Survivin as a potential biomarker for early diagnosis of the progression of precancerous lesions to gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

Gastric cancer is a common cancer developed in a carcinogenesis process from precancerous lesions including chronic gastritis, intestinal metaplasia, and dysplasia. Survivin, an inhibitor-of-apoptosis protein, is associated with the initiation and progression of gastric cancer. The present study aimed to evaluate the immunohistochemical expression patterns of survivin and its relationship with early diagnosis of gastric cancer in Iranian patients.

METHODS

In this retrospective case-control study, immunoexpression of survivin was investigated on sections obtained from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue blocks of 38 chronic gastritis, 32 intestinal metaplasia, 20 dysplasia, 28 gastric adenocarcinoma, and 22 controls.

RESULTS

Survivin immunoexpression in chronic gastritis was higher than controls, but this difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). However, survivin immunoexpression had a steady significant increase from control and chronic gastritis to intestinal metaplasia to dysplasia to gastric adenocarcinoma (P < 0.05). Sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve of survivin immunohistochemical test for the diagnosis of gastric cancer were 87.5%, 74.4%, and 0.85, respectively. Males had a significantly higher survivin expression than females (P < 0.001). Also, survivin expression was significantly higher in older patients than in younger ones (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

It seems that the steady increase in survivin expression from different precancerous lesions to gastric adenocarcinoma suggests that survivin can be used as a potential biomarker for the prevention and early diagnosis of gastric cancer.

26 Virtual strabismus clinic: an alternative model of care during the COVID-19 pandemic

Addenbrooke's Hospital introduced a virtual strabismus clinic in March 2021 to manage patient care during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to explore the feasibility and utility of this care model by evaluating its effectiveness in delivering patient care.Clinic data from April 2021 to April 2022 were retrospectively analysed, including patient demographics, referral information and outcomes. All patients underwent an initial assessment by a specialist orthoptist, preceding virtual review by a consultant ophthalmologist.The clinic saw 114 patients between the ages of 12 and 95 during this period, with an increasing number of patients seen per month. Within two months of the clinic's inception, wait times reduced by 59%: from 30.2 weeks to 12.5 weeks, remaining constant thereafter. Most referrals came from optometrists, with diplopia and identification of new or recurring strabismus being the most common complaint. Virtual review outcome varied significantly: 30.7% of patients were discharged, 16.7% listed for surgery, 34.2% received a repeat FTF review and a further 18.4% received a review virtually.Following its inception, the virtual clinic was able to effectively accommodate patients despite capacity restraints. This was partly achieved through the effective utilisation of specialised orthoptists. Subsequent virtual review by a consultant ophthalmologist achieved positive patient outcomes.Virtual clinics provide an opportunity to optimise patient care and maximise efficiency of clinical input. If applied appropriately, this model of patient care may reduce the NHS burden, improving wait times to facilitate faster intervention. Increasing consultant availability permits the treatment of a greater number of patients.

The Effect of Doxycycline on Achilles Tendon Repair in a Rat Model

Introduction:

Doxycycline is a commonly used antibiotic that is also a potent inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs). The use of doxycycline in repairing tendon lesions has been previously investigated and conflicting findings have been reported on its effectiveness. In this study, we sought to evaluate the effects of exposure to doxycycline on Achilles tendon repair.

Materials and Methods:

Twenty healthy rats of the same breed and gender were randomly assigned to two groups of sham, and Doxycycline group therapy. The rats underwent a surgical intervention in which a 2mm incision was performed on the lateral sides of the right Achilles tendons. The treatment group received oral gavage administrations of 50mg/kg/day of doxycycline for 30 days. After this duration, tissue samples were taken from the site of the injuries, which were then histologically evaluated for alignment of the collagen fibres, inflammation reaction, cellular density, and fibroblastic activity.

Results:

The histological assessment of the tissue samples, revealed significant changes in the repaired tissues of the treatment group in comparison to the sham group; namely more irregularity in the alignment of the collagen fibres, increased cellular density, and increased fibroblastic activity. However, only the alignment of the collagen fibres reached the statistical significance.

Conclusion:

The results of this study indicate that exposure to doxycycline may result in the improvement of repair of the Achilles tendon injuries, especially collagen filament integrity.

Atmospheric coherence time measurement by four-aperture DIMM defocus velocity technique

In this work, we estimate the atmospheric Fried parameter $ {r_0} $r₀, average wind speed $ \bar v $v¯, and subsequently, atmospheric coherence time $ {\tau _0} $τ₀ by experimental measurement via a four-aperture differential image motion monitor (DIMM) instrument at the Iranian National Observatory (INO) site. The experimental approach is based on the four-aperture DIMM defocus velocity theory, which uses the angle-of-arrival fluctuation measurement of starlight propagation through atmospheric turbulence in the form of a four-spot configuration provided by the four-aperture DIMM telescope. Here, we measure the defocus variance $ \sigma _{{C_4}}^2 $σC₄2 and its velocity variance $ \sigma _{\partial {C_4}/\partial t}^2 $σ∂C₄/∂t2 and use the preceding theory to estimate the atmospheric turbulence parameters. We have implemented the data sampling at the INO site at an altitude of 3600 m above sea level with a 12-inch Meade Cassegrain telescope consisting of a four-aperture mask at its entrance pupil and a fast CCD camera recording short-exposure images with frame rates in the range of 480 fps to 620 fps from the Capella star. The experimental recorded data sets are analyzed and the results compared to those of our simulation and other methods and demonstrate good agreement.

Use of a 4-aperture DIMM instrument for atmospheric coherence time estimation: an analytical development

We report on an analytic method to estimate the Fried parameter r₀, average wind speed v¯, and subsequently the atmospheric coherence time τ₀ via a 4-aperture differential image motion monitor (DIMM) instrument. The theory developed here shows that the velocity of defocus aberration is statistically related to atmospheric turbulence parameters which are measured by means of angle of arrival (AA) fluctuations. Then, using the variance of the defocus velocity of four spots and the derived analytic relation, the atmospheric coherence time can be estimated. In parallel to the analytic work, some sequences of a star image with 700 Hz acquisition frequency are considered to simulate the atmospheric defocus and its variations by the 4-aperture DIMM instrument for the first 10 km near the ground in both one- and three-layer atmospheric models. The estimations from the analytic method are found to be in good agreement with the simulation data obtained for starlight propagating through different atmospheric conditions.

Comment on "Modeling the electrical conduction in DNA nanowires: Charge transfer and lattice fluctuation theories"

In a recent paper [S. Behnia and S. Fathizadeh, Phys. Rev. E 91, 022719 (2015)10.1103/PhysRevE.91.022719] an analytical approach is proposed for the investigation of the conductivity properties of DNA. The authors use mean Lyapunov exponent methods as the backbone of their approach and try to interpret properties of the system based on its behavior. Their interpretation regarding the change in nature of the mean Lyapunov exponent at the denaturation temperatures and discussions of stability and instability based on the mean Lyapunov exponent method are questioned. Moreover there is misunderstanding between mean Lyapunov exponent and Lyapunov exponent.

All-optical switching between optical bistability and multistability in a defect dielectric medium doped with a multiple quantum well nanostructure

In this paper, optical bistability (OB) and multistability (OM) properties of a defect dielectric slab are studied. A GsAs multiple quantum well nanostructure (MQW) with 17.5 nm GaAs wells and 15 nm Al(0.3) Ga(0.7) barriers is used in the dielectric medium as a defect layer. Therefore, properties of the refractive index of the slab can be changed in the presence of MQWs. It is observed that switching from OB to OM can be obtained by controlling some external parameters. We find that the exciton spin relaxation and thickness of the slab have essential roles in adjusting the OB and OM properties of the probe light through the slab. Moreover, transmission, reflection, and absorption properties of the propagating pulse through the slab are also discussed. We show that the subluminal and superluminal light transmission or reflection can be obtained via amplification of the probe pulse through the medium. We hope that our proposed model may be suitable for the development of nanoscale devices in all-optical quantum information technology.

Pulmonary tuberculosis in migratory nomadic populations: the missing link in Iran's National Tuberculosis Programme

OBJECTIVE

To detect pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in migratory nomadic populations in Fars Province, southern Iran.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

RESULTS

In this study, 5506 (82.8%) of a total nomad population of 6650 from 1337 tents were screened for PTB. The mean age was 27.4 ± 18.2 years (range 1-109). Based on clinical symptoms, 141/5506 (2.6%) were identified as TB suspects. One male and three female adult new smear-positive PTB cases were detected, giving an incidence rate of 0.7/1000 population compared to 0.08/1000 in the general population of the region, and 28.4/1000 TB suspects. The median time to onset of symptoms in detected cases was 82.5 days. Tribal stigma against female TB patients was one of the main barriers to appropriate health-seeking behaviour.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of smear-positive PTB among migratory nomads is approximately nine-fold higher than in the general population. Active screening of TB in migratory nomads should be integrated into Iran's national TB control programme. The issue of destigmatisation, particularly among female TB patients, should also be addressed.

Mortality and morbidity in patients with X-linked agammaglobulinaemia

BACKGROUND

X-linked agammaglobulinaemia (XLA) is a genetic disorder characterised by a defect in the generation of mature B cells, lack of antibodies production, and susceptibility to recurrent bacterial infections. Understanding of the risk factors responsible for morbidity and mortality in these patients can help in a better management of this disorder. However, there is a lack of specific studies in the literature regarding the morbidity and mortality of XLA patients. This study is designed to evaluate morbidities and mortality and survival rates in Iranian patients with XLA diagnosis during the past 20 years.

METHODS

We have registered the clinical data of the XLA patients and followed them up until 2010. At the time of diagnosis, a four-page questionnaire including complete medical information was filled out for all patients. Follow-up information was gathered either by reviewing the patients' hospital records or regularly visiting the patients.

RESULTS

Among 41 patients, 26.8% died during the follow up period. All of the complications before the initiation of treatment such as pneumonia, otitis media and diarrhoea were reduced after immunoglobulin replacement, except sinusitis and conjunctivitis. There were significant associations between some immunological and clinical characteristics such as lymphocyte subsets, consanguinity marriage and mortality.

CONCLUSION

Despite recent advances in the treatment of XLA, these patients still suffer from severe complications. Associations between poor prognosis and clinical and some immunological characteristics of the patients may help physicians to select poor prognoses patients at higher risk of mortality to develop prevention strategies for them.

Multifractal analysis of thermal denaturation based on the Peyrard-Bishop-Dauxois model

The theory of DNA dynamics is exceedingly complex and not easily explained. In the past two decades, by adapting methods of statistical physics, the dynamics of DNA in contact with a thermal bath is widely studied. In this paper, the thermal denaturation of DNA in the framework of the Peyrard-Bishop-Dauxois (PBD) model through the Rényi dimension is investigated. As a result, the Rényi dimension spectrum of the melting transition process reveals the multifractal nature of the dynamics of the Peyrard-Bishop-Dauxois model. Also, it can be concluded that the Rényi dimension (D(q)) at negative values of q is the characteristic signature of pre-melting and thermal denaturation of DNA. Furthermore, this approach is in excellent agreement with previous experimental studies.

The neuroprotective effects of progesterone on experimental diabetic neuropathy in rats

This study was conducted to investigate the neuroprotective effects of progesterone (PROG) on electrophysiological and histomorphometrical alternation in STZ-induced diabetic neuropathy starting from 4 weeks after the diabetic induction. Thirty adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups (with 10 rats in each), control (nondiabetic), untreated diabetic and diabetic PROG-treated. Diabetes was induced in adult male rats by a single dose injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 55 mg kg(-1), i.p.). In the PROG-treated group, 4 weeks after induce of diabetes; rats were treated with PROG (8 mg kg(-1), i.p., every two days) for 6 weeks. Diabetic rats showed a significant reduction in motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV), mean myelinated fibers (MFs) diameter, axon diameter and myelin sheath thickness in the sciatic nerve after 6 weeks. In the untreated diabetic group endoneurial edema was observed in sciatic nerve and the numbers of MFs with infolding into the axoplasm, irregularity of fibers, myelin sheath with unclear boundaries and alteration in myelin compaction were also increased. Long-term treatment with PROG increased MNCV significantly and prevented all these abnormalities in treated diabetic rats. Our findings indicated that PROG as a therapeutic approach can protect neurophysiologic and histomorphologic alterations induced by peripheral diabetic neuropathy.

Effects of methyl-beta-cyclodextrin and cholesterol on cryosurvival of spermatozoa from C57BL/6 mouse

MBCD and Cholesterol-Loaded-Cyclodextrin (CLC) were examined for their abilities to increase the cryosurvival of C57BL/6 mouse sperm, the main strain of genetically engineered mice. The intactness of acrosome and motility of frozen/thawed spermatozoa were used to monitor cryosurvival. In this experimental study, male mice were randomly divided in 6 groups: control 1, experimental 1, experimental 2, control 2, experimental 3 and experimental 4. In experimental groups 1 and 2 spermatozoa were exposed to 0.75 and 1 mM MBCD and in experimental groups 3 and 4 were exposed to two different concentrations of CLC (1 and 2 mg mL(-1)) over a period of 1 h and were subsequently cryopreserved. Spermatozoa in control 1 group were frozen without any exposure to CLC or MBCD and in control 2 (vehicle), sperms were incubated with 4 mM MBCD. The post-thaw sperms were evaluated for their motility and acrosomal status. The values of the intact acrosome and motility increased significantly with concentration of CLC compared to controls and MBCD experimental groups (p<0.05). These results indicate that cryosurvival of C57BL/6 mouse spermatozoa is enhanced by exposure to MBCD which loaded with cholesterol (CLC) before freezing and MBCD alone can not protect sperm from freeze-thaw damage efficiently compare to CLC.