Down-Regulation of circulating miR-23a-3p, miR-101-3p, and miR-let-7c in Women with Idiopathic Recurrent Pregnancy Loss.

BACKGROUND: Recently, circulating microRNAs have attracted much attention because they can serve as reliable, non-invasive diagnostic biomarkers for human diseases. This study aimed to quantify miR-23a-3p, miR-101-3p, and miR-let-7c expression levels in plasma samples of patients with idiopathic recurrent pregnancy loss (iRPL) and healthy subjects and to evaluate their potential diagnostic value in diagnosis of iRPL. METHODS: A total of 120 plasma samples were obtained from sixty women with a history of iRPL and sixty healthy fertile women to evaluate the expression levels of the circulating miR-23a-3p, miR-101-3p, and miR-let-7c by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) technique. The correlation between miR-23a-3p, miR-101-3p, and miR-let-7c and clinicopathological parameters was also assessed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to determine the diagnostic accuracy of studied miRNAs in iRPL. RESULTS: Our results showed that the miR-23a-3p expression level in plasma of iRPL patients was lower than those in healthy controls but without a statistically significant difference (p = 0.113). The expression levels of miR-101-3p and miR-let-7c were significantly downregulated in iRPL patients compared with healthy subjects (p < 0.05). The plasma levels of miR-23a-3p and miR-let-7c were negatively correlated with number of abortions in iRPL patients. We observed statistically significant positive correlation between miR-23a-3p and miR-101-3p (r = 0.478, p = 0.001), miR-23a-3p and miR-let-7c (r = 0.561, p = 0.0001), and miR-101-3p and miR-let-7c (r = 0.533, p = 0.0001) in patients with iRPL. CONCLUSIONS: The current study provides evidence indicating that downregulation of miR-23a-3p, miR-101-3p, and miR-let-7c may be associated with iRPL.

Simultaneous bilateral total knee arthroplasty for rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To study the result of one staged bilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA) operation under epidural anesthesia on patients with severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: From April 1987 to December 1992, simultaneous bilateral TKA was performed on 45 patients (90 knees), including 41 patients with RA, 3 with juvenile RA, and 1 with Sjogren syndrome. The mean follow-up period was 63 months. RESULTS: Improved function and pain relief were noted in all patients. There were no wound healing problems. Thrombophlebitis was observed in few cases. Late infection rate was 5.6% (5 knees) and aseptic loosening was revised on 5 knees. CONCLUSIONS: Simultaneous bilateral TKA is not only a procedure of low cost, saving blood, reducing anesthesia risk, drugs' side effect and hospitalization, but also facilitates early rehabilitation. Except for late infection, there is no increase in complications.

Some salient features of 'Kitabul-Hashaish' with special reference to the manuscript preserved in Khuda Baksh O.P. Library, Patna.

The contributions of Dioscorides in the field of materia medica and pharmacology are unparalleled in the history of medicine. This great botanist of the 1st century A.D. made personal observations of the specific properties of drugs and presented them through illustrations for the first time. Almost all the physician authors of Unani system of medicine from Galen to Azam Khan have quoted Dioscorides. Kitabul-Hashaish was rendered into English and arabic and published repeatedly in the West. The book has great value and is quoted widely due to its authenticity. This unique work needs to be edited critically and afterwards translated into Urdu and other languages for the benefit of the present day students and scholars.