Long-term efficacy and safety of interferon α-2a therapy in severe refractory ophthalmic Behcet’s disease

Ophthalmic involvement is the most debilitating complication of Behcet’s disease (BD). The aim of the current study is to report on the efficacy and safety of a long-term use of interferon alpha-2a (IFNα-2a) in the treatment of refractory ophthalmic BD in the Azari population of Iran. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 12 patients with ophthalmic BD who were under IFNα-2a therapy. All these patients had previously been treated unsuccessfully with corticosteroid and at least one conventional immunosuppressive drug. IFNα-2a was administered at a daily dose of 6 million IU (MIU). After controlling the symptoms, a dose of 6 MIU three times per week was applied for 8–12 weeks, and then, a dose of 3 MIU was administered three times per week as a subcutaneous injection. Visual acuity and total inflammatory activity index (TIAI) were used in order to assess the response to the treatment. Response to the treatment and complete eye remission were obtained in 10 (83.3 %) and 7 (58.3 %) patients, irrespectively. Improvement or stabilization of visual acuity was observed in 18 (81.8 %) out of 22 eyes. After a mean period of 29.6 months, the use of IFNa-2a was discontinued in eight (66.7 %) patients. Unaltered vision for 2 years after IFNa-2a discontinuation happened in eight (100 %) patients. IFNa-2a is probably effective and safe in the treatment of refractory sight-threatening ophthalmic BD in the Azari population of Iran.     

Comparison between Negative T waves characteristics in acute coronary syndrome and pulmonary embolism

Background

Electrocardiogram (ECG) is the first available modality used in patients with chest pain and dyspnea in emergency rooms.We aimed to study differences between acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and acute pulmonary embolism (APE) in patients presented primarily with abnormal negative T waves on their admission Electrocardiogram.

Soft tissue aneurysmal bone cyst of the mandible: Report of a case

We report the case of a 17-year-old boy with a soft tissue aneurysmal bone cyst (STABC) located in the posterior aspect of the right mandible. Conventional radiography revealed no positive findings. On the computed tomography scan, the lesion appeared to have a non-uniform intralesional density. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed an abnormal soft tissue masses with cystic component in the superficial part of right mandibular body and angle with intact cortex. Following histopathological examination, fibro-histiocytic proliferation, blood-filled spaces and multinucleated giant cells were seen and the lesion was diagnosed as a STABC. The mass together with underlying bone and periosteum on its periphery was surgically resected under general anesthesia. Thirty-six months after surgery the patient was assessed at outpatient clinic and found no sign of recurrence This may be only the first reported case of the mandible in the English literature of this extremely rare benign tumor occurring in soft tissue.     

Amlodipine: Can act as an antioxidant in patients with transfusion‐dependent β‐thalassemia? A double‐blind,controlled, crossover trial

Background and AimThis study aimed to assess the antioxidant effects of amlodipine in transfusion‐dependent β‐thalassemia (TDT) patients.MethodsThis crossover trial consisted of two sequences (AP and PA). In the AP sequence, nine cases received amlodipine 5 mg daily (phase I) and then were switched to placebo (phase II). In PA sequence, 10 patients took the placebo (phase I) and were shifted to amlodipine (phase II). The washout period was 2 weeks. The length of each phase was 6 months. Serum malondialdehyde (MDA, μmol/L), carbonyl (protein CO, μM/L), glutathione (GSH, nM/L), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC, μmol FeSO4/L) were measured in the beginning and at the end of phases I and II. The clinical significance was viewed as a minimum change difference of 5% for each outcome between amlodipine and placebo.ResultsSeventeen cases completed the study. According to the baseline MDA values, the adjusted Hedges''s g for MDA was −0.59, 95% confidence interval [CI] −1.26 to 0.08. After controlling the baseline protein CO values, Hedges''s g computed for protein CO was −0.11, 95% CI −0.76 to 0.55. The estimated values of the adjusted Hedges''s g for GSH and TAC were also 0.26, 95% CI −0.40 to 0.91, and 0.42, 95% CI −0.24 to 1.09, respectively. The change difference for MDA was 8.3% (protein CO 2.2%, GSH 3.1%, and TAC 12.9%).ConclusionClinically, amlodipine therapy is an efficacious adjuvant treatment with conventional iron chelators for improving the levels of MDA and TAC in patients with TDT.     

Sperm motility and fertilizing ability in Aristichthys nobilis: effect of ions

The motility and fertilizing ability of Aristichthys nobilis spermatozoa were studied. Activation solutions containing cations (Na⁺, K⁺, Ca⁺², and Mg⁺²) were used to investigate the effect of ions on motility characteristics of spermatozoa (sperm movement duration and percentage of motile spermatozoa) and fertilizing capacity of sperm (fertilization rate, hatching rate, larvae length during hatching, larvae length during active feeding, and survival rate). The results showed that highest sperm movement duration is in solutions containing 99 mEq/L NaCl and 27 mg/dL KCl, respectively. Our results showed that solutions containing CaCl₂ did not have impact on fertilizing capacity of spermatozoa compared to other ions. Among tested ions, solutions containing NaCl had more influence on fertilizing capacity of spermatozoa than other ions. Understanding the effects of these ions could be useful to the aquaculture industry and subsequently to the improvement of the quality of fish sperm during artificial reproduction.     

Effect of sperm pH and density on fertilization success in Persian sturgeon Acipenser persicus (Borodin, 1897)

The objectives of the present study were to determine the relationships between sperm characteristics (density and pH) and fertilization capacity (hatching rate) for Persian sturgeon during their reproductive season. Eleven males were used in this study. The luteinizing hormone releasing hormone analog was used to induce spermiation following which semen samples were stripped. Statistical analysis revealed positive correlations between hatching rate and sperm pH (P?<?0.05, r?=?0.711) and between sperm pH and fertilization rate (P?<?0.05, r?=?0.633). Highly negative relationships were found between sperm density and hatching rate (P?>?0.01, r?=??0.745). We suggest that understanding these correlations is critical in the evaluation of sperm quality and for the composition of media (extender) to be used in the dilution of semen to improve sperm motility/fertility parameters of Persian sturgeon.