Flow Cytometric Evaluation of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell Immune Response in SPF Chickens Induced by Fowlpox Vaccine

Fowlpox (FP) is a viral disease that is widely distributed throughout the world. The disease has an economic impact on the poultry industry, and its prevalence has even been reported in vaccinated flocks. The present study used flow cytometry to evaluate the CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T-cell immune response of chicks induced by FP vaccine. 120 specific pathogen-free (SPF) 21-day-old chicks were randomly divided into three groups of 40. One group was used as negative control with PBS inoculation, the other two groups were inoculated with the local fowlpox vaccine produced by Razi Institute and commercial FP vaccines, and they were kept for five weeks. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated using Ficoll-Hypaque density gradients and the percentages of CD3⁺, CD3⁺, CD4⁺, and CD3⁺CD8⁺ T lymphocytes were analyzed with flow cytometry. Seven days post-immunization, a maximum (90-100%) swelling formation ("take") on the vaccination site was observed. The ratios of CD4⁺ to CD8⁺ T-lymphocytes in both vaccinated groups were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than the control group inoculated with PBS. The percentages of CD3⁺, CD3⁺CD4⁺, and CD3⁺CD8⁺ T-lymphocytes were increased in chickens vaccinated with commercial and local FP vaccines. There were no significant differences between the groups receiving commercial and local fowl pox vaccines. The present study showed that protective immunity could be associated with increased cellular immune responses, which has been interpreted as enhancing T-cell proliferation and increasing CD4⁺ to CD8⁺ ratios through vaccination with the FP vaccine. This study further suggests that the induction of enhanced immune responses is due mainly to the Th1-type response.

Innovative human resource management strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic narrative review approach

BACKGROUND

The spread of COVID-19 creates disruption, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity in all organizations. People are the primary asset of any organization and help achieve their goals. Accordingly, to manage human resources sustainably, the organizational strategy review is an appropriate retort.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this comprehensive review study is to identify unknown challenges, strategies, and unusual decisions related to human resource management other than clinical organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

The study applied a narrative review approach dissection based on organizations' human resource management strategies to combat the COVID-19 impacts. The review study conducted published literature research through the electronic databases at Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, and LISTA. The study extracted 1281 articles from the mentioned databases from November 2021 to the first quarter of 2021. This study reviewed selected papers, included 15 relevant articles, and removed duplicates according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Finally, the study developed a conceptual framework of human resource management strategies based on the literature findings to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

RESULTS

The COVID-19 pandemic posed numerous adverse consequences, such as economic shock, global health crisis, change in social behaviors, and challenges at the organization level to continue business operations. Besides, the strategies included flexibility, strengthening internal efficiency, talent acquisition, and making innovative changes based on organizational assessment and needs for smooth business activities.

CONCLUSION

The appropriate human resource management strategies implementations would increase employees' mental well-being, satisfaction, productivity, motivation, and health safety at the workplace.

A new endoscopic submucosal resection -ligation technique for gastric tumors

Although most subepithelial lesions are benign, the malignant forms could present as serious life-threating cancers. Their accurate diagnosis depends on complete surgical resection. Different endoscopic methods have been recommended for the resection. Recently, the EMR has been considered as a safe and effective technique, while various revised EMR techniques have been introduced. In this study, a new version of EMR has been evaluated in two patients. Two middle-aged cases with gastric subepithelial tumors were admitted to Taleghani gastrointestinal department. The polyps were resected via our new Endoscopic Mucosal Resection (EMR) technique. In this technique, the needle knife was used for un-roofing the mucosal surface. Then, the polyps were resected with hot snares. The hemoclips were applied for ligation too. We found no early or delayed complications. Furthermore, the microscopic margins of the lesions were free. Our study represented a safe and cost-beneficial technique for subepithelial lesions and no complications was found and the margins were free. However, further investigations are required for confirming the validity of this new EMR technique.

Validity and reliability of Persian translation of the Borderline Evaluation of Severity over Time (BEST) questionnaire

Background: Borderline Evaluation of Severity over Time (BEST) is one of the self-reported tools for evaluation of the severity and track the response of treatment of borderline personality disorder. The present study evaluated the validity and reliability of Persian Translation of the Borderline Evaluation of Severity over Time (BEST) Questionnaire and to compare it with a semi-structured clinical interview for DSM-IV axis II (SCID-II).

Methods: The questionnaire was translated into Persian and then, the content and face validities of the questionnaire were determined. The translated BEST questionnaire and SCID-II were conducted on 33 outpatients and 32 hospitalized patients with diagnosis of borderline personality disorder and 30 patients’ companions. Forty-five patients completed the questionnaire again in an interval between 7 to 45 days. The data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis, paired sample t-test, and the Pearson correlation coefficient and Cronbach’s α coefficient.

Results: This study evaluates the content validity, face validity, and criterion validity and reliability of the Persian version of the BEST Questionnaire. The mean scores of the BEST questionnaire were 45.6, 39.2, and 24.3 in in-patients, outpatients, and controls, respectively (p=0.001). The mean scores of the BEST questionnaire were 43.7 in the first evaluation, and 41.4 in the second one (r=0.619, p<0.001). Cronbach’s α coefficient was 0.761, and it reached to 0.898 after omitting items 13 to 15. The questionnaire had a two-factor structure, including internal turmoil and the disturbance in interpersonal relationships.

Conclusion: The Persian version of the BEST Questionnaire has a high face and content validity, high criterion validity, moderate to high reliability, and an acceptable two-factor structure.

Prognostic factors in patients with active non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS

Acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding is one of the main causes of hospitalisation. The purpose of this study was to determine the prognostic factors in non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Clinical outcomes, demographic and laboratory variables of the subjects were collected from the HIS software and national code with the SQL format from three hospitals in Qazvin. The data were linked to the database software designed by the author. Clinical and upper endoscopic findings of patients' records were collected through a questionnaire form in the designed software database.

RESULTS

In this study, 29.2% of patients with favourable outcome and 64.2% of patients with unfavourable clinical outcomes had a history of anticoagulant drug use before hospitalisation (p < 0.001). The prevalence of chronic cardiovascular disease, chronic liver disease, chronic lung disease, diabetes and dialysis was higher in subjects with poor clinical outcomes than those with a favourable clinical outcome. 53.1% of subjects with favourable clinical outcome and 90.5% of subjects with undesirable clinical outcomes received packed red blood cell transfusion (p < 0.001). 16.1% of subjects with desirable clinical outcome and 86.3% of subjects with undesirable clinical outcomes received endoscopic haemostatic treatment which was statistically significant (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Undesirable clinical outcome in patients with acute non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding has a significant statistical association with longer hospitalisation, chronic underlying disease, anticoagulant administration, packed red blood cell infusion, higher Forrest stage, low systolic blood pressure, higher age, low haemoglobin, low platelet count, high INR and high BUN at the onset of diagnosis.

Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor of the Larynx:A Case Report

INTRODUCTION

Inflammatory myofibroblastic pseudotumors are initially described in the lung and various extrapulmonary sites such as the orbits, palatine tonsils, ears, gingiva, pterygomaxillary space, and periodontal tissues. These tumors rarely involve the larynx and predilection to the glottis occurs in an indolent manner.

CASE REPORT

This case describes a laryngeal myofibroblastic tumor in a 46-year-old woman who presented with an aggressive tumor that extended to the floor of the mouth and the base of the tongue. Extended supraglottic laryngectomy was undertaken for the patient. The diagnosis was spindle cell proliferation with dense lymphoplasma cell infiltration compatible with inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (Inflammatory pseudotumor or plasma cell granuloma). Definitive diagnosis was achieved with immunohistochemical (IHC) staining.

CONCLUSION

We believe that further IHC studies are required to define the true nature of these tumors especially for those that behave in an aggressive pattern.

Huge myxoid liposarcoma of the esophagus: a case report

Although esophageal liposarcoma is an extremely rare tumor, liposarcoma is the most common soft tissue sarcoma in adults. Liposarcoma is currently classified into the types of well-differentiated, myxoid, round cell, pleomorphic and dedifferentiated liposarcoma. Up to now only a few cases of esophagus liposarcoma have been described in the world literature. We describe a myxoid type liposarcoma of the esophagus in a 68 year old man presented with hoarseness and intermittent dysphagea to solid food. He had a huge mass in his mouth which was mobile with gag reflex. A barium swallow, esophageal manometery and CT scan of the esophagus have not clearly revealed the mass. After endoscopic surgical resection of the tumor the histological examination revealed a myxoid liposarcoma. Both the presenting signs and symptoms and the histology type are rare for such tumor. This case demonstrate a rare differential diagnosis of intermittent dysphagia as early diagnosis is so important in those tumors and should kept in mind them, although they are quite rare.

Angiomyxoma of the larynx: case report of a rare tumor

Laryngeal spindle cell neoplasms are uncommon tumors, frequently misdiagnosed as reactive lesions or mesenchymal malignancies. One of the rare mesenchymal tumors of the larynx is myxoid spindle cell tumor (angiomyxoma), a benign proliferative lesion. It is considered the laryngeal counterpart of the aggressive angiomyxoma of the pelvis and perineum. Although benign, angiomyxomas have a propensity for local recurrence due to their tendency to infiltrate surrounding tissues. They commonly appear encapsulated, but simple enucleation does not provide adequate treatment; excision should include a margin of normal tissue around the tumor. We describe a case of laryngeal angiomyxoma in a 40-year-old man that, to the best of our knowledge, is only the second such case reported in the literature. The tumor in our case showed no histologic evidence of aggressive behavior, but because of the potential for local recurrence, close follow-up was warranted.

Skin Metastasis from an Occult Esophageal Adenocarcinoma

Metastases to the skin from carcinoma arising in other organs are uncommon, yet they may be the first presentation of neoplastic disease. They usually originate from primary tumours in the breast, lung or colon. Skin metastases from esophageal adenocarcinoma are extremely rare. A unique case of an otherwise healthy patient who presented with a small, painless, mobile, clinically localized facial skin nodule is reported. A biopsy revealed metastatic adenocarcinoma, and subsequent investigations detected the primary tumour in the esophagus, despite no symptoms.

TNM classification and breast cancer in an African population: a descriptive study

OBJECTIVE

To determine the stage of female breast cancer in an African population at presentation by using the TNM classification of the International Union Contra Cancer (UICC).

DESIGN

A descriptive study.

SETTING

Hospital based investigation.

SUBJECTS

All 50 female patients with breast carcinoma admitted between March and October 1996 to the surgery wards at the Muhimbili Medical Centre, the largest referral centre in Tanzania were studied for the stage of the disease at presentation.

RESULTS

A total of 50 cases were recruited in this study. There was not a single case in Stage I. In Stage II there was only one case (T2 N0, n = 1). There were seven cases in Stage IIIA (T3 N0, n = 5; T1 N2, n = 1; T3 N2, n = 1) while in Stage IIIB there were 37 cases (T3 N3, n = 1; T4 N1, n = 27; T4 N2, n = 9). There were five cases in Stage IV (M1, n = 5). Histological analysis revealed all tumours were infiltrating duct carcinoma. Metastatic disease (Stage IV) was observed only in patients aged above 50 years.

CONCLUSIONS

Breast cancer presents predominantly as a locally advanced disease, with virtual absence of early disease. A majority of the patients are premenopausal in an African population. Self breast examination (SBE) including other strategies suggested earlier are recommended to aid in early detection of breast cancer.

Distribution of nodules in thyroid lobes

Frequency of berign nodules in each lobes of the thyroid gland was determined in 214 consecutive patients who underwent thyroid operation. All cases had thyroid scintiscans. The right lobe was involved two times more than the left. In order to determine if this higher frequency was related to the naturally-occurring greater mass of the right lobe, fifteen normal thyroid glands from consecutive autopsy cases were bisected into halves and the weight of the two segments were compared. Although in 13 glands the right lobe was the larger one, the average weight difference was only seven percent.