Role of fine-needle aspiration cytology in evaluating thyroid nodules: A retrospective study from a tertiary care center of Western region,Saudi Arabia

Objectives:To evaluate the accuracy and efficacy of fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in diagnosing thyroid nodules, correlating it with the histopathological findings.Methods:A retrospective evaluation of 314 patients was undertaken at a tertiary referral center of King Abdullah Medical City (KAMC), Makkah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, between 2010-2019. Patients who presented with thyroid swellings underwent ultrasonography and FNAC. If indicated, surgery was performed. The FNAC findings were compared to the final histopathological reports.Results:The findings for FNAC from our data set of 314 patients showed a sensitivity value of 79.8%, specificity of 82.1%, accuracy of 74.8%, positive predictive value of 74.8%, and negative predictive value of 85.9%.Conclusion:Our study showed that FNAC has high sensitivity and specificity in the initial evaluation of patients with thyroid nodules. When guided by ultrasonography, the accuracy can be markedly improved. Molecular markers once widely available can improve the diagnostic power of FNAC to be no less than the histopathologic evaluation of thyroid tissue.     

Measuring resistant-genotype transmission of malaria parasites: challenges and prospects

Increased gametocytemia in infections with resistant strains of Plasmodium species and their enhanced transmissibility are a matter of concern in planning and evaluating the impact of malaria control strategies. Various studies have determined weekly gametocyte carriage in response to antimalarial drugs in clinical trials. The advent of molecular biology techniques makes it easy to detect and quantify gametocytes, the stages responsible for transmission, and to detect resistant genotypes of the parasite. With the validation of molecular markers of resistance to certain antimalarial drugs, there is a need to devise a simpler formula that could be used with these epidemiological antimalarial resistance tools. Theoretical models for transmission of resistant malaria parasites are difficult to deploy in epidemiological studies. Therefore, devising a simple formula that determines the potential resistant-genotype transmission of malaria parasites should provide further insights into understanding the spread of drug resistance. The present perspective discusses gametocytogenesis in the context of antimalarial treatment and drug resistance. It also highlights the difficulties in applying the available theoretical models of drug resistance transmission and suggests Rashad’s devised formula that could perhaps be used in determining potentially transmissible resistant genotypes as well as in mapping areas with high potential risk for the transmission of drug-resistant malaria. The suggested formula makes use of the data on gametocytes and resistant genotypes of malaria parasites, detected by molecular techniques in a certain geographical area within a particular point in time, to calculate the potential risk of resistant genotype transmission.     

Acridine-based thiosemicarbazones as novel inhibitors of mild steel corrosion in 1 M HCl: synthesis,electrochemical, DFT and Monte Carlo simulation studies

Electrochemical, surface morphology, density functional theory and Monte Carlo simulation methods were employed in investigating the effects of (2E,2′E)-2,2′-(3,3,6,6-tetramethyl-9-phenyl-3,4,6,7-tetrahydroacridine-1,8(2H,5H,9H,10H)-diylidene)bis(N-phenylhydrazinecarbothioamide) (IAB-NP), (2E,2′E)-2,2′-(3,3,6,6-tetramethyl-9-phenyl-3,4,6,7-tetrahydroacridine-1,8(2H,5H,9H,10H)-diylidene)bis(N-(2,4-difluorophenyl)hydrazinecarbothioamide)IAB-ND) and (2E,2′E)-2,2′-(3,3,6,6-tetramethyl-9-phenyl-3,4,6,7-tetrahydroacridine-1,8(2H,5H,9H,10H)-diylidene)bis(N-(2-fluorophenyl) hydrazinecarbothioamide) (IAB-NF) on mild steel corrosion in 1 M HCl solution. From the studies, compounds IAB-NP, IAB-ND and IAB-NF inhibit mild steel corrosion in the acid and the protection efficiencies were found to increase with the increase in concentration of each compound. At the optimum inhibitor concentration of 1.5 × 10⁻⁴ M, the inhibition efficiencies (%) of the compounds are in the order IAB-NF (90.48) > IAB-ND (87.48) > IAB-NP (85.28). Potentiodynamic polarization measurements revealed that all the compounds acted as mixed-type corrosion inhibitors. Experimental data for the adsorption of the studied molecules on a mild steel surface in 1 M HCl fitted into the Langmuir adsorption isotherm and the standard free energies of adsorption (ΔG^o_ads) suggested both physisorption and chemisorption mechanisms. Scanning electron microscopy analyses confirmed the formation of a protective film on the mild steel surface by the inhibitor molecules, resulting in protection of the metal from corrosive electrolyte ions. The experimental findings were corroborated by both theoretical density functional theory and Monte Carlo simulation studies.

Three novel acridine-based thiosemicarbazones were investigated for their corrosion inhibition potentials on mild steel in 1 M HCl using combined electrochemical, DFT and Monte Carlo simulation techniques.     

Social Impact of Dialysis on Children and Their Families

Objectives

To evaluate the social consequences of dialysis on children and their parents.

Methods

From January through June 2012 short structured interviews with parents or caregivers of children on peritoneal dialysis (PD) or hemodialysis (HD) who were followed up at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, King Faisal Specialty Hospital and Research Center, or the Kidney Center at King Fahad Hospital were conducted. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences.

Results

Thirty six children (22 boys and 16 girls) and their families were included. The mean (SD) age of the children was 11.5?±?6.87 y, and the mean (SD) duration of dialysis was 28?±?11.32 mo. Only one third of the families had the opportunity to choose the modality of dialysis. Both modalities of dialysis had a negative effect on fathers’ jobs in over 50 % of the cases. Similarly, both modalities of treatment had a considerable impact on the quality of care provided by the mothers to other family members. There was no difference between the two modalities on the frequency of admissions.

Conclusions

Both PD and HD had a negative impact on fathers’ jobs and on the level of care provided by mothers to the rest of the family.     

Characterization of Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase 5 Levels in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells Exposed to Disturbed and Uniform Flow

Extracellular signal-regulated kinase 5 (ERK5) has been reported to regulate endothelial cell integrity and protect from vascular dysfunction under continuous laminar flow. However, the effect of flow on ERK5 levels has not been determined. Confluent human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were seeded on fibronectin coated glass slides and serum starved for 2 hours with 1% fetal bovine serum (FBS). HUVECs were then exposed to to and fro flow (TFF), pulsatile forward flow (PFF), or continuous laminar flow (CLF) in a parallel plate flow chamber for up to 2 hours. At the end of experiment, cell lysates were prepared and immunoblotted with antibodies to total ERK5. Both CLF and TFF exhibited a decrease in ERK5 after levels after 2-hour exposure. However, the level of ERK5 for PFF remained the same. Disturbed, but not uniform pulsatile, flow decreases ERK5 levels in HUVECs.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">PTEN</Emphasis>-mediated AKT activation contributes to the reduced apoptosis among Indian oral squamous cell carcinoma patients

Purpose  

The tumor suppressor gene PTEN negatively regulates Akt, a downstream mediator phosphoinositol 3-kinase. Several studies have reported the role of PTEN gene in Akt downregulation and apoptosis induction in different cancers and cell lines. However, the role of loss of PTEN expression in Akt activation and spontaneous apoptosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma clinical specimens is not well established.