Regulatory Th2 response induced following adoptive transfer of dendritic cells in prediabetic NOD mice

We previously demonstrated that immunotherapy with dendritic cells (DC) prevented diabetes development in prediabetic NOD mice and that this effect was optimal when using a stimulatory DC population generated from bone marrow cells cultured with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and IL-4. In this study, we have investigated the mechanism by which GM-CSF- and IL-4-cultured DC prevent diabetes in prediabetic NOD mice. Histological analysis of pancreatic tissue from DC-treated mice revealed a reduction in the severity of insulitis compared to controls. Analysisof the T cell response in DC-treated mice suggested a general shift towards a Th2-dominated response, as determined by cytokine production following either concanavalin A or anti-TCR stimulation. Furthermore, sorted CD45RB(lo) CD25+ CD4+ T cells from the spleen of DC-treated mice produced high amounts of Th2 cytokines following anti-TCR stimulation, suggesting that these cells are responsible for the apparent Th2 shift. We conclude that DC therapy may have corrected the immunoregulatory defect in the NOD mouse, thus restoring a balance between pathogenic Th1 cells and protective Th2 cells.     

Phenotypic and genetic characterization of clinical isolates of CDC coryneform group A-3: proposal of a new species of Cellulomonas, Cellulomonas denverensis sp. nov

CDC coryneform group A-3 bacteria are rare human pathogens. In this study, six group A-3 isolates (two from blood, one from cerebrospinal fluid, and one each from homograft valve, lip wound, and pilonidal cyst) were compared to the type strains of phenotypically related organisms, Cellulomonas fimi, Cellulomonas hominis, Oerskovia turbata, and Sanguibacter suarezii, and characterized by phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, and genotypic studies. DNA-DNA reassociation analysis identified two genomic groups, and phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence identified the taxonomic positions of these groups to genus level. Two groups were defined, and both were more closely related to Cellulomonas species: one group of three strains, for which we propose the new species Cellulomonas denverensis sp. nov., with the type strain W6929 (ATCC BAA-788(T) or DSM 15764(T)), was related to C. hominis ATCC 51964(T) (98.5% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity), and the second group of three strains was related to C. hominis ATCC 51964(T) (99.8 to 99.9% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity). The definition of this new Cellulomonas species and the confirmation of three strains as C. hominis serve to further clarify the complex taxonomy of CDC coryneform group A-3 bacteria and will assist in our understanding of the epidemiology and clinical significance of these microorganisms.     

Effect of experimental parameters on the formation of alginate-chitosan nanoparticles and evaluation of their potential application as DNA carrier

This study introduces a new procedure to prepare alginate-chitosan nanoparticles and examines several experimental parameters in relation to their formation and characteristics. Using DLS and TEM analysis, nanoparticle formation was shown to be predominantly affected by the ratio of alginate to chitosan, the molecular weight of the biopolymers and the solution pH. We report a method that results in spherical particles with mean diameters ranging from 323 nm to 1.6 microm, depending on the preparation conditions. The smallest particles were formed using lower molecular weight polymers with pH between 5.0 and 5.6 and having an alginate/chitosan weight ratio of 1:1.5. We have shown that DNA can be loaded with 60% association efficiency. Our system demonstrates suitable size, loading and release characteristics for application in drug- and gene-delivery systems.     

Longitudinal growth of infants in Qatar: Comparison with WHO and CDC growth standards

Longitudinal growth data for infants in Qatar were compared to growth standards published by the CDC and WHO. 300 randomly selected full-term normal infants (150 males, 150 females) in Qatar were followed-up and weight and length were sequentially recorded at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 12 months and 18 months age. The mean length for age of girls was higher than those published by the CDC and WHO at 12 and 18 months of age. Using the CDC standard for weight for length detected more wasted infants (9.0% and 6.5%) compared to using WHO standards (6.27% and 6.0%) for males and females, respectively. When WHO and CDC standards are compared, more infants were identified as overweight when the former were used. The WHO standards are preferable because they are based on a leaner breastfed reference and because overweight is likely to be a greater problem in Qatar in the future.     

Genetic Diversity in the G Protein Gene of Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus among Iranian Children with Acute Respiratory Symptoms

Objective

Acute respiratory infection (ARI) is the major cause of morbidity and mortality in children worldwide. Human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) is main viral agent of ARI in infants and young children in terms of effect and prevalence. The aim of this study was to investigate HRSV genotypes during one season in Iran.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, 107 throat swabs were collected from children less than 5 years of age with acute respiratory infection from October to December 2009. The respiratory samples were obtained from several provinces: Tehran, Isfahan, Hamadan, Zanjan, Kordestan, Lorestan and West Azarbayjan, and were tested for G protein gene of HRSV by RT-PCR.

Findings

Of the 107 respiratory samples, 24 (22.42%) were positive for HRSV, of which 16 (66.6%) belonged to subgroup A and 8 (33.4%) to subgroup B. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that subgroup A strains fell in two genotypes GA1 and GA2, whereas subgroup B strains clustered in genotype BA.

Conclusion

This study revealed that multiple genotypes of HRSV cocirculated during the season 2009 in Iran. Also subgroup A strains were more prevalent than subgroup B strains, and genotype GA1 was predominant during the season.     

Pathologic Evaluation of Appendectomy Specimens in Children: Is Routine Histopatholgic Examination Indicated?

Objective

Acute appendicitis is the most common cause of abdominal surgery in children. Similarity between signs and symptoms of appendicitis and other common pediatric illnesses, atypical manifestations of appendicitis in young children, and children''s inability to give precise explanation for their symptoms contribute to considerable delay in proper diagnosis and increased rate of perforation. Current study reports the surgical and pathological findings of appendectomies in the largest Children''s Hospital in Iran. It also evaluates whether common protocol for pathologic evaluation following appendectomy is beneficial.

Methods

Pathologic reports of 947 appendectomies, performed with the presumptive diagnosis of acute appendicitis, were gathered. Correlation between surgical and pathologic findings was assessed. Demographic characteristics of patients between surgical and pathological subgroups were also compared.

Findings

The mean age of participants was 6.9±3.5 years. Eighty seven (25.5%) children had abnormal pathological findings and normal surgical report. None of miscellaneous findings including appendicular carcinoid tumor 3 (0.3%), oxyuriasis 2 (0.2%), and mycobacterial infection 4 (0.5%) were recognizable during the surgery. Of all pathologically confirmed cases with perforated appendicitis, 9.7% were not detected during the surgery.

Conclusion

In current study, acute appendicitis was the most common pathological diagnosis, however, high normal appendectomy rate along with noticeable proportion of surgically missed perforated appendicitis and unusual histopathologies strongly supported routine histological examination.     

The effects of sequential use of oxytocin and sublingual nitroglycerin in the cases of retained placenta

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of adding sublingual nitroglycerin to oxytocin, for delivery of retained placenta after vaginal delivery.

Method: The study was performed as a placebo controlled clinical trial on women who did not finish delivering placenta after 30 min of active management of the third stage of labor. In case group, 1 mg nitroglycerin and in the control group, placebo was prescribed sublingually.

Results: In total, 80 women finished the study. The number of manual removal of placenta did not show significant difference between the two groups [25 women (62.5%) in the case and 30 women (75%) in the control group, p?=?0.335]. There was no significant difference between the two groups according to duration of the third stage of labor, hemoglobin index, decline in HB index?>30% and maternal vital signs after treatment. There was no significant difference between the two groups according to adverse effects [eight women (20%) in the case group and four (10%) in the control group (p?=?0.348)].

Conclusion: The sequential use of oxytocin and sublingual nitroglycerin could not lead to delivery of more placentas and did not reduce the necessity of manual removal of placenta in comparison with placebo.     

cIMPACT‐NOW update 7: advancing the molecular classification of ependymal tumors

Advances in our understanding of the biological basis and molecular characteristics of ependymal tumors since the latest iteration of the World Health Organization (WHO) classification of CNS tumors (2016) have prompted the cIMPACT‐NOW group to recommend a new classification. Separation of ependymal tumors by anatomic site is an important principle of the new classification and was prompted by methylome profiling data to indicate that molecular groups of ependymal tumors in the posterior fossa and supratentorial and spinal compartments are distinct. Common recurrent genetic or epigenetic alterations found in tumors belonging to the main molecular groups have been used to define tumor types at intracranial sites; C11orf95 and YAP1 fusion genes for supratentorial tumors and two types of posterior fossa ependymoma defined by methylation group, PFA and PFB. A recently described type of aggressive spinal ependymoma with MYCN amplification has also been included. Myxopapillary ependymoma and subependymoma have been retained as histopathologically defined tumor types, but the classification has dropped the distinction between classic and anaplastic ependymoma. While the cIMPACT‐NOW group considered that data to inform assignment of grade to molecularly defined ependymomas are insufficiently mature, it recommends assigning WHO grade 2 to myxopapillary ependymoma and allows grade 2 or grade 3 to be assigned to ependymomas not defined by molecular status.     

Electrolytic lesion of the nucleus raphe magnus reduced the antinociceptive effects of bilateral morphine microinjected into the nucleus cuneiformis in rats

Several lines of investigation show that the rostral ventromedial medulla is a critical relay for midbrain regions, including the nucleus cuneiformis (CnF), which control nociception at the spinal cord. There is some evidence that local stimulation or morphine administration into the CnF produces the effective analgesia through the nucleus raphe magnus (NRM). The present study tries to determine the effect of morphine-induced analgesia following microinjection into the CnF in the absence of NRM. Seven days after the cannulae implantation, morphine was microinjected bilaterally into the CnF at the doses of 0.25, 1, 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10 microg/0.3 microl saline per side. The morphine-induced antinociceptive effect measured by tail-flick test at 30, 60, 90 and 120 min after microinjection. The results showed that bilateral microinjection of morphine into the CnF dose-dependently causes increase in tail-flick latency (TFL). The 50% effective dose of morphine was determined and microinjected into the CnF (2.5 microg/0.3 microl saline per side) in rats after NRM electrolytic lesion (1 mA, 30 s). Lesion of the NRM significantly decreased TFLs, 30 (P<0.01) and 60 (P<0.05) but not 90-120 min after morphine microinjection into the CnF, compared with sham-lesion group. We concluded that morphine induces the analgesic effects through the opioid receptors in the CnF. It is also appeared that morphine-induced antinociception decreases following the NRM lesion but it seems that there are some other descending pain modulatory pathways that activate in the absence of NRM.