for each case, stained with Giemsa and examined by light microscope. In addition to demographic data, other parameters including Slide Positive Rate (SPR), Annual Parasite Incidence (API) and Annual Blood Examination Rate (ABER) were analyzed.

Results

In total, 844 cases of malaria were reported. Plasmodium vivax was predominant species with 821 cases (97.4%). The number of malaria cases increased from 1997 to 2005 and then decreased to 3 cases in 2011. Some cities had not reported any cases during last three years. The highest infection rate, 163(20.07%), was seen in 2001-02. The SPR had the highest value (0.54%) in 2004-05. The maximum API and ABER were observed in 2001-02 and 1997-98. 641(75.9%) of cases were imported from hyperendemic areas such as Afghanistan and South-eastern Iran and 94 (11.1%) malaria patients were recorded as introduced cases. The highest infection rate of malaria (21.3%) was seen in Babolsar.

Conclusion

Extensive malaria control should be continued to Mazandaran to become malaria-free region and in prevention of re-introduction stage.     

Synthesized MR images: comparison with acquired images

Synthesized and directly acquired spin-echo images were compared in order to assess the validity of magnetic resonance (MR) image synthesis as a method enabling retrospective formation of images by interactive manipulation of scan parameters. Synthetic images subjectively compared favorably in both accuracy and precision with acquired images when formed for the same values of echo (TE) and repetition times (TR) and for interpolated and extrapolated values of both TE and TR. Plots of synthetic and acquired signals within the same pixel sectors quantitatively showed comparable values for several regions of interest in the brain. Percent error and noise-normalized differences between acquired and synthetic images were tested as a quantitative measure of accuracy. Percent error was consistently less than 5% for brain parenchyma, and synthetic signals were accurate to within four times the noise level at acquisition. The apparent signal-to-noise ratio of synthetic images was comparable, superior, or inferior to similar acquired images, depending on the values of TE and TR. Total acquisition time required for synthetic formation of images for arbitrary values of TE and TR was equivalent to that of a single direct acquisition with a TR of 2,500 msec.     

Changes in body temperature and urinary cortisol after routine immunization in babies with intrauterine growth retardation

Aim : To investigate whether infants with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) experience different changes in temperature and cortisol excretion after routine immunization compared with normal healthy infants. Methods : Overnight deep body temperature and urinary cortisol to creatinine ratios were measured on the night after immunization and a control night in normal and IUGR infants. Results : In 60 normal infants, first vaccination at about 10 wk of age led to a significant increase in minumum overnight temperature compared to the control night, mean rise 0.25°C (95% CI, 0.12 to 0.38). In 35 IUGR infants the mean rise in temperature between immunization night and control night was 0.35°C (95% CI, 0.15 to 0.55). The increases in minimum temperature did not differ significantly between the normal and IUGR infants ( p = 0.11). Cortisol to creatinine ratios measured from overnight urine samples showed that 23 IUGR infants had consistently higher levels than 39 normal infants; control night medians 34 and 15 ( p = 0.01) and immunization night medians 56 and 26 ( p= 0.02), respectively. However, the percentage increase did not differ significantly between the IUGR infants and the normal infants. A smaller number of second immunizations were studied, but no significant differences were found.

Conclusion : These results suggest that although the impact of immunization is the same for IUGR and normal infants, because IUGR infants are less mature and at greater stress before immunization, the absolute levels that they experience after immunization are higher than those for normal infants.     

Verletzungsmuster und -ursachen in modernen Kriegen

Epidemiological analyses of injury patterns and mechanisms help to identify the expertise military surgeons need in a combat setting and accordingly help to adjust infrastructure and training requirements. Therefore, a MEDLINE search (1949–2009), World Wide Web search (keywords “combat, casualties, war, military, wounded and neurosurgery”) and an analysis of deaths among allied war casualties in Afghanistan and Iraq were performed. Up to 10th December 2009 there had been 4,688 allied military deaths in Iraq and 1,538 in Afghanistan. Of these 22% died in non-hostile action, 33% in direct combat situations and the majority of 45% in indirect combat actions. The leading causes of injury were explosive devices (70%) and gunshot wounds. Chest or abdominal injuries (40%) and traumatic brain injuries (35%) were the main causes of death for soldiers killed in action. The case fatality rate in Iraq is approximately half that of the Vietnam War, whereas the killed-in-action rate in Afghanistan (18.7%) is similar to the Vietnam War (20%); however, the amputation rate is twice as high in modern conflicts. Approximately 8–15% of the fatal injuries seem to be potentially survivable. Military surgeons must have an excellent expertise in a wide variety of surgical specialties. Life saving emergency care, especially in the fields of thoracic, visceral and vascular surgery as well as practical skills in the fields of neurosurgery and oral and maxillofacial surgery are required. Additionally, it is of vital importance to ensure the availability of sufficient tactical and strategic medical evacuation capabilities for the wounded.     

Persistence of CCR5 usage among primary human immunodeficiency virus isolates of individuals receiving intermittent interleukin‐2

Objective

To investigate the impact of intermittent interleukin‐2 (IL‐2) plus combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) on HIV‐1 entry co‐receptor use.

Methods

Primary HIV‐1 isolates were obtained from 54 HIV‐1‐positive individuals at baseline and after 12 months using co‐cultivation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) with activated PBMC of HIV‐negative healthy donors. HIV‐1 co‐receptor use was determined on U87‐CD4 cells.

Results

Fourteen out of the 21 (67%) IL‐2‐treated individuals harbouring a primary CCR5‐dependent (R5) HIV‐1 isolate at baseline confirmed an R5 virus isolation after 12 months in contrast to 3 out of 7 (43%) of those receiving cART only. After 12 months, only 1 R5X4 HIV‐1 isolate was obtained from 21 cART+IL‐2‐treated individuals infected with an R5 virus at entry (5%) vs. 2/7 (29%) patients receiving cART alone, as confirmed by a 5‐year follow‐up on some individuals.

Conclusions

Intermittent IL‐2 administration plus cART may prevent evolution towards CXCR4 usage in individuals infected with R5 HIV‐1.

     

实验动物皮肤病原真菌检测方法的改良

目的对实验动物皮肤病原真菌2种培养方法进行了比较。方法将采集到的3只皮肤真菌感染病兔样品经由沙氏平皿法和沙氏试管斜面培养法分别进行培养。结果在3只真菌感染病兔中应用试管斜面法我们只检测到1例皮肤病原真菌阳性,而采用沙氏平皿法3例阳性全部检出。结论结合临床检测经验,我们认为本研究的沙氏平皿法优于沙氏试管斜面法,在实验动物皮肤病原真菌常规检测中具有推广应用价值。     

Clinical Impact of Tumour Involvement of the Anastomotic Doughnut in Oesophagogastric Cancer Surgery

INTRODUCTION

Published colorectal cancer surgery data suggest no role for the analysis of the anastomotic doughnuts following anterior resection. The usefulness of routine histological analysis of the upper gastrointestinal doughnut is not clear. Our study assessed the impact of cancer involvement of the doughnut on clinical practice. Factors associated with doughnut involvement and the effect on patients'' survival were also analysed.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The clinicopathological details of 462 patients who underwent potentially curative oesophagogastrectomy for cancer with a stapled anastomosis between 1994 and 2006 in two specialist centres were retrospectively analysed. Univariate, multivariate and survival analyses were carried out.

RESULTS

Approximately 5% of doughnuts (22 of 462) were histologically involved with cancer. Microscopic involvement of the proximal resection margin, local lymph node metastasis and lymphatic invasion within the main resected specimen were independently associated with doughnut involvement (all P < 0.05). However, these three factors taken together failed to predict doughnut involvement. Doughnut involvement was an independent adverse prognostic factor for overall survival (P = 0.0013).

CONCLUSIONS

In contrast to findings in colorectal surgery, doughnut involvement with cancer appears to have useful prognostic information following oesophagogastrectomy. Routine histological analysis of upper gastrointestinal doughnuts is justified. Doughnut involvement could potentially strengthen the indications for adjuvant therapy in the future.