Free-living amoebae in an oil refinery wastewater treatment facility

Free Living Amoebae (FLA) are ubiquitous microorganisms reported from harsh environmental conditions. Oil refinery facilities consume vast volumes of water during their processes, generating a large amount of wastewater. The present study aimed to evaluate the wastewater treatment process in an oil refinery wastewater treatment facility (ORWWTF) for the presence of FLA. Water samples were collected from an oil refinery wastewater (ORWW) for nine months. After recording physical-chemical features, samples were cultivated onto non-nutrient agar (NNA). The discriminative fragments of the ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene were amplified and sequenced to characterize the isolated FLA. Phylogenetic tree, and network analysis were employed to evaluate genetic relationships. The thermo- and osmotolerant tests were performed on the isolated FLA. Twenty-five (32.9%) samples were positive for FLA cultivation. Acanthamoeba spp., Vahlkampfiids, and Vermamoeba spp. were detected, of which Acanthamoeba species were predominant. There was no statistical correlation between pH, NH₃, PO₄, H₂S, and TDS with the presence of FLA. A statistical correlation between the presence of FLA and the type of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) was significant (P-value = 0.011). All Acanthamoeba spp. isolates belonged to the genotypes T4 (17/21; 80.95%) and T11 (4/21; 19.05%). Vahlkampfiids were Naegleria spp., (7/10; 70%), Tetramitus aberdonicus (1/10; 10%), Learamoeba spp., (1/10; 10%), and Vahlkampfia spp., (1/10; 10%). All three Vermamoeba spp. were V. vermiformis. The ORWW contains toxic materials, and a few microorganisms can stay active in these environments. This is the first study which isolates FLA from such super harsh conditions. For the first time, T. aberdonicus, and Learamoeba spp., were isolated from oily wastewater. Our findings signify the concern due to the distribution of potentially pathogenic FLA to downstream lands via treated wastewater that may be released after treatment processing.

Intercostal or ulnar nerve: Which donor nerve is to be used for reanimation of elbow flexion?

BACKGROUND

In total brachial plexus injury, intercostal nerves (ICNs) are used as donor nerves to restore the elbow flexion; albeit in upper brachial plexus injury (BPI), ulnar nerve provides a source of motor axons for this purpose. The present study set out to compare the restoration of elbow flexion by using these two donor nerves.

METHODS

Between 2010 and 2013, 24 adult patients with upper-middle BPI and 15 patients with total BPI undergoing elbow flexion restoration surgery were studied. Motor fascicle of flexor carpi ulnaris branch of ulnar nerve (mFCU nerve) procedure was utilized in upper-middle BPI, as well as transfer of ICN to biceps branch of the musculocutaneous nerve (MCN) in total BPI. Both techniques included sectioning, rerouting, and direct suturing of the biceps branch of the MCN. Follow-up consisted serial clinical examinations and EMG-NCV tests. Motor strength was recorded according to the British Medical Research Council grading system in that the results were reported as nonfunctional (grades M0-M2) and functional (grades M3-M5).

RESULT

No significant difference was documented between the Oberlin procedure and ICN-MCN transfer in terms of reinnervation results (P = 0.6). However, a significant difference in restoration of muscle force was found between the mFCU (95.83%) and ICN-MCN transfers (66.66%) (P = 0.02).

CONCLUSION

The evidence from the present study indicates that although ICN-MCN transfer is a viable method for reanimation of elbow flexion in BPI, mFCU nerve is a better donor if exists.

Intramuscular compared with subcutaneous transposition for surgery in cubital tunnel syndrome

Background There is no consensus on the most effective surgical technique in the treatment of cubital tunnel syndrome. Anterior subcutaneous transposition (AST) and anterior intramuscular transposition (AIT) are common surgical treatments in this regard. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical outcomes of these two surgeries for cubital tunnel syndrome. Methods In a retrospective study, we compared surgical outcomes (pain, sensation, motor recovery, atrophy, and total satisfaction) in 40 patients undergoing AIT and 43 undergoing AST of the ulnar nerve. Results The patients undergoing AIT showed a significant improvement in all the outcomes after the surgery (P = 0); however, those undergoing AST only experienced an improvement in pain and sensation after the surgery (P = 0). Comparing the two surgeries, we found that there was a high total satisfaction with AIT compared with AST (P = 0). When we independently compared each outcome in the two groups, we found that the muscle force recovery was significantly improved in the AIT group compared with the AST group (P = 0). Conclusions AIT is preferable to AST for the surgical treatment of cubital tunnel syndrome. In particular, AIT achieves a better motor recovery of the ulnar nerve compared with AST.

Maternal SSRI exposure increases the risk of autistic offspring: A meta-analysis and systematic review

BACKGROUND

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most common antidepressants used to preclude maternal pregnancy depression. There is a growing body of literature assessing the association of prenatal exposure to SSRIs with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The present systematic review and meta-analysis reviewed the medical literature and pooled the results of the association of prenatal exposure to SSRIs with ASD.

METHODS

Published investigations in English by June 2016 with keywords of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, SSRI, autism spectrum disorder, ASD, pregnancy, childhood, children, neurodevelopment were identified using databases PubMed and PMC, MEDLINE, EMBASE, SCOPUS, and Google Scholar. Cochran's Q statistic-value (Q), degree of freedom (df), and I² indices (variation in odds ratio [OR] attributable to heterogeneity) were calculated to analyze the risk of heterogeneity of the within- and between-study variability. Pooled odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were reported by a Mantel-Haenszel test.

RESULTS

There was a non-significant heterogeneity for the included studies ([Q=3.61, df=6, P=0.730], I²=0%). The pooled results showed a significant association between prenatal SSRI exposure and ASD (OR=1.82, 95% CI=1.59-2.10, Z=8.49, P=0.00).

CONCLUSION

The evidence from the present study suggests that prenatal exposure to SSRIs is associated with a higher risk of ASD.

Cell-free fetal DNA in amniotic fluid supernatant for prenatal diagnosis

In widespread conviction, amniotic fluid is utilized for prenatal diagnosis. Amniotic fluid supernatant is usually discarded, notwithstanding being a good source of fetal DNA. The aim of the present study was to assess cell-free fetal DNA extracted from amniotic fluid supernatant for application in prenatal diagnosis such as gender determination and early diagnosis of β-thalassemia. Samples of amniotic fluid of 70 pregnant women were collected and went through routine tests along with tests for cell-free fetal DNA from amniotic fluid supernatant. The DNA in the amniotic fluid supernatant was extracted and analyzed for gender determination by PCR and Real-time PCR. ARMS-PCR was applied to test early diagnosis of IVS II-I mutation (common β-thalassemia mutation) and E7V mutation for sickle cell anemia using DNA extracted from the amniotic fluid supernatant. Using the cell-free fetal DNA extracted from the amniotic fluid supernatant, the sensitivity of PCR and Real-time PCR for gender detection was compared with the routine cytogenetic method. The fetus tested for sickle cell anemia and β-thalassemia was observed to be healthy but heterozygous for IVS II-I mutation. The findings indicated that cell-free fetal DNA from amniotic fluid supernatant can be a good source of fetal DNA and be used in early prenatal diagnosis since because of its fast and accurate application. Therefore, it would be suggested that the amniotic fluid supernatant's disposal is prevented because if the tests needs to be repeated, cell-free fetal DNA extracted from the amniotic fluid supernatant can be used as an alternative source for prenatal diagnosis.

EFFECTS OF EXERCISE ON MIR-29 AND IGF-1 EXPRESSION AND LIPID PROFILE IN THE HEART OF OVARIECTOMIZED RAT

Introduction

Menopause increases the risk of cardiovascular disease in women. The aims of the present study were to evaluate the effects of swimming training on cardiac histology and expression of miR-29 and IGF-1 in the ovariectomized rats.

Materials and methods

Thirty female Wistar rats were divided into sham and ovariectomized groups: sedentary control (OVX) and trained with 8 weeks exercise (OVX.E). On 57^th day, blood was collected and used for lipid profile measurement. In addition, heart tissue was analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction for IGF-1 mRNA and miR-29, and studied for histopathological changes.

Results

Ovariectomy significantly decreased miR-29 and IGF-1 expression in the heart compared to sham animals group (p<0.05). Exercise training increased miR-29 and IGF-1 expression in the trained rats and improved histology and lipid profile compared with OVX group (p<0.05).

Conclusion

Estrogen deficiency could lead to cardiac fibrosis through deregulation miR-29 and IGF-1 expression. The findings of the current study suggests a protective effect of exercise on heart against fibrotic changes in ovariectomized rats and support a potential preventive value of exercise in improving cardiac function after menopause.

Expression profiling of microarray gene signatures in acute and chronic myeloid leukaemia in human bone marrow

BACKGROUND

Classification of cancer subtypes by means of microarray signatures is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore as a potential to transform pathological diagnosis; nonetheless, measurement of Indicator genes in routine practice appears to be arduous. In a preceding published study, we utilized real-time PCR measurement of Indicator genes in acute lymphoid leukaemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) as a way of application of microarray gene signatures. More to the point, the specificity of such genes for this distinction was investigated by their measurement in cases afflicted with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) and with normal bone marrow (BM).

MATERIAL AND METHOD

Mononuclear cells were sorted into unselected (total), CD34+ve, and CD34-ve fractions, mRNA globally amplified by using PolyA PCR. Moreover, the level of expression of 17 Indicator genes was identified by using real-time PCR.

RESULTS

No statistically significant difference was observed in expression for any gene among CML cases. Cyclin D3 (p≤0.04) was exclusively upregulated in CML in the CD34+ fraction, notwithstanding upregulation of HkrT-1 (p≤0.02) and fumarylacetoacetate (p≤0.03) in AML. HOXA9 experienced a non-significant upregulation in AML; however, in combination with proteoglycan 1 distinguished between AML and normal samples in the CD34- fraction in unsupervised clustering. Unsupervised clustering distinguished among AML and the other diagnostic groups.

CONCLUSION

The evidence from the present study suggests that the genes discriminatory between ALL and AML are uninformative in the context of CML and normal BM, excepting for distinction with AML.

Atorvastatin reduces the myocardial content of coenzyme Q10 in isoproterenol-induced heart failure in rats

The present study was aimed to study the effects of different doses of atorvastatin on Co Q10 content in the myocardium tissue in rats. A subcutaneous injection of isoproterenol (5 mg/kg/day) for 10 days was used for the induction of heart failure. Rats were randomly assigned to control, treatment with atorvastatin (5, 10, 20 mg/kg/day) and treatment with atorvastatin plus coenzyme Q10 (10 mg/kg/day). Coenzyme Q10 content of myocardium was measured using HPLC method with UV detector after hemodynamic parameters measurements. The malondialdehyde (MDA) content of the myocardium was evaluated in order to determine coenzyme Q10 antioxidative effect. A high dose of atorvastatin (20 mg/kg/day) was significantly reduced the myocardium content of coenzyme Q10 as compared with isoproterenol treated group (p<0.001). Compared with atorvastatin alone treated animals, co-administration of coenzyme Q10 with atorvastatin was improved the level of coenzyme Q10 in the myocardium (p<0.05, p<0.001). Increasing the dose of atorvastatin also led to increase in MDA content of the myocardium (p<0.01). Serum lipid profile showed no changes in atorvastatin treated groups. The results of this study demonstrate that high doses of atorvastatin reduce coenzyme Q10 content of the myocardium and increase lipid peroxidation in myocardium which is reversed by coenzyme Q10 co-administration.

Reduction of coenzyme q10 content: a possible effect of isoproterenol on heart failure and myocardial infarction in rat

Myocardial infarction (MI) was induced by subcutaneous injection of isoproterenol (ISO) to investigate the effect of ISO on Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) content of myocardium and subsequent effects on lipid peroxidation, electrocardiogram pattern and hemodynamic parameters of the rat's heart.36 male Wistar rats were divided randomly into 6 groups. To induce heart failure (HF) and MI, 10 and 100 mg/kg of ISO was administered subcutaneously for 10 and 2 consecutive days, respectively. The effects of ISO on myocardium CoQ10 content, concentration of malondialdehyde, ECG pattern and hemodynamic parameters of heart were analyzed.ISO-treated rats showed significant alteration in heart hemodynamic parameters such as reduction of left-ventricular systolic pressure, maximum and minimum rate of developed left ventricular pressure, besides increase of left ventricular end-diastolic pressure. Significant depletion of heart CoQ10 content (from 4.57 and 4.55 µg/100 mg tissue in control groups to 2.85 and 2.89 µg/100 mg tissue in ISO-induced HF and MI groups respectively) and increase in tissue levels of malondialdehyde (47.1 and 53.8 nmol/100 mg tissue in ISO-induced HF and MI groups, respectively) were also observed in ISO-treated animals compared with the normal animals (17.4 and 18.8 nmol/100 mg tissue in control groups, respectively). Additionally CoQ10 improved ISO effects on hemodynamic parameters and ECG pattern in ISO-induced HF and myocardial injury.The present findings have demonstrated that the cardiotoxic effects of ISO such as oxidative damage and hemodynamic declination might be related to depletion of CoQ10 concentration.

Validation and optimization of experimental colitis induction in rats using 2, 4, 6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid

Trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis is one of the most common methods for studying inflammatory bowel disease in animal models. Several factors may, however, affect its reproducibility, rate of animal mortality, and macroscopic and histopathological outcomes. Our aim was to validate the main contributing factors to this method and compare the effects of different reference drugs upon remission of resultant colon injuries. TNBS was dissolved in 0.25 ml of ethanol (50% v/v) and instilled (25, 50, 100 and 150 mg/kg) intracolonically to the male Wistar rats. After determination of optimum dose of TNBS in male rats and assessment of this dose in female rats, they were treated with reference drugs including dexamethasone [1 mg/kg, intraperitoneally (i.p.) and 2 mg/kg, orally (p.o.)], Asacol (mesalazine, 100 mg/kg, p.o.; 150 mg/kg, enema) and hydrocortisone acetate (20 mg/kg, i.p.; 20 mg/kg, enema) which started 2 h after colitis induction and continued daily for 6 consecutive days. Thereafter, macroscopic and microscopic parameters and clinical features were assessed and compared in different groups. We found that the optimum dose of TNBS for the reproducibility of colonic damage with the least mortality rate was 50 mg/kg. Amongst studied reference drugs, hydrocortisone acetate (i.p.), dexamethasone (i.p. and p.o.) and Asacol (p.o.) significantly diminished the severity of macroscopic and microscopic injuries and could be considered effective for experimental colitis studies in rats . Our findings suggest that optimization of TNBS dose is essential for induction of colitis under the laboratory conditions; and gender exerts no impact upon macroscopic and histological characteristics of TNBS-induced colitis in rats. Furthermore, the enema forms of hydrocortisone and Asacol are not appropriate reference drugs.