Honey improves spermatogenesis and hormone secretion in testicular ischaemia-reperfusion-induced injury in rats.

This study was conducted to survey the protective effect of pre-treatment with Persian honey during post-ischaemia reperfusion on ischaemia-reperfusion (IR)-induced testis injury. Animals were divided into four groups of IR, honey + ischaemia- reperfusion (HIR), vitamin C + ischaemia- reperfusion (VIR) and carbohydrates + ischaemia- reperfusion (CIR). The testes were examined for spermatogenesis index. Detection of single- and double-stranded DNA breaks at the early stages of apoptosis was performed. Total serum concentration of FSH, LH and testosterone was measured using ELISA. All data were expressed as mean ± SD in each group, and significance was set at p ≤ .05. Spermatogenesis index was significant in the HIR group (p < .001). Serum levels of FSH and LH were significantly higher in the CIR and HIR groups. Serum levels of testosterone were significantly higher in VIR and HIR groups. Apoptotic cells in IR and CIR groups increased significantly statistically (p < .001), while in HIR and VIR groups, the number of apoptotic cells decreased and the positive cells of TUNEL staining were detected in spermatocytes and spermatid. The present study indicates that honey decreases the cellular damage and apoptosis during testicular I/R injury, with significant protective effects on reproductive hormone production.

Investigating the relationship between microalbuminuria and prognosis of patients with severe burns in the Motahari Burn Hospital.

Microalbuminuria seems to be a reflection of increased vascular permeability caused by systemic inflammatory response, and is likely to be a predictor of mortality, sepsis and other outcomes of severe burn patients. We investigated the impact of microalbuminuria on the prognosis of patients with severe burns. This is a prospective study on severe burn patients (above 20%) admitted in the first 24 hours after burns to the Motahari Burn Hospital. Patients' microalbuminuria was measured at admission and 48 hours later, and its relationship with patient prognosis (sepsis, renal failure, death, inhalation injury and systemic inflammatory response syndrome) was analyzed. We concluded that microalbuminuria at admission in patients with severe burns was directly related to inhalation injury (P = 0.018), ARDS during hospitalization (P = 0.001) and length of hospital stay (P = 0.025). Moreover, microalbuminuria at 48 hours after admission had a direct connection with patient death (P = 0.001), sepsis (P = 0.001), renal failure (P = 0.001) and SIRS (P = 0.001). Microalbuminuria is a simple, noninvasive, fast and affordable test to predict sepsis, mortality, renal failure, systemic inflammatory response and a finding associated with inhalation injury in severe burn patients, making it a fast prognostic predictor that helps to improve the management of these patients.

Une microalbuminurie semble traduire l'augmentation de perméabilité capillaire due à une réaction inflammatoire systémique et pourrait être un paramètre pronostic de mortalité, sepsis et autres évolutions des patients gravement brûlés. Nous avons étudié la relation entre microalbuminurie et devenir des patients sévèrement brûlés. Il s'agit d'une étude conduite chez des patients brûlés sur plus de 20% de SCT admis dans le CTB Motahari dans les 24 h suivant l'accident. La microalbuminurie a été mesurée à l'entrée et à h48 et son association avec une inhalation de fumée ainsi qu'avec le devenir du patient (sepsis, insuffisance rénale, décès, réponse inflammatoire systémique) a été analysée. La microalbuminurie à l'entrée est associée avec l'inhalation de fumées (p=0,018), la survenue d'un SDRA (p=0,001) et la durée d'hospitalisation (p=0,025). La microalbuminurie à h48 est associée au décès (p= 0,001), au sepsis (p= 0,001), à l'insuffisance rénale (p= 0,001) et au SIRS (p= 0,001). La microalbuminurie est un marqueur simple, rapide et abordable, fortement corrélé au sepsis, à la mortalité, à l'insuffisance rénale, au SIRS, fréquemment associé à une inhalation de fumées. Ceci en fait un marqueur pronostic rapide pouvant aider à améliorer la prise en charge de ces patients.

Phospholipase and proteinase activities of Candida spp. isolates from vulvovaginitis in Iran.

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY: This study aims to characterize phospholipase and proteinase activities of Candida isolates from 82 vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) and to study the relationship of these activities with vulvovaginitis. METHODS: Totally 82 Candida isolates from vagina samples of VVC patients were randomly collected over the period between September and December 2014 from hospitalized patients at the general hospitals of Lorestan province, Iran. Isolates were previously identified by conventional mycological methods. The phospholipase and proteinase activities were evaluated by Egg yolk agar, Tween 80 opacity medium and agar plate methods. RESULTS: The most common Candida species was identified Candida albicans (n=34, 41.5%), followed by Candida famata (n=13, 15.8%), Candida tropicalis (n=11, 13.4%), and Candida parapsilosis (n=9, 11%). The most phospholipase activity was observed in Candida colliculosa (40%), followed by C. famata (38.5%), and Candida krusei (33.3%). The findings revealed that the correlation between phospholipase production by Candida spp. and the presence of VVC was not found to be statistically significant (P=0.91). All Candida spp. exhibited considerable proteinase activity; so that 100% of C. colliculosa, C. parapsilosis, Candida kefyr, and Candida intermedia isolates produced high proteinase activity with Pz 4+ scores. There was a significant correlation between proteinase production by Candida spp. and the presence of VVC (P=0.009). CONCLUSION: The obtained findings revealed that Candida spp. isolates may produce both virulence factors, phospholipase and proteinase. Although the phospholipase production was only observed in <40% of the isolates; however there was a significant association between proteinase production by Candida spp. and VVC.

Two primary osteosarcomas in a patient with Rothmund-Thomson syndrome.

Rothmund-Thomson syndrome is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by poikilodermatous skin changes that develop in infancy. Associated manifestations include juvenile cataracts, sparse hair, short stature, skeletal defects, dystrophic nails and teeth, and hypogonadism. An increased incidence of malignancy, including osteosarcoma, has been reported in patients with Rothmund-Thomson syndrome. The molecular basis of the disorder is not known. This report describes a patient with Rothmund-Thomson syndrome in whom two primary osteosarcomas developed 12 years apart. The presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of osteosarcoma in this patient with Rothmund-Thomson syndrome are described. Cytogenetic and molecular analysis of peripheral blood and skin fibroblasts had low level mosaicism for trisomy of chromosomes 2 and 8. Although several patients have been described with mosaic trisomy 8 and i(2q) (mosaic isochromosome for the long arm of chromosome 2), the patient described here is the first to have mosaic trisomy for the entire chromosomes 2 and 8. The cytogenetic findings in this patient are consistent with an underlying defect in chromosomal stability.

Insidious destruction of the hip by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and why early diagnosis is critical.

Tuberculosis has re-emerged as an important problem in the United States. More than 10 million people presently are infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the United States alone. The symptoms at first presentation of the disease have become more diverse. With extrapulmonary manifestations, such as musculoskeletal infections, as the sole presenting sign, it often can be difficult to determine the correct diagnosis early in the course of the disease. The presenting symptoms, physical signs, and radiographic findings of intra-articular tuberculosis can mimic those of other intra-articular diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and avascular necrosis. In view of the nonspecific findings early in course of the disease, tubercular infection should be considered in the differential diagnosis when there is insidious articular destruction. Failure to consider tuberculosis can lead to devastating outcomes otherwise preventable with today's chemotherapies.

Melanoma of unknown primary site: presentation, treatment, and prognosis--a single institution study. University of Pennsylvania Pigmented Lesion Study Group.

BACKGROUND: A retrospective analysis of 40 patients diagnosed with melanoma of unknown primary site (MUP) was undertaken to analyze the etiology and clinical behavior of this presentation. METHODS: The patient records were located by a computer search of the Pigmented Lesion Clinic data base at the University of Pennsylvania. With the Cox proportional hazards model, the survival of the MUP patients with lymph node presentation was compared with that of patients with lymph node disease and a known concurrent primary melanoma. RESULTS: Sixty-five percent of the patients presented with lymph node metastasis only, 28% presented with visceral lesions, and 8% presented with subcutaneous nodules. The prevalence of dysplastic nevi was 22.5%. The overall 4-year survival rate for the 40 MUP patients was 55% +/- 9%. The 4-year survival (57% +/- 12%) of patients with lymph node presentation was compared with that of patients presenting with lymph node disease and a known concurrent primary melanoma (19 +/- 6%). Survival was significantly different between the groups (P = 0.008). This survival difference remained significant (P = 0.02) even after adjustments for number of positive lymph nodes, year of diagnosis, and age at diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: This analysis revealed that MUP patients with lymph node metastasis survived significantly longer than patients diagnosed with lymph node metastasis concurrent with a known cutaneous primary melanoma. The prevalence of dysplastic nevi in the MUP patient series was intermediate between that reported among primary melanoma patients and that reported among population controls, suggesting the likelihood of a primary cutaneous origin for the metastatic melanoma.

Effect of sodium and betaine in culture media on development and relative rates of protein synthesis in preimplantation mouse embryos in vitro.

Results of recent experiments indicate that the improved development of mouse embryos in medium containing a low NaCl concentration (85 mM) or the inclusion of the organic osmolyte betaine in a medium containing a high NaCl concentration (125 mM) is correlated with the maintenance of intracellular sodium concentrations that more closely approximate those found in freshly isolated embryos (Biggers et al., 1993, Mol Reprod Dev 34:380-390). We examined the effect of these different culture media on the relative rates of protein synthesis since increased levels of intracellular sodium inhibit protein synthesis; a reduced rate of protein synthesis could therefore account for the differences in development in the different media, since cell division requires protein synthesis. We observe that the ability of these media to support development and to maintain more physiological concentrations of intracellular sodium is correlated with their ability to support increased relative rates of protein synthesis. Reducing the NaCl concentration from 125 mM to 85 mM leads to a greater fraction of the embryos developing from the 2-cell stage to the 8-cell stage after 1 day of culture and a substantially improves extent of development to the morula stage after 2 days of culture. This reduction in NaCl concentration also leads to a 2.4-fold increase in the relative rate of protein synthesis in 4-cell embryos. Moreover, addition of betaine to medium containing 125 mM NaCl increases the relative rate of protein synthesis. This finding provides an explanation, at least in part, for the increase in development to the blastocyst stage exhibited by mouse embryos cultured in these media.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)