Superior integrin activating capacity and higher adhesion to fibrinogen matrix in buffy coat-derived platelet concentrates (PCs) compared to PRP-PCs

Background

Regardless of different sources, methods or devices which are applied for preparation of therapeutic platelets, these products are generally isolated from whole blood by the sedimentation techniques which are based on PRP or buffy coat (BC) separation. As a general fact, platelet preparation and storage are also associated with some deleterious changes that known as platelet storage lesion (PSL). Although these alternations in platelet functional activity are aggravated during storage, whether technical issues within preparation can affect integrin activation and platelet adhesion to fibrinogen were investigated in this study.

The Effectiveness of Radial Extracorporeal Shock Waves for Treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Randomized Clinical Trial

This study examined the effectiveness of radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy in the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Forty patients with mild to moderate CTS were allocated to two groups: (i) shock wave + wrist splint and (ii) wrist splint. Patients used wrist splints followed by three sessions of low-energy shock wave therapy in the intervention group and wrist splints alone in the other group. The QuickDASH Questionnaire, visual analogue scale and nerve conduction studies were used to evaluate the patients before the study and at 3, 8 and 12 wk after the start of the treatment. At the end of the study, both groups saw the same clinical benefits. However, a significantly greater improvement in the median nerve distal sensory latency was noted in the shock wave group compared with the control group. We suggest that application of shock wave with alternative protocols may be effective in the treatment of CTS in future studies.     

Validity and Reliability of the Persian (Farsi) Version of the DN4 (Douleur Neuropathique 4 Questions) Questionnaire for Differential Diagnosis of Neuropathic from Non‐Neuropathic Pains

The aim of our study was translation and assessment of validity and reliability of the Persian version of DN4 questionnaire. The goal was to fill the gap caused by the absence of a validated instrument in Persian to facilitate discrimination of neuropathic pain. In this study, the adaptation and validation of the questionnaire was carried out in 4 steps, including translation, retranslation, semantic, and literal assessments, and a pilot study for practicability and potential perception difficulties of the final Persian version on 45 patient samples. The questionnaire validation performed on 175 patients, 112 (64%) females with the mean age of 52.53 (SD = 14.98) ranging from 22 to 87 years of age with neuropathic (N = 86) and non‐neuropathic pain (NNP) (N = 89). Sensitivity, specificity, and Youden Index in cut‐off point ≥ 4 were 90%, 95%, and 0.85, respectively, which are noteworthy findings among other validation studies. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient of the whole questionnaire was 0.852. Inter‐rater agreement and test–retest reliability were significant intraclass coefficient (ICC = 0.957 and ICC = 0.918, respectively). The Persian version of DN4 questionnaire is a reliable, valid, feasible, and easily administered tool for precise discrimination neuropathic pain from NNP in Farsi. The characteristics of this test can assist practitioner to diagnose neuropathic pain accurately for both clinical and research purposes.     

Effects of adipose tissue stem cell concurrent with greater omentum on experimental long-bone healing in dog

Repair of large bone defects resulting from trauma, tumors, and osteitis is a current challenge to surgeons. Adipose-derived adult stem cells (ASCs) are multipotent cells that are able to differentiate into osteoblasts in the presence of certain factors. In this study, the role of greater omentum as a scaffold incorporation of ASCs was evaluated in long-bone defect healing in dog model. Sixteen 3-4-year-old, male adult mongrel dogs, weighing 25.2 ± 3.5 kg, were used in this study. In the control group (n = 4), the defect was left empty. In the omental group (n = 4), the defect was filled with harvested omentum. In the omental-ASCs group (n = 4), the defect was filled with omentum and 1 mL of ASCs was injected into the grafted omentum. In the omental-culture medium group (n = 4), 1 mL of culture medium was injected into the grafted omentum. Finally, the injured radial bones were fixed with plate and screw. Radiographs of each forelimb was taken postoperatively on the first day and at the second, fourth, sixth, and eighth weeks postinjury to evaluate bone formation, union, and remodeling of the defect. The operated radii were removed on the 56th postoperative day and were histopathologically evaluated. In this study, both omental-culture medium and omental-ASCs groups demonstrated superior osteogenic potential in healing the radial bone defect. Compared to those of the omental and control groups, more advanced bone healing criteria were present in the omental-culture medium and omental-ASCs groups at radiological and histopathological levels at 8 weeks postsurgery.     

The effects of ultrasound-guided corticosteroid injection compared to oxygen–ozone (O2–O3) injection in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial

Clinical Rheumatology - Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic multifactorial disease characterized by progressive joint degeneration. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of...     

In vitro effects of l-arginine on motion parameters in ram epididymal sperm

This study investigated concentration/time-dependent effects of l-arginine on motion parameters of epididymal ram sperm in vitro. After incubation of epididymal sperm samples for 45 and 90 min in the presence of l-arginine (0.001, 0.01, 0.1, and 1 mM), motion parameters were evaluated by computer-aided sperm analysis. Parameters of rapid progressive motility, slow progressive motility, non-progressive motility, and immotility did not show any significant effects at the four concentrations of l-arginine after 45 and 90 min. Three motion parameters, straightness (at 45 min), curvilinear velocity, and straight-line velocity (at 90 min) were significantly (P < 0.05) decreased at an l-arginine concentration of 1 mM when compared with controls. Most other motion parameters such as average path velocity, mean angular displacement, amplitude of lateral head displacement, and linearity showed non-significant reduction at an l-arginine concentration of 1 mM at both 45 and 90 min; whereas, wobble and beat cross frequency showed a non-significant increase. In conclusion, low concentrations of l-arginine had little effect on sperm motion parameters; whereas, high concentration of l-arginine significantly decreased specific motion parameters.     

In vitro effects of pentoxifylline on kinematic parameters, capacitation, and acrosome reaction of ram epididymal sperm

To evaluate effects of different concentrations of pentoxifylline, as phosphodiesterase inhibitor, on kinematic parameters, capacitation, and acrosome reaction, spermatozoa were separated from ram caudal epididymis. Epididymal sperm were incubated at concentrations of 0.01 mM, 0.1 mM, 1 mM, and 10 mM pentoxifylline for 60 min. Motion parameters were assessed using the CASA system. Capacitation and acrosome reaction were also evaluated by CTC staining. Pentoxifylline at 0.01 mM appeared significant (P < 0.05) in increasing progressive motility, straight line velocity (VSL), VCL, average path velocity (VAP), average amplitude of lateral head displacement in micrometers (ALH), and mean angular displacement (MAD) and significant (P < 0.05) in decreasing BCF in spermatozoa compared with controls. Pentoxifylline at 10 mM caused a significant (P < 0.05) decrease in progressive motility, VSL, VAP, ALH, LIN, and WOB compared with controls. There was a significant (P < 0.05) reduction in uncapacitated spermatozoa but an insignificant rise in capacitated and acrosome-reacted spermatozoa in 0.01 mM pentoxifylline when compared with controls. Capacitated spermatozoa were significantly (P < 0.05) lower in 0.1 mM pentoxifylline, whereas capacitated and acrosome-reacted spermatozoa were insignificantly higher than controls. In 10 mM pentoxifylline, significant increase was observed in capacitated and significant decrease in acrosome-reacted spermatozoa. In conclusion, a low concentration of pentoxifylline was able to increase most kinematic parameters while high concentration had the opposite effect. Pentoxifylline in high concentration increased capacitation but decreased acrosome reaction.     

A Real-Time Intrasubject Elastic Registration Algorithm for Dynamic 2-D Ultrasound Images

A new dynamic registration technique is designed to elastically align a sequence of 2-D ultrasound (US) images. The proposed algorithm tracks features over an image sequence in real-time, as opposed to our previous technique which registers images without utilizing prior information. The registration results were evaluated using a customized validation framework for elastic US registration algorithms. Experiments were performed on 600 simulated images as well as 20 image sequences obtained from 10 volunteer subjects, each sequence containing 50 images. Strategies for qualitative and quantitative evaluation consisted of visual assessment, feature overlap, similarity measures, and simulation experiments. The registration method has comparable performance to our previous registration technique; however, has the advantage of lower computational requirements and hence, is potentially more suitable for clinical applications. Rigorous performance evaluations attest to the fast speed of registration at an average of 5.5 frames per second on a conventional computing platform. (E-mail: purang@cs.queensu.ca)     

The dynamics of metabolic syndrome development from its isolated components among iranian children and adolescents: Findings from 17 Years of the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS)

BackgroundCareful evaluation of the progression trend of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) in children and adolescents (C&A) is one of the important methods of studying the natural history of MetS in them. This study was performed to determine the trend of changes in the progression of MetS from its components.MethodsThis was a longitudinal study which was performed on data from 4 follow-up periods of Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS) between 1999 and 2015. The research population consisted of 6-18-year-old children and adolescents creating 3895-person population. The criteria for the diagnosis of MetS was joint interim statement (JIS). The considered components were central adiposity, high blood pressure, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia.ResultsIn this study, in the long term, the highest increase in the MetS’ incidence in boys occurred in obesity and in girls in dyslipidemia and in total mode, in obesity. But in the short term (3.6 year follow-up periods) in the first to fourth periods, in total mode, the highest incidence occurred in dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, and obesity. In terms of trend, in total mode, the highest increase in MetS incidence was related to the obesity component. Also, the incidence of MetS from all components was declining in overall mode. Also, the most common components at the beginning and end of the study in all groups were dyslipidemia with a decreasing and obesity with an increasing trend, respectively.ConclusionIt seems that in Iranian C&As, obesity and dyslipidemia components play a more important role in the further development of the MetS than other components. This matter requires careful and serious attention in preventive and control planning.     

MiR-339 and especially miR-766 reactivate the expression of tumor suppressor genes in colorectal cancer cell lines through DNA methyltransferase 3B gene inhibition

It is observed that upregulation of DNMT3B enzyme in some cancers, including colon cancer, could lead to silencing of tumor suppressor genes. MiR-339 and miR-766 have been predicted to target 3′UTR of DNMT3B gene. Luciferase reporter assay validated that individual and co-transfection of miR-766 and miR-339 into the HEK293T cell reduced luciferase activity to 26% ± 0.41%, 43% ± 0.42 and 64% ± 0.52%, respectively, compared to the control (P < 0.05). Furthermore, transduction of miR-339 and miR-766 expressing viruses into colon cancer cell lines (SW480 and HCT116) decreased DNMT3B expression (1.5, 3-fold) and (3, 4-fold), respectively. In addition, DNA methylation of some tumor suppressor genes decreased. Expression of these genes such as SFRP1 (2 and 1.6-fold), SFRP2 (0.07 and 4-fold), WIF1 (0.05 and 4-fold), and DKK2 (2 and 4-fold) increased in SW-339 and SW-766 cell lines; besides, expression increments for these genes in HCT-339 and HCT-766 cell lines were (2.8, 4-fold), (0.005, 1.5-fold), (1.7 and 3-fold) and (0.04, 1.7-fold), respectively. Also, while in SW-766, cell proliferation reduced to 2.8% and 21.7% after 24 and 48 hours, respectively, SW-339 showed no reduced proliferation. Meanwhile, HCT-766 and HCT-339 showed (3.5%, 12.8%) and (18.8%, 33.9%) reduced proliferation after 24 and 48 hours, respectively. Finally, targeting DNMT3B by these miRs, decreased methylation of tumor suppressor genes such as SFRP1, SFRP2, WIF1 and DKK2 in the mentioned cell lines, and returned the expression of these tumor suppressor genes which can contribute to lethal effect on colon cancer cells and reducing tumorigenicity of these cells.