Epstein-Barr virus infection as a cause of cervical lymphadenopathy in children

Objective

Cervical lymphadenopathy is a common pediatric problem; reactive hyperplasia, specific infective agents, and malignancy are mainly the differential diagnosis. The aim of our study was to detect the prevalence of Epstein-Barr virus infection among children who complained of cervical lymphadenopathy and also to evaluate the clinical manifestations of the disease in pediatric patients.

Methods

One hundred and sixty children presented with cervical lymphadenopathy were subjected to Epestien-Barr Virus (EBV) serology testing. Cases that showed positivity to heterophile antibody test, and/or EBV-specific antibodies; IgM against viral capsid antigen (VCA-IgM) and IgG against viral capsid antigen (VCA-IgG) were evaluated clinically for manifestations of the disease.

Results

Twenty-four cases (15%) showed positivity to EBV serology, all of them had posterior cervical lymph nodes enlargement, 70.8% had fever, 66.6% had tonsillo-pharyngitis, 58.3% had splenomegaly, 25% had hepatomegaly, 41.6% had generalized lymphadenopathy, while skin rash was detected in 12.5%, and both palatal petechiae and palpebral edema were detected in 8.3%.

Conclusions

EBV infection is not a rare cause of cervical lymphadenopathy in children. Posterior cervical lymphadenopathy in pediatric age group may represent a password for suspicion of EBV infection, while other clinical manifestations of the disease may include hepato-splenomegaly, skin rash, palpebral edema and palatal petechiae.     

Predictors of Suicide and Suicide Attempt in Subway Stations: A Population-based Ecological Study

Suicidal behavior on the subway often involves young people and has a considerable impact on public life, but little is known about factors associated with suicides and suicide attempts in specific subway stations. Between 1979 and 2009, 185 suicides and 107 suicide attempts occurred on the subway in Vienna, Austria. Station-specific suicide and suicide attempt rates (defined as the frequency of suicidal incidents per time period) were modeled as the outcome variables in bivariate and multivariate Poisson regression models. Structural station characteristics (presence of a surveillance unit, train types used, and construction on street level versus other construction), contextual station characteristics (neighborhood to historical sites, size of the catchment area, and in operation during time period of extensive media reporting on subway suicides), and passenger-based characteristics (number of passengers getting on the trains per day, use as meeting point by drug users, and socioeconomic status of the population in the catchment area) were used as the explanatory variables. In the multivariate analyses, subway suicides increased when stations were served by the faster train type. Subway suicide attempts increased with the daily number of passengers getting on the trains and with the stations’ use as meeting points by drug users. The findings indicate that there are some differences between subway suicides and suicide attempts. Completed suicides seem to vary most with train type used. Suicide attempts seem to depend mostly on passenger-based characteristics, specifically on the station’s crowdedness and on its use as meeting point by drug users. Suicide-preventive interventions should concentrate on crowded stations and on stations frequented by risk groups.     

Cascade Synthesis of 1,4-Butanediol Monomesylate Glycoconjugates: Anticancer Candidates for Leukemia

Pharmaceutical Chemistry Journal - Acascade synthesis protocol for glycosides of 1,4-butanediol monomesylate, as anticancer drug candidates, is proposed. All obtained compounds are characterized by...     

Impact of cellular CD71 (transferrin receptor 1) expression in Egyptian acute leukemia: correlation with clinicopathologic features

Cellular transferrin receptor 1 (CD71) has been identified as a proliferation marker. Inferior outcome with higher expression was observed in many solid tumors. This study objected to assess the expression of CD71 in patients with acute leukemia and to address its prognostic significance and relations to clinicopathologic features. The study included 34 acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and 64 acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) newly diagnosed cases from Mansoura Oncology Center. CD71 was analyzed on blast cells by flow cytometry. CD71 expression was significantly elevated in both AML and ALL. Antigen expression apparently increased in T-ALL, while in AML there was a trend toward a gradual increase of antigen expression in relation to maturation evidence of myeloid subtypes. CD71 expression correlated positively with total leukocyte count in ALL cases and negatively with platelet count in AML cases. In ALL, higher CD71 expression was associated with higher relapse rate and was an independent prognostic factor of overall survival (HR 1.8; 95 % CI 1.2–4.1). In conclusion, CD71 is overexpressed in acute leukemia; it predicts adverse clinical outcome in ALL. In addition, CD71 antagonism could be a possible therapeutic target in acute leukemia.     

Healing Acceleration of Acetic Acid-induced Colitis by Marigold (Calendula officinalis) in Male Rats

Background/Aim:

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a type of chronic inflammatory bowel disease with unknown etiology. Several therapeutic strategies such as consumption of medicinal plants have been used for its treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate healing effects of Calendula officinalis hydroalcoholic extract in experimentally induced UC in rat.

Materials and Methods:

Ninety-six rats, weighing 200 ± 20 g, were randomly divided into eight equal groups. UC induced by 3% acetic acid and oral doses of C. officinalis extract, 1500 and 3000 mg/kg, and enema (gel 10% and 20%) were given. Two groups as positive controls were given asacol (enema) and oral mesalamine. Negative control groups were given normal saline and base gel. On days 3 and 7, intestinal histopathology and weight changes, plus oxidative stress indices including malondialdehyde (MDA) level and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity were assayed.

Results:

A significant increase in the body weight of rats was seen in the group given C. officinalis extract 3000 mg/kg orally, oral mesalamine, and 20% intracolonic gel form of marigold extract compared with negative control and base gel groups during the experimental period. Acute inflammation and granular atrophy after UC induction were resolved completely completely by both 20% intracolonic gel and 3000 mg/kg orally. An increase in MPO activity and a decrease in MDA level in response to oral and intracolonic gel form of C. officinalis were observed 3 and and 7 days after treatment (P < 0.05).

Conclusion:

Our results indicate that oral and enema forms of hydroalcoholic extract of C. officinalis can be offered as are potential therapeutic agents for UC induced in rats.Key Words: Histopathology, marigold, oxidative stress, ulcerative colitisUlcerative colitis (UC) is an idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease. It is an interaction between including genetic, immunological, reactive oxygen species, and environmental factors, which affects the large intestine. It is clinically characterized by diarrhea, abdominal pain or rectal pain, fever, weight loss, and blood in the stool.[1] Although UC is most commonly detected in young adulthood,[2] the condition can affect patients of any age and both genders. Also this disease affects women slightly more than men.[3] Loftus et al. reported that the incidence of UC is about 10–20 per 10⁶ per year with a prevalence of 100–200 per 10⁶ in Western countries.[4] Overall, the rate of UC is higher in developed countries than in developing countries due to their lifestyle,[5] whereas it is increasing in Iran[6] and Taiwan.[7]It is suggested that environmental conditions are more effective than genetics. Other factors such as intestinal microflora, mucosal immune response, autoimmune reactions, and especially oxidative stress are also important in the pathophysiology of UC.[8] Medical and surgical therapies are the current modalities for treatment of UC, but surgery is indicated for those who are unresponsive to medical therapy. Although bacterial bowel flora such as Shigella, Clostridium difficile, and Escherichia coli 0157:H7 may be one of the contributing factors in the pathogenesis of chronic mucosal inflammation, antibiotics treatment has no established role in UC.[9]The use of no effectiveness of usual treatments, the use of alternative medicines, mainly of herbal treatments, for UC is increasing.[10] The effects of many medicinal plants in UC have been investigated in the past decades. These include Strawberry,[11] Vitex negund,[12] licorice,[13,14] Ginkgo biloba,[15] Oroxylum indicu,[1] Origanum onites,[16] and Calendula officinalis[17,18] in rats, Polygonum multiflorum in mice,[19] Fragaria vesca[20] and Moringa olifera in albino rats,[12] Teucrium polium[21] and Calendula Officinalis in dog,[22] and C. officinalis in mice.[23]C. officinalis, also known as Marigold, is an annual herb native to the Mediterranean region,[24] and an important medicinal plant in the family Asteraceae. In traditional medicine, it is used for the treatment of fever and cancer.[25] It is hypothesized to be effective in treating this disease due to its antioxidant[26,27,28] and anti-inflammatory[29,30] compounds. C. officinalis extract decreases lipid peroxidation and inhibits edema. It is also used for gastrointestinal,[28] gynecological, eye, and skin diseases.[31] The plant is rich in several pharmaceutically active ingredients such as sterols, flavonoids, carotenoids, and glycosides.[32]This study has been undertaken to compare the effects of oral and enema forms of hydroalcohol extract of C. Officinalis on improvement of acetic acid-induced UC in adult male rats.     

Synthesis of 2‐(methylsulfonyl)‐5‐(4‐(methylsulfonyl) phenyl)‐4‐phenyl‐1H‐[5‐14C]imidazole,a selective COX‐2 inhibitor,via asymmetrical benzoins

4,5‐Diarylimidazoles labeled with carbon‐14 in the 5‐position of the imidazole ring were prepared as a part of three‐step sequence from 2‐hydroxy‐1‐(4‐(methylthio)phenyl)‐2‐phenyl[1‐¹⁴C]ethanone as a key synthetic intermediate which has been synthesized from potassium [¹⁴C]cyanide.