Argyrophilic proteins of nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) in salivary gland mucoepidermoid carcinoma and its relation to histological grade.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the cellular proliferation rate of major and minor salivary gland mucoepidermoid carcinomas (MECs) by quantitative analysis of AgNOR and to determine its relation to histopathologic grading.

Study Design: Thirty-five cases of major and minor salivary gland MECs, were retrieved and graded according to the AFIP grading schema. The mean AgNOR count was calculated for all cases.

Sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus treated by a new fascio-cutaneous flap.

Purpose: This study reported the technical details and preliminary clinical outcomes of a new fascio-cutaneous transposition flap for the surgical treatment of pilonidal sinus.

Methods: Fifty-two patients with pilonidal sinus were surgically treated. During the surgical procedure, an inferiorly pedicled, fascio-cutaneous flap with specific geometric characteristics was prepared and transposed.

Cinnarizine in refractory migraine prophylaxis: efficacy and tolerability. A comparison with sodium valproate.

This was a double-blind clinical trial designed to assess the efficacy and safety of the cinnarizine (CIN) in patients with migraine who were refractory to propranolol and tricyclic antidepressants in comparison with sodium valproate (SV) to investigate whether CIN could be at least as effective as SV. A total of 125 patients were treated in a treatment period of 12 weeks. All patients had at least one intake of trial medication and 2-week post baseline efficacy observation which all were included in the ITT analysis.

Bioactive compounds of the volatile oil of Dracocephalum kotschyi.

Trypanocidal activity was found in the volatile oil of dried Dracocephalum kotschyi. GC-MS analysis determined that the major constituents of the oil were geranial (35.8%), C10H14O (26.

Outcome of lupus nephritis in Iranian children: prognostic significance of certain features.

The objective of this study was to determine the clinical and histopathological features and outcome of children with lupus nephritis (LN). Of 84 children with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), we retrospectively studied 58 children (69%) under 15 years of age with biopsy-proven LN who had been followed between October 1989 and January 2005. The mean age at diagnosis or initial referral was 10.

Comparative expression of calretinin in selected odontogenic tumours: a possible relationship to histogenesis.

Aims: Calretinin, a calcium-binding protein, is expressed primarily in certain subtypes of neurons. It has also been reported to be present in mesotheliomas and other tumours. The aim was to determine the expression of calretinin in selected odontogenic neoplasms.

Toll-like receptor stimulation induces higher TNF-alpha secretion in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with hyper IgE syndrome.

Hyper IgE syndromes (HIES) are primary immunodeficiency disorders of unknown pathogenesis. Patients are typically affected with 'cold' abscesses of the skin, recurrent cyst-forming pneumonia, chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis and other less frequent features such as progressive skeletal abnormalities. Defective signaling in the Toll-like receptor (TLR) pathways has been suggested as a responsible pathologic mechanism, however, in previous reports, 10 patients revealed no defect in inflammatory cytokine responses to different TLR ligands.

Pyloric injection of botulinum toxin for the treatment of refractory GERD accompanied with gastroparesis: a preliminary report.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) refractory to conventional medical treatment is frequently associated with gastroparesis, a complex condition with no definitive treatment to date. We first developed a scoring system to assess the severity and frequency of both reflux- and gastroparesis-related symptoms. We then tested, for the first time, the hypothesis that endoscopic pyloric botulinum toxin injection alleviates both of these symptom types.

Clinical trial: the effect of amitriptyline in patients with diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome.

Background: Irritable bowel syndrome is the most common disorder diagnosed by gastroenterologists. Although several randomized-controlled trials have assessed the therapeutic role of antidepressant drugs, there is insufficient evidence to support their use.

Aim: To compare the effects of low-dose amitriptyline in the treatment of diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome in a double-blind randomized-controlled trial.

MICROALGAL BIOTRANSFORMATION OF STEROIDS(1).

Microbial biotransformation of steroids is not a new concept, but most studies in this field have focused on fungal and bacterial systems. Microalgae, despite their photosynthetic ability and immense biodiversity, have not received much attention in this aspect until recently. Since the publication of the first article on microalgal biotransformation of steroids about 20 years ago, there have been many reports describing different modifications, including hydroxylation, reduction, side-chain degradation, and isomerization introduced by these microorganisms on estrane, androstane, and pregnane derivatives.

Treatment of traumatic tattoo with the Q-switched Nd:YAG laser.

Traumatic tattoos are undesirable tattoos caused by different foreign bodies such as fireworks' particles, sand, metals, glass, gunpowder, asphalt, dust, or petroleum products embedded forcefully in the dermis. We report the case of a 54-year-old man who presented with sand and asphalt tattooing on his face following a bomb explosion 15 years ago. Q-switched Nd:YAG laser at a wavelength of 1064 nm with a spot size of 4 mm and a fluence of 7.

Serum bactericidal antibody responses to meningococcal polysaccharide vaccination as a basis for clinical classification of common variable immunodeficiency.

Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by hypogammaglobulinemia and increased susceptibility to recurrent pyogenic infections. This study was performed to subclassify CVID on the basis of the bactericidal antibody responses of patients to polysaccharide meningococcal vaccine. Twenty-five patients with CVID (18 male and 7 female) and 25 healthy volunteers received meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine A + C.

Cross-sectional monitoring of Wilms' tumor gene 1 (WT1) expression in Iranian patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at diagnosis, relapse and remission.

Wilms' tumor gene 1 (WT1) is a universal tumor-associated antigen (TAA) expressed in a variety of malignancies. High WT1 mRNA expression has been detected in the majority of acute leukemias and has been identified as a convenient marker for disease monitoring. The aim of this study was to evaluate WT1 expression in Iranian ALL patients at diagnosis, relapse and remission.

A five-year study in Iran of ophthalmia neonatorum: prevalence and etiology.

Background: The aim was to determine the prevalence of conjunctivitis and its bacteriological causes in neonates hospitalized in two hospitals in Iran and to evaluate the maternal and newborns' data in conjunctivitis cases.

Material/methods: All newborns presenting at Imam Khomeini and Vali-e-Asr hospitals (2001-2006) with clinical suspicion of conjunctivitis and positive microbiology were studied. The medical files of those with conjunctivitis were assessed.

Uterine artery embolization in 101 cases of uterine fibroids: do size, location, and number of fibroids affect therapeutic success and complications?

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the size, location, or number of fibroids affects therapeutic efficacy or complications of uterine artery embolization (UAE). Patients with symptomatic uterine fibroids (n = 101) were treated by selective bilateral UAE using 500- to 710-mum polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) particles. Baseline measures of clinical symptoms, sonography, and MRI taken before the procedure were compared to those taken 1, 3, 6, and 12 months later.

Cystic choroid plexus papilloma with multiple mural nodules in an infant.

Background: A case of a 13-month-old male infant with progressive increase in head circumference, neurodevelopmental delay, and episodic generalized seizures is reported. He had a history of increase in intracranial pressure because of an arachnoid cyst at the age of 2 months which was managed by cystoperitoneal shunting, but the symptoms were still progressive.

Discussion: Magnetic resonance imaging revealed an intraventricular cystic tumor with intensely enhancing mural nodules.

Altered dendritic cell function in response to sera of common variable immunodeficiency patients.

Objective: CVID is characterized by hypogammaglobulinemia and T cell disorder in most cases. Dendritic cells might be severely perturbed in differentiation and maturation but it is not clear whether this perturbation is intrinsic or because of alterations in microenvironmental factors. We evaluated the effects of CVID patient's sera as a source of microenvironmental factors on monocyte-derived DCs (MDCs).

Usefulness of the tail-flick reflex in the prognosis of functional recovery in paraplegic rats.

Background: This study examines whether return of the TFR is predictive of locomotor recovery after complete SCI in rats.

Methods: We evaluated TFRs in 39 adult female rats. The spinal cords of rats were compressed at T9 with Yasargil clips.

Prediction of response to splenectomy in patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.

Background: Chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by destruction of opsonized platelets in the reticuloendothelial system, particularly the spleen, and by resulting low platelet counts. Splenectomy is the standard second-line treatment for patients with ITP who do not respond to corticosteroids. In the present study we determined predictive factors for the response of patients with ITP to splenectomy.

Attenuation of hepatic fibrosis through captopril and enalapril in the livers of bile duct ligated rats.

Hepatic fibrosis is a common feature in different types of chronic liver injury. The demonstration of the pro-fibrogenesis role of angiotensin II in chronic liver diseases brought up the idea that anti-angiotensin II agents may be effective on improvement of hepatic fibrosis by either blocking the angiotensin II receptor or inhibition of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE). This study is aimed at comparing the anti-fibrogenesis effects of two ACE inhibitors, captopril and enalapril, in the livers of rats with bile duct ligation through biochemical and histopathological parameters.

Impact of fasting on shockwave lithotripsy in renal stones: a randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: We evaluated the impact of fasting on the effectiveness of shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) in patients with renal calculi.

Patients And Methods: The study was a randomized controlled trial for patients with renal stones. Between May 2005 and November 2006, patients (n = 97) with a single radio-opaque renal stone (7-21 mm) who were candidates for SWL were enrolled.

Association between hepatitis B surface antibody seropositivity and coronary artery disease.

Background: Specific infectious agents have been found to be related to the pathogenesis of coronary atherosclerosis.

Aims: We assessed the possible association between angiographically proven coronary artery disease (CAD) and hepatitis B surface antibody (HBS Ab) seropositivity in a population with relatively high prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.

Setting And Design: This was a cross-sectional study.

Buerger's disease: a 10-year experience in Tehran, Iran.

The clinical spectrum of Buerger's disease (TAO; thromboangiitis obliterans) seems to be changing. Considering the lack of any formal studies on the epidemiology of this disease in Iran, we evaluated the data of 198 confirmed cases of TAO during the period 1996-2006. Diagnosis was based on Papa's scoring system.

Olfactory groove schwannoma masquerading as an orbital mass.

Olfactory groove schwannoma is a very rare tumor breaking through the skull base and orbit. The tumor may also extend to the subfrontal region intradurally. A case of olfactory groove schwannoma in a 35-year-old female, originating from the left olfactory groove with left proptosis, diplopia, supra-orbital mass, and gross intracranial extension is reported.

Application of small-angle X-ray scattering for differentiation among breast tumors.

Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) is an X-ray diffraction-based technique where a narrow collimated beam of X-rays is focused onto a sample and the scattered X-rays recorded by a detector. The pattern of the scattered X-rays carries information on the molecular structure of the material. As breast cancer is the most widespread cancer in women and differentiation among its tumors is important, this project compared the results of coherent X-ray scattering measurements obtained from benign and malignant breast tissues.