Opium poisoning following self‐medication of radiation‐induced dermatitis with topical use of opium latex traditional extract; a teaching case

Despite Radiation‐induced dermatitis is a self‐limiting complication, it can be complicated if inappropriate self‐medications have been used such as opium latex traditional extract.     

Mucormycosis after scorpion sting: case report

Mucor is a fungus, which give rise to opportunistic infection in immunocompromised patients. We described a 55‐year‐old immunocompetent woman with cutaneous mucormycosis after scorpion sting. Mucormycosis may happen in patients with intact immunity and is not allocated only to patients with immune deficiency.     

Efficacy of clove powder solution on stress mitigation in juvenile common carps, Cyprinus carpio (Linnaeus)

Effects of clove powder solution on stress response were investigated in juvenile common carp. Juvenile common carp (about 10 g in weight), reared in 3 g/L salinity, were used in this study. Blood samples were collected before stress as pre-stress values. Thereafter, fish were exposed to crowding stress (density of 25 g/L over a 45-min period) with 0, 50, 200 and 300 mg/L clove powder. Experimental treatments were 0 mg/L clove powder (C0), 50 mg/L clove powder (C50), 200 mg/L clove powder (C200) and 300 mg/L clove powder (C300). After 45-min stress, blood samples were collected from all group in order to determine the effects of stress on blood cortisol, glucose, Na⁺ and Cl⁻ levels. Results showed that clove powder significantly prevented cortisol elevation after stress in C50, C200 and C300 compared to pre-stress values. But, glucose levels were significantly high after stress in all groups compared to pre-stress values. Na⁺ and Cl⁻ concentrations did not significantly change after stress in all groups. Results suggest that clove powder is capable of reducing cortisol elevation after stress in carp, particularly at concentrations of 300 mg/L. However, additional studies are needed to determine the effects of various clove powder concentrations on post-stress recovery period.     

Effect of anterior chamber air bubble on prevention of experimental Staphylococcus epidermidis endophthalmitis

Background  

Bacterial endophthalmitis is a serious complication of penetrating ocular trauma and cataract surgery. The purpose of this study is to assess the ability of an anterior chamber air bubble to prevent experimental Staphylococcus epidermidis endophthalmitis.     

Contrast-enhanced intravascular ultrasound: combining morphology with activity-based assessment of plaque vulnerability

Acute coronary syndromes are the result of coronary plaque rupture in the majority of cases. Available diagnostic techniques that focus on the early detection of plaques that are prone to rupture are still limited. Increased neovascularization in the vasa vasorum of the atherosclerotic plaque has been identified recently as a common feature of inflammation and plaque vulnerability. Microbubbles, which have been used for ultrasound imaging, can be used to trace neovascularization. We present recent advances in contrast agents and contrast-enhanced intravascular ultrasound that may be used for the detection of vasa vasorum, including fundamental and harmonic contrast imaging. Identification of vasa vasorum proliferation in atherosclerotic plaques presents important clinical implications; in particular it could provide a means to detect vulnerability in vivo, thereby guiding targeted treatments.     

Efficacy of Probiotics in Prevention and Treatment of Infectious Diseases

Deaths from infectious diseases and deep concerns about increases in microbial resistance make it necessary for scientists to develop innovative therapeutic solutions and complementary therapies. Growing evidence is available on the therapeutic effects of probiotics. There are also documents about the beneficial effects of probiotics, but it is difficult to draw a definitive conclusion regarding the results of these studies because of the small sample size, the limitations of the study methods, and the use of different strains of probiotic bacteria. This review study summarizes the articles available on the scientific and electronic databases Embase, Medline, and Scopus until the end of 2017, including case studies describing beneficial microbes as tools for improving the process of controlling infectious diseases. Until the development of novel vaccines or other approaches occurs, the use of probiotics seems to be a logical way to attempt to control certain infectious diseases.     

Assessment of the longitudinal and circumferential left ventricular function at rest and during exercise in healthy elderly individuals by tissue-Doppler echocardiography: relationship with heart rate

Tissue-Doppler echocardiography (TDE) has been introduced to quantify stress echocardiography by means of assessing the left ventricular (LV) segmental myocardial velocities and excursion. The interaction between LV long- and short-axis function during physical exercise has not been elucidated completely. The aim of the present study was to investigate long- and short-axis LV function, as assessed by myocardial velocities and excursions at rest and during exercise and its possible relationship with heart rate in healthy elderly individuals by TDE. Twenty-seven individuals underwent an exercise test in the supine position on a bicycle ergometer. The initial workload was 30 Watts, followed by 20-Watt increments every third minute. Standard echocardiographic images with super-imposed colour TDE were digitized at the end of each step. The following variables were studied in the LV long- and short-axis: myocardial peak systolic velocity (PSV) and excursion, isovolumic contraction and relaxation times, peak velocity at early diastole (E'-wave) and peak velocity at late diastole (A'-wave) and the E'/A' ratio. Increments in myocardial peak systolic velocity and excursion in the LV long-axis were more pronounced during low workloads. The increase in those variables in the short-axis occurred mainly at higher exercise loads. The improvement in LV long- and short-axis functions was closely related to the increase in the heart rate. Shortening of the isovolumic contraction and relaxation times occurred only at the initial stages of exercise. An increase in the long-axis E'/A' ratio occurred during exercise, whereas this ratio was unchanged in the short-axis. In conclusion, during exercise, the LV long- and short-axis functions behave differently, and increases in LV long- and short-axis functions are related to changes in heart rate. Therefore, in the interpretation of echocardiographic findings during exercise stress echocardiography, these facts have to be taken into account.     

Portal hemodynamics as predictors of high risk esophageal varices in cirrhotic patients

AIM： To evaluate portal hypertension parameters in liver cirrhosis patients with and without esophageal varices （EV）. METHODS： A cohort of patients with biopsy confirmed liver cirrhosis was investigated endoscopically and with color Doppler ultrasonography as a possible noninvasive predictive tool. The relationship between portal hemodynamics and the presence and size of EV was evaluated using uni- and multivariate approaches. RESULTS： Eighty five consecutive cirrhotic patients （43 men and 42 women） were enrolled. Mean age （± SD） was 47.5 （± 15.9）. Portal vein diameter （13.88 ± 2.42 vs 12.00 ± 1.69, P 〈 0.0005） and liver vascular index （8.31 ± 2.72 vs 17.8 ± 6.28, P 〈 0.0005） were found to be significantly higher in patients with EV irrespective of size and in patients with large varices （14.54 ± 1.48 vs 13.24 ± 2.55, P 〈 0.05 and 6.45 ± 2.78 v$10.96 ± 5.05, P 〈 0.0005, respectively）, while portal vein flow velocity （13.25 ± 3.66 vs 20.25 ± 5.05, P 〈 0.0005）, congestion index （CI） （0.11 ± 0.03 vs 0.06 ± 0.03, P 〈 0.0005）, portal hypertensive index （2.62 ± 0.79 vs 1.33 ± 0.53, P 〈 0.0005）, and hepatic （0.73 ± 0.07 vs 0.66 ± 0.07, P 〈 0.001） and splenic artery resistance index （R/） （0.73 ± 0.06 vs 0.62 ± 0.08, P 〈 0.0005） were significantly lower. A logistic regression model confirmed spleen size （P = 0.002, AUC 0.72） and portal hypertensive index （P = 0.040, AUC 0.79） as independent predictors for the occurrence of large esophageal varices （LEV）. CONCLUSION： Our data suggest two independent situations for beginning endoscopic evaluation of compensated cirrhotic patients： Portal hypertensive index 〉 2.08 and spleen size 〉 15.05 cm. These factors may help identifying patients with a low probability of LEV who may not need upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.