Detection of human cytomegalovirus in glioma tumor tissues

A brain tumor that develops from glial cells is called a glioma. About half of all primary brain tumors form from glial cells. Gliomas are divided into subgroups, depending on the origin of the glial cells. Detection of human cytomegalovirus in tumor tissues of glioma patient was performed for the first time in Iran. These data show an association between human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and malignant gliomas and suggest that HCMV may play an active role in glioma pathogenesis. Cytomegalovirus surgical biopsy specimens of glioma tissues (n?=?28) and non-tumor brain tissues (n?=?8) were obtained. Total DNA of specimens was extracted, and then, extracted DNA was evaluated by polymerase chain reaction for evidence of HCMV nucleic acids. Here, we show that a high percentage of malignant gliomas are infected by HCMV. Seventy-five percent of grade 4 glioma, 57 % of grade 3 glioma, and 33 % of grade 2 glioma were HCMV positive. All specimens of grade 1 glioma and control tissues were HCMV negative. The relationship between the grade of glioma and the presence of HCMV is significant (P value?=?0.035). Fisher exact test was used for statistical analysis.     

Long-Term Outcome of Surgical Treatment of Penile Fracture Complicated by Urethral Rupture

IntroductionThe combination of lesions of the penile urethra and the corpus cavernosum is rare and is likely to worsen the immediate and long-term prognosis.AimTo assess the late effects of penile fractures complicated by urethral rupture treated by immediate surgical intervention.MethodsFourteen patients with concomitant urethral rupture were treated surgically at our center. Those patients were seen in the outpatient follow-up clinic and were re-evaluated.Main Outcome MeasuresSexual Health Inventory for Men questionnaire, local examination, uroflowmetry and penile color Doppler ultrasound.ResultsThe most common cause of penile fracture is sexual intercourse (50%). The site of tunical tear was in the proximal shaft of the penis in 3 patients (21%) and in the mid of the shaft in 11 patients (79%). Urethral injury was localized at the same level as the corpus cavernosum tear in all cases; and it was partial in 11 cases and complete in 3. Long-term follow-up (mean = 90 months) was available for 12 patients; among whom there was no complications in 4 (33%), painful erection in 1 (8%), erectile dysfunction in 2 (17%), and palpable fibrous nodule in 5 (47%). All patients had a normal urinary flow except one who developed relative urethral narrowing that required regular dilatation for 1 month.ConclusionsThe urethral injury complicating penile fracture is often partial and localized at the level of the corpora cavenosa tear. Standard treatment consists of immediate surgical repair of both urethral and corporal ruptures with no harmful long-term sequelae on urethral and erectile function in most of patients. El-Assmy A, El-Tholoth HS, Mohsen T, and Ibrahiem EHI. Long-term outcome of surgical treatment of penile fracture complicated by urethral rupture.     

Artificial extracellular matrix for biomedical applications: biocompatible and biodegradable poly (tetramethylene ether) glycol/poly (ε-caprolactone diol)-based polyurethanes

The cells as a tissue component need to viscoelastic, biocompatible, biodegradable, and wettable extracellular matrix for their biological activity. In this study, in order to prepare biomedical polyurethane elastomers with good mechanical behavior and biodegradability, a series of novel polyester–polyether- based polyurethanes (PUs) were synthesized using a two-step bulk reaction by melting pre-polymer method, taking 1,4-Butanediol (BDO) as chain extender, hexamethylene diisocyanate as the hard segment, and poly (tetramethylene ether) glycol (PTMEG) and poly (ε-caprolactone diol) (PCL-Diol) as the soft segment without a catalyst. The soft to the hard segment ratio was kept constant in all samples. Polyurethane characteristics such as thermal and mechanical properties, wettability and water adsorption, biodegradability, and cellular behavior were changed by changing the ratio of polyether diol to polyester diol composition in the soft segment. Our present work provides a new procedure for the preparation of engineered polyurethanes in surface properties and biodegradability, which could be a good candidate for bone, cartilage, and skin tissue engineering.     

Comparison of SPECT bone scintigraphy with MRI for diagnosis of meniscal tears

Background

Scintigraphy has been considered as competitive to MRI, but limited data are available on the accuracy of single photon emission tomography (SPECT) compared with MRI for the assessment of meniscal tears. Our objective was to assess the value of SPECT in comparison to MRI.

Methods

Between January 2003 and March 2004, sixteen patients were studied with both modalities and the accuracy rates of SPECT scan results, and MRI findings in the diagnosis of meniscal tears were compared. Arthroscopy was the gold standard.

Results

The respective sensitivity rate, specificity rate, and positive and negative predictive accuracies of MRI were 89%, 94%, 93%, and 79% and for SPECT those were 78%, 94%, 94%, and 88%. There was good agreement on the presence or absence of tears between two modalities (κ statistic = 0.699).

Conclusion

SPECT and MRI are both valuable imaging techniques. SPECT is a useful alternative when MRI is unavailable or unsuitable and it is beneficial when more possible accuracy is desired (such as when MRI results are either inconclusive or conflict with other clinical data).     

Increased prenatal blood manganese may induce gestational blood pressure

Objective: Pregnancy hypertension is the most common gestational complication and poses a critical risk for mother and fetus. Whether environmental factors may play an important role in disease occurrence is not fully determined. Methods: To investigate the effects of prenatal manganese (Mn) exposure on gestational blood pressure, 386 women were examined. Results: Early pregnancy blood Mn was significantly (p < 0.05) correlated with blood pressure through gestation. A significant association between odds of pre-hypertension with blood Mn was shown (OR:1.150, 95% CI:1.052–1.258). Conclusion: The current study results might suggest the blood Mn level during early stage of pregnancy as a potential risk factor for increasing the risk of gestational blood pressure.     

Artifactual changes in hematological variables in equine blood samples stored at different temperatures and various anticoagulants

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of storage time, temperature, and anticoagulant on hematologic parameters in equine blood samples. Blood samples were obtained from 50 clinically healthy warm-blooded horses at two major equestrian complexes in Tehran, Iran. The samples were collected in three different tubes containing EDTA, sodium citrate, or heparin and were analyzed within 4?h of collection. Blood samples collected into EDTA-containing tubes were stored at 4°C or 24°C. Each sample was analyzed again at 24, 48, and 72?h after collection. The statistically significant (P?<?0.05) alterations included decreased RBC count and increased hemoglobin concentration [Hgb] in blood samples stored at 24°C after 48 and 72?h; increased hematocrit in blood samples stored at 24°C after 24?h; decreased hematocrit in blood samples stored at 4°C after 72?h; decreased MCHC in blood samples stored at 4°C after 72?h; and decreased total WBC count in blood samples stored at 24°C after 48?h. Although there was no significant difference in hematologic analytes between heparinized and EDTA-anticoagulated blood samples, most of the hematologic analytes were decreased significantly (P?<?0.05) in sodium citrate-containing blood samples, compared with blood samples stored in EDTA. The results of this study suggest that within certain limitations for some hematologic analytes, equine blood samples stored in EDTA at 4°C for up to 72?h may be suitable for hematologic testing.     

Immunization against leishmaniasis by PLGA nanospheres encapsulated with autoclaved Leishmania major (ALM) and CpG-ODN

Various adjuvants and delivery systems have been evaluated for increasing the protective immune responses against leishmaniasis and mostly have been shown not to be effective enough. In this study, poly(d,l-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanospheres as an antigen delivery system and CpG-ODN as an immunoadjuvant have been used for the first time to enhance the immune response against autoclaved Leishmania major (ALM). PLGA nanospheres were prepared by a double-emulsion (W/O/W) technique. Particulate characteristics were studied by scanning electron microscopy and particle size analysis. Mean diameter of ALM + CpG-ODN-loaded nanospheres was 300 ± 128 nm. BALB/c mice were immunized three times in 3-week intervals using ALM plus CpG-ODN-loaded nanospheres [(ALM + CpG-ODN)_PLGA], ALM encapsulated PLGA nanospheres [(ALM)_PLGA], (ALM)_PLGA + CpG, ALM + CpG, ALM alone, or phosphate buffer solution (PBS). The intensity of infection induced by L. major challenge was assessed by measuring size of footpad swelling. The strongest protection, showed by significantly (P < 0.05) smaller footpad, was observed in mice immunized with (ALM + CpG-ODN)_PLGA. The (ALM)_PLGA, (ALM)_PLGA + CpG, and ALM + CpG were also showed a significantly (P < 0.05) smaller footpad swelling compared to the groups received either PBS or ALM alone. The mice immunized with (ALM + CpG-ODN)_PLGA, (ALM)_PLGA + CpG, and ALM + CpG showed the highest IgG2a/IgG1 ratio, interferon-γ production, and lowest interleukin-4 production compared to the other groups. It is concluded that when both PLGA nanospheres and CpG-ODN adjuvants were used simultaneously, it induce stronger immune response and enhance protection rate against Leishmania infection.     

Algorithms for enhancing public health utility of national causes-of-death data

Background  

Coverage and quality of cause-of-death (CoD) data varies across countries and time. Valid, reliable, and comparable assessments of trends in causes of death from even the best systems are limited by three problems: a) changes in the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD) over time; b) the use of tabulation lists where substantial detail on causes of death is lost; and c) many deaths assigned to causes that cannot or should not be considered underlying causes of death, often called garbage codes (GCs). The Global Burden of Disease Study and the World Health Organization have developed various methods to enhance comparability of CoD data. In this study, we attempt to build on these approaches to enhance the utility of national cause-of-death data for public health analysis.