Advanced Biomedical Research最新文献

Background: Endophthalmitis is a rare but a high morbid complication after cataract surgery, and a gold standard treatment is not recommended yet. In this study, we aim to evaluate the effect of early vitrectomy on the visual acuity of patients with postcataract endophthalmitis.

Materials and methods: This study was a single-arm clinical trial on 27 patients with postcataract surgery endophthalmitis. Early vitrectomy was the intervention. Visual acuity as the primary outcome was evaluated and compared at baseline, at discharge, and 1 and 3 months after the intervention.

Results: From 27 patients who included in our study, six patients gain favorable visual acuity of 5/10 and above (success rate = 22%), and four of them have no improvement in their visual acuity. Retinal detachment was reported as a complication in just one case. Negative culture was a predictor for success in terms of visual acuity after the surgery. All patients who gain favorable results, presented in the first 15 days after the cataract surgery.

Conclusion: The result of our study showed that, considering complete, early vitrectomy for the treatment of postcataract surgery endophthalmitis, especially for those who presented in the first 15 days of cataract surgery and for those who have negative culture is promising.

Background: Asherman syndrome is a controversial issue in obstetrics and gynecology without any consensus on its management and treatment. It is characterized by variable lesions inside the uterine cavity and also causes menstrual irregularities, infertility, and placental abnormalities. The study aimed to assess the platelet-rich plasma (PRP) effect in women with intrauterine adhesions by evaluating the improvement of the menstrual cycle and intrauterine adhesion (IUA) stage.

Materials and methods: This clinical trial study was performed on 60 women with Asherman syndrome in two groups of 30. For the first group, only hormone therapy was performed and for the second group, hormone therapy with platelet-rich plasma after hysteroscopy. Recovery of Asherman syndrome and IUA stage was assessed at 6 to 8 weeks after hysteroscopy and compared between the two groups.

Results: Our results demonstrated that there was no significant difference between demographic data in the two groups as well as the menstrual pattern of both groups before or after treatment (P > 0.05). Frequency distribution of IUA after the intervention in the PRP + hormone therapy group in grade I, II, and III were equal to 73.3%, 20%, and 6.7% and in the hormone therapy group were 53.3%, 26.7%, and 20%, respectively (P = 0.22). In addition, hypo menorrhea was observed in 33.3% of PRP + hormone therapy group and 40% of the hormone therapy group with no significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.71).

Conclusion: Hormone therapy with PRP compared to hormone therapy alone after routine surgical treatment had not a significant effect on the IUA stage, duration, and severity of menstruation.

Background: This study investigated the feasibility of channelized hoteling observer (CHO) model in computed tomography (CT) protocol optimization regarding the image quality and patient exposure. While the utility of using model observers such as to optimize the clinical protocol is evident, the pitfalls associated with the use of this method in practice require investigation.

Materials and methods: This study was performed using variable tube current and adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR) level (ASIR 10% to ASIR 100%). Various criteria including noise, high-contrast spatial resolution, CHOs model were used to compare image quality at different captured levels. For the implementation of CHO, we first tuned the model in a restricted dataset and then it to the evaluation of a large dataset of images obtained with different reconstruction ASIR and filtered back projection (FBP) levels.

Results: The results were promising in terms of CHO use for the stated purposes. Comparisons of the noise of reconstructed images with 30% ASIR and higher levels of noise in rebuilding images using the FBP approach showed a significant difference (P < 0.05). The spatial resolution obtained using various ASIR levels and tube currents were 0.8 pairs of lines per millimeter, which did not differ significantly from the FBP method (P > 0.05).

Conclusions: Based on the results, using 80% ASIR can reduce the radiation dose on lungs, abdomen, and pelvis CT scans while maintaining image quality. Furthermore using ASIR 60% only for the reconstruction of lungs, abdomen, and pelvis images at standard radiation dose leads to optimal image quality.

Background: Today, it has been shown that it is possible for right ventricular (RV) wall motion abnormalities or RV functional disorders to occur during cancer treatment. Now, considering the effect of carvedilol on beta 1, 2, and alpha receptors and its antioxidant properties, it seems that it can prevent RV abnormalities. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the possible protective effects of carvedilol in preventing RV dysfunction in patients with breast cancer treated with anthracyclines.

Materials and methods: The present single-blind clinical trial study was performed on 23 patients with breast cancer that 12 of them received only the anthracycline antineoplastic doxorubicin (Adriamycin^®) chemotherapy (control group) and 11 patients received carvedilol in addition to anthracycline. To evaluate the effect of carvedilol, patients underwent transthoracic echocardiography before intervention and 2 weeks after the end of treatment with anthracyclines.

Results: The two parameters of RV ejection fraction and RV fractional area change in the carvedilol group with a mean of 66.41% ± 8.10% and 51.85% ± 6.89% were slightly higher than the control group with a mean of 64.58% ± 6.83% and 50.48 ± 5.79%, respectively, which was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). In contrast, RV S wave tissue Doppler imaging (S-TDI) in the control group with a mean of 0.13 ± 0.02 m/s was significantly lower than the carvedilol group with a mean of 0.14 ± 0.02 m/s (P = 0.022).

Conclusion: According to the results of the present study, the effect of using carvedilol as a preservative on improving RV function was seen compared to the control group, although this difference was not statistically significant.

Marine organisms contain several natural products and bioactive compounds, including hydrolyzed proteins, antioxidant peptides, gelatin, collagen, ω-3 unsaturated fatty acids, vitamin A, vitamin D, calcium phosphate, hydroxyapatite, chitosan, lectin, and various toxins. They can inhibit diverse diseases, be used in pharmaceutical compounds, or as antibiotics and pigments. In this regard, these microorganisms are of crucial medicinal and economical importance. Thanks to new technologies and advanced laboratory methods, bioactive compounds can be extracted from aquatic organisms. In this review study, the cytotoxicity (IC₅₀) and antibacterial effect of various extracts from marine organisms of the Persian Gulf are explored, compiled, and compared. Due to their easy accessibility, most of the studies are green, red, and brown algae.

Background: Only 5 to 10% of cancers are hereditary, but they are particularly important since they can be passed down from generation to generation, and family members are at elevated risk. Although screening methods are one of the essential strategies for dealing with hereditary cancers, they do not have high specificity and sensitivity. The emergence of whole-exome sequencing (WES) causes a significant increase in the diagnostic rate of cancer-causing variants in at-risk families.

Materials and methods: We performed WES on the proband's DNA sample from an Iranian family with multiple cancer-affected members to identify potential causative variants. Multiple in silico tools were used to evaluate the candidate variants' pathogenicity and their effects on the protein's structure, function, and stability. Moreover, the candidate variants were co-segregated in the family with Sanger sequencing.

Results: The WES data analysis identified two pathogenic variants (CHEK2: NM_007194.4: c.538C>T, p.Arg180Cys and MLH1: NM_000249.4, c.844G>A, p.Ala282Thr). Sanger sequencing data showed each of the variants was incompletely segregated with phenotype, but both of them explained the patient's phenotype together. Also, the structural analysis demonstrated that due to the variant (c.538C>T), a salt bridge between arginine 180 and glutamic acid 149 was lost. Indeed, several protein stability tools described both variants as destabilizing.

Conclusion: Herein, we interestingly identify two distinct deleterious causative variants (CHEK2: NM_007194.4: c.538C>T, p.Arg180Cys and MLH1: NM_000249.4, c.844G>A, p.Ala282Thr) in a family with several cancer-affected members. Furthermore, this study's findings established the utility of WES in the genetic diagnostics of cancer.

Background: Enterococci, although remarked as harmless commensals of the intestinal tract of humans and animals, have become a significant source of infection in hospitalized patients worldwide.The present study aimed to isolate and identify enterococci from clinical samples and to determine the genotypic characteristics of vancomycin-resistant enterococcus isolates.

Materials and methods: A total of 774 isolates of enterococci from clinical samples were identified to the species level, and their anti-microbial susceptibility pattern was determined by Kirby Bauer Disk Diffusion method and Vitek 2 automated system. Screening for vancomycin resistance was performed by using brain heart infusion agar containing 6 micrograms/ml of vancomycin. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of vancomycin was determined by the agar dilution method and Epsilometer test (E test). Genotyping was carried out for resistant isolates by multiplex polymerase chain reaction.

Results: Thirty (3.88%) isolates were resistant to vancomycin by agar screen method. Five isolates showed intermediate resistance with anMIC of 8-16 micrograms/ml for vancomycin by agar dilution. By the E test, two isolates displayed an MIC of ≥32 micrograms/ml for vancomycin and one isolate showed an MICof ≥32 micrograms/ml for teicoplanin.Van A was the common genotype isolated. The present study reports isolates of Enterococcus faecalis with a susceptible MIC for glycopeptide and the presence of the Van A gene.

Conclusion: Heterogeneous resistance among clinical isolates of Enterococcus faecalis was observed in our study. The predominant phenotype and genotype detected among clinical isolates were Van A.

Background: Sexual desire and sexual activity are natural needs of human beings, which can be problematic and lead to various sexual disorders, if not used in the right way, including hypersexuality. The present study aimed to compare the effect of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and aripiprazole drug on marital instability in patients with hypersexuality.

Materials and methods: This experimental case--control Pretest--Posttest Control Group Design with follow up was done on 27 male and female patients with hypersexuality having at least a higher education degree selected from four hospitals and psychiatric centers including Khorshid Hospital, Asgariyeh Specialized Hospital, Farhangian Clinic and Imam Reza Medical Center in Isfahan and were randomly assigned to two groups of treatment (nine patients in every group) and one group of control (nine patients) after adjusting the age and gender. Pretest phase was done for both three groups using Marital Instability Index (MII). The first treatment group underwent DBT intervention for eight sessions of 2 hours (once a week), and the second experimental group was prescribed aripiprazole for 2 months. Afterwards, the posttest and follow-up were performed for all the three groups. The data were analyzed using SPSS 24 and multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA).

Results: The findings showed that DBT and aripiprazole had little effect on the problem of marital instability in patients with hypersexuality (p > 0.05); also, there was no significant difference between the effect of DBT and aripiprazole (p > 0.05).

Conclusion: DBT and the drug aripiprazole cannot have a significant effect on the marital instability in patients.

Background: Ultrasound is the selected technique for the detection of placenta accreta spectrum (PAS). This method can detect PAS in 80%-50% of cases. This study aimed to assess and compare the sensitivity and specificity of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of PAS after the first trimester.

Materials and methods: In this prospective study that was performed in 2020-2021 on 79 patients at high risk of PAS, all cases underwent ultrasonography in both 18-22 weeks of gestational age (GA) and 32-34 weeks of GA for evaluation of accreta. As per the risk factors, the delivery plan for all mothers was cesarean section. During the cesarean section, the placenta was examined for accreta, and if it was attached to the uterus, a diagnosis of placenta accreta was ascertained and a total abdominal hysterectomy was performed if the patient's bleeding was not controlled during the operation. The final diagnosis of PAS was made based on the pathology report.

Results: Ultrasound evaluation for PAS in 18-22 weeks of GA had 79.17% specificity, 51.61% sensitivity, 61.54% positive predictive value, and 71.70% negative predictive value. Ultrasound imaging for PAS in 32-34 weeks of GA had 60.8% specificity, 90% sensitivity, 62.52% positive predictive value, and 90.33% negative predictive value.

Conclusion: It should be concluded that PAS is a critical condition and if the patient is diagnosed in the second or third trimester, special strategies should be applied.