Capabilities of bioinformatics tools for optimizing physicochemical features of proteins used in Nano biosensors: A short overview of the tools related to bioinformatics.

Protein-protein ligand is one of the most detection methods used in Nano biosensors. Based on the advantage of specific docking between two special 3D structures, they have become a potent candidate in bioanalysis and Nanodiagnostic tools. These tools lease users to do a simple, fast, cost-effective, sensitive, and specific detection of molecular biomarkers in real samples. Recent advantages of using protein-protein ligand Nano-biosensors application is remarkable due to its special docking that refers to each protein unique 3D conformation. However, it challenges different problems such as low rate of docking and hard process for fixation on the basic layer. These challenges make developers to optimize the structure and functions of proteins. The process has different Nano scale calculation that could be done with algorithms and solutions are available as bioinformatics tools. This article aimed to have a short overview of the abilities of bioinformatics tools for modeling and optimization of physiochemical features of proteins in Nano scale.

Small bowel obstruction attributable to phytobezoar.

Small bowel obstruction (SBO) is a common condition encountered in surgical practice. Literature shows divers and many different etiologies for intestinal obstruction. However, bezoars are rarely reported as an etiological factor. A bezoar happens most commonly in patients with impaired gastrointestinal motility. There are four types of bezoars: phytobezoars, trichobezoars, pharmacobezoars and lactobezoars. The most common type is phytobezoars, which are composed of undigested fiber from vegetables or fruits especially persimmons. They are mostly composed of cellulose, tannin and lignin. The commonest phytobezoar reported worldwide is related to the persimmon fruit ingestion. The most common symptom of bezoar-induced SBO is abdominal pain (96-100%). Other common symptoms include nausea and vomiting. Primary small bowel phytobezoars almost always present as SBO. We present an unusual case of SBO caused by a phytobezoar in a 35-year-old patient. Many types of bezoar can be removed endoscopically, but some will require operative intervention.

Perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis in elective surgeries in Iran.

BACKGROUND: The use of antibiotic prior to surgery is widely accepted. The WHO has recommended the use of ATC/DDD (Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical / Defined Daily Dose) for the analysis of drug utilization. The aims of the present study are 1) to analyze the assessment of prophylactic antibiotic usage prior to surgery, 2) to assess the drug administration based on antibiograms and 3) to compare the results with the national and international standards. METHODS: The present study used ATC/DDD, in a retrospective manner. Cefazolin, ceftazidime, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, metronidazole, vancomycin, imipenem and penicillin G from 21st March to 21st June 2011 were analyzed in a hospital. Out of 516 medical records, 384 patients had received prophylactic antibiotics. RESULTS: In comparison, the orthopaedic ward had used more antibiotics. The results showed that antibiotics were not selected based on the antibiogram antibiotic programs. Patients in the age range of 20-30 years were the most recipients of the antibiotics. Men had received more antibiotic in comparison with women. About 75% (384 out of 516) of patients in the study received antibiotics as prophylaxis. Cefazolin was the most frequently prescribed antibiotic. CONCLUSION: Our findings showed differences in comparison with national and international studies, but insignificant differences. Data on in-hospital antibiotic usage are varying widely not only due to different antibiotic policies but also due to different methods of mesurement. These differences make the comparison difficult.

Six-month follow-up study of ultrarapid opiate detoxification with naltrexone.

BACKGROUND: Illicit opiate use has an increasing incidence and prevalence, which increases mortality and morbidity, marginalization, and criminal behaviors, and causes major adverse effects on society. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate and follow the outcome of patients who underwent ultrarapid opiate detoxification (UROD) prospectively. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this randomized clinical trial, 64 patients who underwent UROD were evaluated. The opiate antagonist regimen of naloxone was administered intravenously under general anesthesia, and detoxification was confirmed by naloxone challenge test. All patients were cared in intensive care unit (ICU) for 24 hours, and oral naltrexone was prescribed the next day, after recovery and discharge. Patients were followed up for one month after the procedure. Relapse was considered if routine use of opiates (daily use for at least two weeks) was reported by the patient after detoxification. The data was analyzed by SPSS 16.5 and the study was performed using descriptive analysis and Chi square test. RESULTS: All 64 participants were opiate-dependent males (ASA physical status of I or II) who aged over 18 years with a mean age of 31.11 ± 8.93 years at the time of UROD. One month after UROD, 48 patients (75%) reported relapse and 16 (25%) reported abstinence; however, four patients of the non-relapsed group reported one episode of opiate use. There was no significant difference between relapsed and non-relapsed patients regarding their marital status, level of education, and family history of opiate dependency (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Although UROD by naloxone is a safe and effective method of detoxification, if used alone, it has a very high relapse rate in long term.

Molecular cytogenetic analysis of chemoresistant non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients with p53 abnormalities using fluorescence in situ hybridisation and comparative genomic hybridisation.

BACKGROUND: Alterations of the p53 gene at 17p13.1 as well as the gene for a transmembrane p-glycoprotein, ABCB1 (MDR-1) at 7q21.12, have been shown to be mostly associated with the phenomenon of multi-drug resistance (MDR) in human cancers. In order to better understand the mechanisms by which chemoresistance is mediated, non-hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) patients overexpressing p53 mutant protein and resistant to CHOP chemotherapy, NHL patients without p53 overexpression and a Burkitt's lymphoma Raji cell line with p53 overexpression have been evaluated using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and comparative genomic hybridization (CGH). METHODS: Three chromosomes (1, 7, and 17) known to be associated with MDR and the presence of p53 mutant protein, were analysed by FISH. RESULTS: No obvious chromosomal aberrations such as translocations were found in any of the patients when compared to healthy individuals, which suggests that the three selected chromosomes might not be specifically related to NHL, with or without p53 overexpression. For CGH, gains and losses of chromosomal material have been identified and the changes were not only limited to the three selected chromosomes associated with MDR. A detailed analysis of the recurrent aberrations shows that most of the NHL patients have alterations on the chromosome arms 1p, 6q, 7q, 20q, 22q, and Xp, whereas patients with p53 overexpression predominantly show aberrations on 4p and 17q. CONCLUSION: Further characterisation of the genetic regions identified might more closely contribute to our understanding of acquired MDR in NHL. Alterations in the three evaluated chromosomes may be prevalent in other tumours. In the present study, using FISH and CGH, there was insufficient difference between NHL patients with and without p53 overexpression.

An in vitro model to study chemoresistance in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients over-expressing mutant p53.

INTRODUCTION: P-Glycoprotein plays a major role in regulating the concentration of chemotherapeutic agents inside the cytoplasm of normal and cancerous cells. The present in vitro study has primarily focused on the evaluation of the chemosensitising drug model, verapamil, as a P-glycoprotein antagonist not only to overcome chemoresistance in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) chemoresistant cells (p53(+) i.e. over-expressing p53 mutant protein NHL cells) but also to evaluate and suggest the use of the single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) assay in the clinical setting. METHODS: Leucocytes from CHOP-chemoresistant NHL patients (p53(+) cells) were examined in the SCGE assay. Altered levels of DNA damage (tail moments) were determined by the assay not only in the leucocytes from clinical samples, but also in the Raji cell sub-lines (NHL model) which are also over-expressing p53 mutant protein. In addition, as a comparison, P-glycoprotein was examined in normal human leucocytes and Raji cells. RESULTS: Verapamil increased the tail moments induced by doxorubicin in all cell types over-expressing p53 mutant protein. DISCUSSION: The assay was successful for evaluating P-glycoprotein regulation. This suggests the applicability at the cellular level of the method as suitable for use in the clinical setting since it is reliable and could be used pre-clinically or perhaps instead of or alongside clinical trails. Cells from patients with a chemoresistant disease state or whose disease relapses subsequently could be treated with such novel experimental therapies in vitro to determine the necessity for the individual administration of a P-glycoprotein antagonist.

In vitro studies of DNA damage and its repair in cells from NHL patients with different p53 mutant protein status, resistant (p53(+)) and sensitive (p53(-)) to cancer chemotherapy.

INTRODUCTION: Resistance to an anthracycline-based regimen, such as CHOP, constitutes a problem for curing non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) patients. Chemoresistance in the clinic manifests itself as a lack of response to treatment or regrowth of a tumour after an initial response. METHODS: In this study, lymphocytes from NHL patients were treated with hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), a free radical generating model agent, and ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS), a model alkylating agent, to induce DNA damage which was evaluated by SCGE. This study assessed whether or not there were any differences in the patterns of damage and repair between cells from patients with p53 mutant protein abnormalities, i.e. over-expression (p53(+)) not responding to the CHOP regimen and patients responding to the CHOP regimen without p53 protein abnormalities (p53(-)) by comparison with control individuals (wild-type). An NHL cell line model [Raji TK(+) (mex(+)) and TK(-) (mex(-))] with p53 over-expression was also investigated. RESULTS: Results showed that frozen/thawed samples from healthy people were not suitable for use in repair studies, whilst fresh samples or samples incubated for 20 h at room temperature could be used. Tumour cells were more sensitive to damage than control cells. After treatment with H(2)O(2), cells from fresh or incubated blood showed a similar repair capacity. After treatment with EMS, there was a difference between repair in resistant and sensitive cells. DISCUSSION: These results suggest that the repair process is a useful cellular biomarker for investigating chemoresistance. The lack of repair in p53(+) cells may correlate with a low level of MGMT, since there was no repair in the Raji TK(-) cells lacking this enzyme.