American journal of clinical and experimental immunology最新文献

Background: There is an on-going debate on how best to test toxic indoor air. Toxicological methods based on condensed water samples and cell culture technique are newly introduced research tools which were tested in this study.

Methods: Pupils (n=47) from a water-damaged and (n=56) healthy schools were interviewed using a questionnaire. Indoor air was collected with a novel condensed water sampling technique and human THP-1 macrophages were exposed to the condensate. The cytotoxicity of cotton wool swab samples was tested using human BJ fibroblasts. Conventional microbiological culture methods were also performed.

Results: Gastrointestinal problems (GI) were reported by 51% from the study cohort but only 4% of the control cohort, relative risk RR=14.30. For any neurological or neuropsychological symptoms, the RR was 63.04, muscular-skeletal pain RR=58.28, headache RR=31.00, respiratory symptoms RR=22.64, fatigue RR=21.45, sub febrility RR=15.49, ear infections RR=7.74, skin rash RR=5.96, all being statistically significant (P<0.001). All indoor air (n=7) and cotton wool samples (n=2) taken from the water-damaged classroom or in proximity of the problematic classrooms were toxic in cell culture assays. Low numbers of moisture-damage indicators were recovered from wall, passive air, and swab samples, namely Aspergillus ochraceus species group, Aspergillus, Eurotium species group, Fusarium, Tritirachium, Scopulariopsis genus group and Aspergillus versicolores species group.

Conclusions: Indoor air toxicity and dampness-related microbiota recovered from the classrooms were associated with multi-organ morbidity of the school occupants. These results corroborated our previous reports from two adult cohorts i.e. evidence of causality. These new toxicological methods based on condensed water and cell culturing techniques seem to be superior to conventional microbiological methods in correlating with clinical symptoms.

Different organ perturbation and multiple complications might occur after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). A variety of solutions might be used for pump priming with different advantages and disadvantages. The advantage of fresh frozen plasma (FFP) inclusion in pump prime has been shown in post-CPB coagulation management. Acquired hypogammaglobulinemia is the disadvantage of albumin (ALB) pump prime. Our aim was to assess the impact of FFP prime on the post-pump serum level of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and its subclasses. Fifty-six patients under the age of 5 years old who were scheduled for cardiac surgery on CPB were randomly primed with FFP or ALB. Any innate or acquired immune deficiency was considered as exclusion criteria. The pre-CPB and 24-hour post-CPB collected blood samples were analyzed by the nephelometric method for the plasma level of IgG and its four subclasses. Twenty-two patients (mean age and weight of 13 months and 6.8 kilograms) in the ALB prime group and 26 patients (mean age and weight of 15 months and 8.1 kilograms) in the FFP prime group completed the study. Using paired t-test and repeated measures ANOVA test, patients in the ALB prime group had a significant drop in the post-CPB serum level of total IgG (597±138 mg/dL to 379±179 mg/dL, P value <0.001) and its two subclasses of IgG1 and IgG3. In contrast, there was a slight elevation in the serum level of total IgG (549±207 mg/dL to 630±180 mg/dL, P value =0.008) and its two subclasses of IgG2 and IgG4 in patients who had FFP prime solution. In conclusion, compared to the ALB prime solution, FFP inclusion in prime could hamper the pediatric post-CPB induced hypogammaglobulinemia.

Objective: ACE2 is crucially involved in the infection sustained by SARS-CoV-2, as it allows the entry of the virus into target cells while counteracting local inflammation, oxidative stress, and fibrosis. In this narrative review, we aim to discuss the usefulness of ACE2-derived peptides in the infection sustained by SARS-CoV-2.

Methods: A total of 49 papers pertinent to the purpose of the review were selected from the PubMed and Google Scholar databases. Clinical trials registered at ClinicalTrials.gov and dealing with the use of ACE2-derived medications in COVID-19 were also searched and discussed.

Results: Preclinical and clinical evidence shows that drugs mimicking or potentiating the effects of ACE2 may reduce the viral load and dampen the inflammatory and fibrotic pathways leading to respiratory distress. ACE2-derived therapeutic peptides may have a better pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profile than other ACE2-based medications. They could be easily screened through peptide libraries and chemically modified in order to ameliorate the pharmacological properties. Furthermore, their local administration via an intranasal delivery or inhalation may reduce the risk of systemic side effects, thus conferring a good safety profile.

Conclusion: ACE2-derived peptides may play a dual beneficial role in COVID-19, by either preventing virus spread or inhibiting the secretion of pro-inflammatory mediators in airways. Viral, host, and environmental factors may affect the effectiveness of this therapeutic approach to a various extent and represent therefore a matter of investigation for future studies.

Background: Pharmaceuticals to inhibit mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) protein, which plays an integral role in T cell survival and function, have been used to prevent complications associated with organ transplantation. Although studies have individually shown that resveratrol can inhibit mTOR and that inhibiting mTOR leads to attenuated immune function, no studies to date have examined these two functions conjointly under one study. Therefore, we hypothesize that resveratrol will decrease mTOR activation and expression as well as attenuate stimulated T cell activation and proliferation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC).

Methods and materials: Human PBMC were isolated and cultured. The cells were pre-treated with resveratrol (50 μM) overnight (18 hrs) before stimulation. The cells were collected for subsequent biochemical analysis after 1, 3, and 5 days. Additionally, the cells were stained with proliferation dye and cultured for 24 hours in PMA/Ionomycin with resveratrol for flow cytometry analysis.

Results: Resveratrol treated stimulated PBMCs displayed a significant decrease in activated phosphorylation of mTOR at days 1, 3, and 5 (P < 0.0329). Markers of T cell activation, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interferon-gamma (INF-γ), were also significantly reduced along with T cell proliferation following stimulated PBMC resveratrol treatment when compared to vehicle-treated controls (P < 0.01).

Conclusion: Taken together, our data suggest that resveratrol can decrease the immune response of stimulated T-cells and inhibit the expression and activation of mTOR mediated cellular signalling under the same study setting. Therefore, resveratrol proposes a possible adjunctive therapy option for patients undergoing organ transplantation.

Background: Carbamazepine is a first line treatment for focal epilepsy. Tegretol and Tegatard are two trade name of Carbamazepine. Tegretol is produced by Novartis Pharmaceutical Company, Switzerland. Recently, Raha pharmaceutical Company in Iran has produced CBZ which trade named is Tegatard. Extended usage of Tegatard instead of Tegretol has economic benefits for Iranian families. In this clinical trial, we aimed to compare therapeutic efficacy and safety of Tegretol and Tegatard in patients suffering from focal seizures with or without secondary generalization.

Methods: 200 patients with provoked or non-provoked focal seizure with or without secondary generalization were screened and 180 patients were fulfilled the criteria to enter this double blinded clinical trial study. Patients were divided into two groups, the first group (A) received Tegretol and the second group (B) Tegatard. Carbamazepine (CBZ) was prescribed with doses 10-20 mg/kg every 12 hours by neurologists. The patients were visited after 1, 3 and 6 months and the side effects and lab data in patients were investigated.

Results: Patients were divided into two groups, 88 patients in group A (Tegretol) (50 males and 38 females) and 92 in group B (Tegatard) (51 males and 41 females). Mean age of patients was 35.39±11.17 years. There was no significant difference according to age and gender, Carbamazepine dosage, EEG recording, neuroimaging change and adverse effects of antiepileptic drug between two groups (P>0.05). Regarding the drug efficacy, in group A and B, 60 (68%) and 58 (63%) patients were seizure free after 6 month follow up; respectively. The differences between two groups were not statistically significant (P value =0.46).

Conclusion: Tegatard is an effective drug with similar efficacy, similar side effects and cost-effectiveness compared with Tegretol and could be used widely when indicated.

Background: Epilepsy is a chronic neurologic condition and affects peoples at all ages. Seizure clusters are generally referred to seizures that occur at close intervals with complete recovery between attacks. Various studies have reported a variety of frequencies and risk factors for this condition.

Method: We designed a study to determine the frequency of seizure cluster and to determine neuroimaging findings in these patients and also to evaluate the Correlation between Cluster Seizures and Findings of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Drug Refractory Epilepsy patients.

Results: After analyzing data from 568 refractory epilepsy patients, we found that the prevalence of cluster seizure variant is 14.43%. 29.26% of patients with a history of cluster seizure had no obvious abnormal MRI findings whereas 14.40 % of patients without history of cluster seizure had no obvious abnormal MRI findings (P-value <0.05). Compared to Drug Refractory Epilepsy patients without history of seizure clusters, patients with a history of seizure clusters had less abnormal MRI findings, less Mesial Temporal Sclerosis, and more Focal Cortical Dysplasia in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (p value <0.05).

Conclusions: Seizure cluster has a significant negative impact on the quality of life of patients. According to results of this study it seems that brain MRI findings of drug refractory epilepsy patients with a history of seizure clusters are different from brain MRI findings of drug refractory epilepsy patients without a history of seizure clusters. mesial temporal sclerosis is less frequent and focal cortical dysplasia is more frequent in brain MRI of drug refractory epilepsy patients with a history of seizure clusters compared to drug refractory epilepsy patients without a history of seizure clusters.

Background: Recently, the use of posterior mucus flap has been introduced as a new technique for DCR, which has had a great success, as well as bone overlapping and minimal postoperative obstruction. Considering the need for these flaps to have a very good success, the purpose of this study was to examine the DCR endoscopic method using mucosal flaps for double-sided overlapping (as a new flap).

Methods: In this clinical trial study, 60 patients undergoing DCR endoscopy referring to Amin and Al-Zahra hospitals during 1396 to 1398 entered the study. Patients were divided into two groups, which included endoscopic DCR by using mucosal flaps for double-sided and non-flip overlapping. The success rate of surgery, postoperative pain and its complications were studied in two groups.

Results: Among the complications observed after surgery, hematoma (6.7 in each group), bleeding (3.3% in each group) and nasal secretion (10% in the intervention group and 6.7% in the control group) were observed. No tear and obstruction of tear ducts were seen in the two groups. There was no significant difference between the two groups based on the complications of postoperative pain and the success rate of surgery (P>0.05).

Conclusion: Using the double-sided overlapping flap method, the results of the same operation were similar to using the non-flap method. Therefore, the use of both endoscopic DCR techniques with two-way overlapping flap and without using it were two effective methods with limited complications.

Virus-specific T cell-mediated immunity is severely impaired in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) patients. HBV-specific T cells in chronic HBV patients show a low ability to produce cytokines and to exert their cytotoxic activity. A prominent characteristic of these exhausted T cells is overexpression of inhibitory receptor molecules which negatively regulate T cell function. In this study, we examined in vitro regulation of two inhibitory receptor expressions, programmed death 1 (PD-1) and T cell immunoglobulin mucin domain-containing molecule 3 (TIM-3). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from healthy individuals were in vitro stimulated with a panel of cytokines. PD-1 and TIM-3 expression levels on CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells were examined at days 2 and 7 post stimulation. We demonstrated that PD-1 and TIM-3 were induced via polyclonal (anti-CD3) and cytokine (interleukin 15 [IL-15]) stimulations. Noteworthy, there was a significantly increased induction of TIM-3 on CD8⁺ T cells as compared to CD4⁺ T cells. Our study thus contributes to further understanding the regulation of T cell exhaustion markers PD-1 and TIM-3.

Background: Core needle biopsy (CNB) method is a common method and a gold standard for the diagnosis of breast lesions. The purpose of this study was to compare the results of visual inspection of ultrasound guided biopsy specimens with pathologic outcomes in patients with breast lesions.

Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive was conducted on 600 patients with breast lesions who were candidates for ultrasonography with CNB were entered into the study. Then, patients underwent sonography with needle biopsy, in a sample taken by The radiologist classifies the breast mass according to its consistency and shape based on observation to the malignant or benign, as well as the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System or Mass BIRADs. visual inspection results were compared with the CNB pathology of patients.

Results: In this study, the sensitivity and specificity of the lesion were 97.48% and 94.10%, respectively, and positive and negative predictive values of this test were 85.64% and 99.05%, respectively.

Conclusion: Given that the sensitivity and specificity of the biopsy lesions to detect the type of mass was higher than the pathology of the sample, it can be ensured that the biopsy of breast lesions, especially in sizes less than 10 mm in time Increased the biopsy and reduced the number of cores taken from the lesion.

B-cell mediated autoimmune diseases of central nervous system (CNS) put a heavy burden on different aspects of society and economy. Taken together, there are different types of autoimmune diseases in which B-cells play an important role and affect CNS in a pattern of inflammation. These diseases have some similarities in clinical presentations and radiological findings and some similarities with other diseases in different aspects such as treatments with each disease having its own characteristics. In this review article, we had a survey on some different types of B-cell mediated autoimmune diseases of CNS and explained how they can be distinguished from each other and how distinct they are according to radiological findings. The aim of this study is to distinguish B-cell mediated autoimmune diseases of CNS from other non-B-cell diseases in order to choose the best anti-B-cell treatments. At the end of this article we briefly explain different types of treatments being utilized and the role of corticosteroids in acute phases of different diseases.