Prevalence of endocrine disorders and their associated factors in transfusion-dependent thalassemia patients: a historical cohort study in Southern Iran.

PURPOSE: Transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia (TDT) patients suffer from various endocrinopathies. The main contributing factor associated with these complications is iron overload, secondary to frequent blood transfusions. To improve patients' quality of life, we evaluated the prevalence of endocrine disorders while considering the associated factors for further assessment. METHODS: Seven hundred thirteen transfusion-dependent thalassemia patients with age range 10-62 years were enrolled in this study. Serum calcium, phosphorous, fast blood sugar, ferritin, 25-OH vitamin D, free thyroxin, thyroid-stimulating hormone and parathyroid hormone were assessed. Bone mineral density was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. RESULTS: In total, 86.8% of the TDT patients suffered from at least one endocrinopathy. The prevalence of endocrinopathies in descending order of frequency was low bone mass (72.6%), hypogonadism (44.5%), diabetes mellitus (15.9%), hypoparathyroidism (13.2%), and hypothyroidism (10.7%). Age, body mass index and splenectomy were significantly associated with most of the endocrine disorders. CONCLUSION: Endocrine complications are frequently observed in TDT patients. Splenectomy is a major risk factor and should be generally avoided unless it is highly indicated. Periodic surveillance of endocrine function and proper management of iron overload are advised.

Nano-sized molecularly imprinted polymer for selective ultrasound-assisted microextraction of pesticide Carbaryl from water samples: Spectrophotometric determination.

Ultrasound-assisted dispersive solid phase microextraction followed by UV-Vis spectrophotometry (UA-DSPME UV-Vis) was designed for the extraction and preconcentration of Carbaryl using nano-sized molecularly-imprinted polymer (MIP-NP). Nano-sized Carbaryl-imprinted polymer was characterized by scanning electron microscopy. A preliminary Plackett-Burman design was applied for screening. Subsequently, central composite design under response surface methodology was used to investigate and model the Carbaryl adsorption as response as well as to optimize this response versus variables such as Carbaryl MIP-NP mass, sonication time, temperature, eluent volume, pH and vortex time. At optimum experimental conditions, UAMSPE-UV-Vis exhibited a linear range of 0.1-1.2mgL-1. The enhancement and preconcentration factors were obtained to be 30.6 and 25.0, respectively, for the extraction of Carbaryl by MIP-NP. In addition, the values of 0.033 and 0.11mgL-1 were obtained for limit of detection and limit of quantification, respectively. The value of 4.3% determined for relative standard deviation for the separation and preconcentration of Carbaryl after 5 repetitions shows the acceptable repeatability of the process. Finally, the developed method was successfully applied for the determination of Carbaryl in water samples.

Sonochemical assisted hydrothermal synthesis of ZnO: Cr nanoparticles loaded activated carbon for simultaneous ultrasound-assisted adsorption of ternary toxic organic dye: Derivative spectrophotometric, optimization, kinetic and isotherm study.

Chromium doped zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO: Cr-NPs) was synthesized by ultrasonically assisted hydrothermal method and characterized by FE-SEM, XRD and TEM analysis. Subsequently, this composite ultrasonically assisted was deposited on activated carbon (ZnO: Cr-NPs-AC) and used for simultaneous ultrasound-assisted removal of three toxic organic dye namely of malachite green (MG), eosin yellow (EY) and Auramine O (AO). Dyes spectra overlap in mixture (major problem for simultaneous investigation) of this systems was extensively resolved by derivative spectrophotometric method. The magnitude of variables like initial dyes concentration, adsorbent mass and sonication time influence on dyes removal was optimized using small central composite design (CCD) combined with desirability function (DF) approach, while pH was studied by one-a-time approach. The maximized removal percentages at desirability of 0.9740 was set as follow: pH 6.0, 0.019g ZnO: Cr-NPs-AC, 3.9min sonication at 4.5, 4.8 and 4.7mgL(-1) of MG, EY and AO, respectively. Above optimized points lead to achievement of removal percentage of 98.36%, 97.24%, and 99.26% correspond to MG, EY and AO, respectively. ANOVA for each dyes based p-value less than (<0.0001) suggest highly efficiency of CCD model for prediction of data concern to simultaneous removal of these dyes within 95% confidence interval, while their F-value for MG, EY and AO is 935, 800.2, and 551.3, respectively, that confirm low participation of this them in signal. The value of multiple correlation coefficient R(2), adjusted and predicted R(2) for simultaneous removal of MG is 0.9982, 0.9972 and 0.9940, EY is 0.9979, 0.9967 and 0.9930 and for AO is 0.9970, 0.9952 and 0.9939. The adsorption rate well fitted by pseudo second-order and Langmuir model via high, economic and profitable adsorption capacity of 214.0, 189.7 and 211.6mgg(-1) for MG, EY and AO, respectively.

Successful Management of Vinblastin Overdose with Exchange Transfusion: A Case Report.

Accidental overdose of chemotherapy drugs including vinblastin (VBL) have been reported in the literature. As VBL overdose is potentially fatal, we decided to introduce a 2-year-old girl affected by langerhans' cell histiocytosis who was accidentally injected 10-times the prescribed dose of VBL (16 mg), and was saved with whole blood double exchange transfusion at 8 and 20 hrs after the accidental injection. The earliest manifestations were irritability and sinus tachycardia which alleviated after starting digoxin and at the end of the 2(nd) exchange transfusion. Other reported adverse effects were myelosuppression, weakness of extremities, diminished deep tendon reflexes and ileus which resolved at the time of discharge from hospital on day 13 of admission. It is speculated that exchange transfusion is an effective modality in reducing the serious adverse effects of VBL overdose.

Comparative studies on removal of Erythrosine using ZnS and AgOH nanoparticles loaded on activated carbon as adsorbents: Kinetic and isotherm studies of adsorption.

Erythrosine adsorption (Er) onto ZnS and AgOH nanoparticle-loaded activated carbon (ZnS-NP-AC and AgOH-NP-AC) was studied and results were compared. Subsequent preparation were fully analyzed by different approach such as BET to obtain knowledge about surface area, pore volume, while FT-IR analysis give comprehensive information about functional group the dependency of removal percentage to adsorbent mass, initial Er concentration and contact time were investigated and optimum conditions for pH, adsorbent dosage, Er concentration and contact time was set as be 3.2, 0.016g, 20mg/L and 16min and 3.2, 0.015g, 19mg/L and 2min for ZnS-NP-AC and AgOH-NP-AC, respectively. The equilibrium data correspond to adsorption strongly follow Langmuir model by ZnS-NP-AC and Freundlich model for AgOH-NP-AC. High adsorption capacity for of 55.86-57.80mgg(-1) and 67.11-89.69mgg(-1) for ZnS-NP-AC and AgOH-NP-AC, respectively. The result of present study confirm the applicability of small amount of these adsorbent (<0.02g) for efficient removal of Er (>95%) in short reasonable time (20min).

Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis associated with ulcerative colitis: a case report.

Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO) is a rare disease of bone first described by Giedion et al in 1972. It is associated with several pathologic processes including psoriasis, palmoplantar pustulosis, and SAPHO syndrome (synovitis, acne, pustulosis, hyperostosis, and osteitis). The only published association of CRMO and Crohn's disease was reported by Bognar et al in 1998. The authors describe the association of CRMO and ulcerative colitis (UC) in a 12-year-old girl. As far as the authors know, this is the first published report of CRMO associated with UC and the second of CRMO associated with inflammatory bowel diseases.