Post‐COVID‐19 maxillary osteonecrosis and floating maxillary teeth due to mucormycosis in two uncontrolled diabetic patients

Mucormycosis is a rare, invasive, quickly progressing fungal infection that generally affects patients who are immunocompromised. If left untreated, the disease is characterized by progressive necrosis and is often fatal. We present two cases of post‐COVID‐19 mucormycosis with a history of several years of uncontrolled diabetic mellitus.     

Structural characterization of the tobramycin-piperacillin reaction product formed at pH 6.0

Tobramycin is an aminoglycoside antibiotic that loses a significant amount of activity in the presence of Zosyn at pH 6. As part of our investigation into ways to improve the compatibility of tobramycin with Zosyn (which contains piperacillin and tazobactam in an 8:1 ratio buffered at pH 6 by sodium citrate) by lowering the pH, we identified the reaction product of tobramycin and piperacillin at pH 6.0 and the order of the pK(a) values of tobramycin. The structure of the main reaction product of tobramycin and piperacillin at pH 6.0 was determined by 2D NMR to be the product of 3″-NH(2) reacting with the β-lactam of piperacillin. The order of the pK(a) values of the nitrogens of tobramycin was determined by (1)H and (15)N NMR titrations to be 6'-NH(2)>2'-NH(2)>1-NH(2)≈3″-NH(2)>3-NH(2). At pH 4.0, the reaction between tobramycin and Zosyn was almost negligible for a period of up to 2?h. The pH can be lowered by adding an acid such as HCl or citric acid to Zosyn to make a pH 4.0 buffer.     

Effects of Permethrin on Biomarkers in Mediterranean Clams (Ruditapes decussatus)

The present study was focused on the assessment of Catalase (CAT) and Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities in Mediterranean clams (Ruditapes decussatus) exposed to 50, 100 and 150 μg/L of Permethrin for 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 days. In water, the measured concentrations of Permethrin in the treated aquariums were respectively 16.66, 38.24 and 55.61 μg/L. Results showed that CAT activity was increased after 5 days of exposure to high concentration reaching maximum value of 10.14 μmol/min/mg proteins after 25 days. However, no significant changes in AChE activity after 5 days of exposure were detected in all treated groups. AChE activity was significantly inhibited after 10 days with 100 and 150 μg/L and still depending on concentration and time. Maximum inhibition of AChE activity was reached after 25 days with the highest concentration of Permethrin. Our data indicated that exposure to Permethrin modifies biomarker profiles inducing oxidative stress and reducing AChE activity in Mediterranean clams.     

活体异体结膜缘和羊膜移植治疗化学性眼外伤造成的角膜缘干细胞缺失(英文)

目的:评价利用活体异体结膜缘和羊膜移植治疗化学性眼外伤造成的角膜缘干细胞缺失的临床效果。方法:从2005-07/2007-12,本研究包括了9名男性化学性眼外伤患者(10眼)。所有患者接受了亲属活体异体结膜缘和羊膜移植,2例眼接受了睑缝术。用环孢菌素和泼尼松龙进行全身性免疫抑制。结果:在3例眼中观察到完全角膜上皮化(30%),其中1例在术后1.5mo出现免疫排斥,角膜溶解引起穿孔,加大全身性免疫抑制剂量来控制病情。3例眼中植片无法在角膜表面重新形成上皮,被定为原发性失败。其余4眼有部分上皮形成,但上皮细胞无法完全覆盖角膜表面。术前最佳矫正视力从手动到1m处数指,术后最佳矫正视力从光感到20/80。有5眼视力得到改进,不需其他治疗。手术失败的主要原因为干眼症和持续性炎症。结论:对于能控制泪量和眼部炎症的病例,亲属活体异体角膜缘和羊膜移植是治疗化学性眼外伤造成的角膜缘干细胞缺失最佳方法之一。     

Validity and reliability of the multidimensional health locus of control scale for college students

Background  

The purpose of the present study was to assess the validity and reliability of Form A of Multidimensional Health Locus of Control scales in Iran. Health locus of control is one of the most widely measured parameters of health belief for the planning of health education programs.     

The role of neighborhood level socioeconomic characteristics in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Salmonella</Emphasis> infections in Michigan (1997–2007): Assessment using geographic information system

Background:  

The majority of U.S. disease surveillance systems contain incomplete information regarding socioeconomic status (SES) indicators like household or family income and educational attainment in case reports, which reduces the usefulness of surveillance data for these parameters. We investigated the association between select SES attributes at the neighborhood level and Salmonella infections in the three most populated counties in Michigan using a geographic information system.     

Prognostic value of chromosome 1 and 8 copy number in invasive ductal breast carcinoma among iranian women: An interphase FISH analysis

Breast cancer is amongst the leading causes of death in women worldwide and the most common cancer amongst Iranian women. Unfortunately, the current clinical and histological criteria can only help 60 percent of women with breast cancer in diagnosis and long-term treatment. Therefore, genetic markers both at single gene and chromosomal level can play an important role in improving the diagnosis and prognosis of breast cancer patients. The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the role of chromosome 1 and 8 copy number assessed by interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), as prognostic parameters in 50 Iranian women, aged 35 to 64 years, with sporadic invasive ductal breast carcinoma. Chromosome 1 and 8 copy numbers were evaluated in relation to established clinicopathological parameters, the immunohistochemical markers ER, PR, P53 and cathepsin D, DNA index by flow cytometry, age and survival status of the patients. FISH using centromeric probes for chromosomes 1 and 8 was applied to interphase cell suspensions prepared from archived, Carnoyfixed tumor cells and selected paraffin-embedded tumor sections. Aneusomy for chromosomes 1 and 8 was present in all 50 patients to different levels. The total abnormality rate for chromosome 1 was 33.92 percent (4.24 percent monosomy and 29.68 percent polysomy), whereas for chromosome 8 this rate was 28.30 percent (6.48 percent monosomy and 21.82 percent polysomy). Statistically significant association (p<0.05) was demonstrated between monosomy 1 and patients’ age below 50 years, and between monosomy 1 and poor survival, respectively. Disomy 8 was significantly associated with P53 expression. A borderline significant correlation was demonstrated between polysomy 8 and diploid DNA content, as well as between disomy 1 and disease-free status of the patients. Chromosome 1 and 8 copy numbers may be considered as useful prognostic markers in invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast.     

Modelling and multivariable control in anaesthesia using neural-fuzzy paradigms. Part I. Classification of depth of anaesthesia and development of a patient model

OBJECTIVE: The first part of this research relates to two strands: classification of depth of anaesthesia (DOA) and the modelling of patient's vital signs. METHODS AND MATERIAL: First, a fuzzy relational classifier was developed to classify a set of wavelet-extracted features from the auditory evoked potential (AEP) into different levels of DOA. Second, a hybrid patient model using Takagi-Sugeno Kang fuzzy models was developed. This model relates the heart rate, the systolic arterial pressure and the AEP features with the effect concentrations of the anaesthetic drug propofol and the analgesic drug remifentanil. The surgical stimulus effect was incorporated into the patient model using Mamdani fuzzy models. RESULTS: The result of this study is a comprehensive patient model which predicts the effects of the above two drugs on DOA while monitoring several vital patient's signs. CONCLUSION: This model will form the basis for the development of a multivariable closed-loop control algorithm which administers "optimally" the above two drugs simultaneously in the operating theatre during surgery.