Femoral vein stenting versus endovenectomy as adjuncts to iliofemoral venous stenting in extensive chronic iliofemoral venous obstruction.

PURPOSE: To compare femoral endovenectomy with the creation of an arteriovenous fistula (FE + AVF), versus iliofemoral endovenous stenting with the concurrent extended femoral vein (FV-S) stenting in patients with chronic iliofemoral venous obstruction (IFVO). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a randomized prospective single-center study, 48 received (FV-S), while the other 54 had (FE + AVF). RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in the primary outcomes between the two groups (FV-S) and (FE + AVF) (59% vs 56.8%, 75% vs 79.1%, respectively). At a median of 13 months after the treatment. However, the FV-S group's patients experienced fewer postoperative problems (p = .012), shorter procedures (p = .001), and shorter stays in the hospital (p = .025). CONCLUSION: There is no difference between the efficacy and symptomatic resolution of the FV-S group and the FE + AVF group at the same time, FV-S has lower postoperative complications and a shorter procedure duration and hospital stay.

Development of a high-throughput image cytometric screening method as a research tool for immunophenotypic characterization of patient samples from clinical studies.

Immunophenotyping has been the primary assay for characterization of immune cells from patients undergoing therapeutic treatments in clinical research, which is critical for understanding disease progression and treatment efficacy. Currently, flow cytometry has been the dominant methodology for characterizing surface marker expression for immunological research. Flow cytometry has been proven to be an effective and efficient method for immunophenotyping, however, it requires highly trained users and a large time commitment. Recently, a novel image cytometry system (Cellaca® PLX Image Cytometer, Revvity Health Sciences, Inc., Lawrence, MA) has been developed as a complementary method to flow cytometry for performing rapid and high-throughput immunophenotyping. In this work, we demonstrated an image cytometric screening method to characterize immune cell populations, streamlining the analysis of routine surface marker panels. The T cell, B cell, NK cell, and monocyte populations of 46 primary PBMC samples from subjects enrolled in autoimmune and oncological disease study cohorts were analyzed with two optimized immunophenotyping staining kits: Panel 1 (CD3, CD56, CD14) and Panel 2 (CD3, CD56, CD19). We validated the proposed image cytometry method by comparing the Cellaca® PLX and the AuroraTM flow cytometer (Cytek Biosciences, Fremont, CA). The image cytometry system was employed to generate bright field and fluorescent images, as well as scatter plots for multiple patient PBMC samples. In addition, the image cytometry method can directly determine cell concentrations for downstream assays. The results demonstrated comparable CD3, CD14, CD19, and CD56 cell populations from the primary PBMC samples, which showed an average of 5% differences between flow and image cytometry. The proposed image cytometry method provides a novel research tool to potentially streamline immunophenotyping workflow for characterizing patient samples in clinical studies.

Interleukin 17 and Growth Differentiation Factor 9 Influence in a Sample of Iraqi Infertile Males.

Infertility is defined as the inability of couples to conceive after 1 year of regular unprotected intercourse, which affects 10-15% of couples. The present study aimed to investigate the influence of Interleukin-17 (IL-17) and growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) on three groups of infertile males, including control, azoospermia, and oligozoospermia. In total, this study was performed on 93 participants, consisting of 18, 65, and 10 subjects in the Azoospermia, oligozoospermia, and control groups, respectively. The mean plasma levels of IL-17 in the azoospermia and oligozoospermia groups were 21.317±3.605 and 15.101±2.416 ng/l, respectively, which were significantly higher than that in the control group (5.392±1.731 ng/l). Furthermore, the mean plasma levels of GDF9 in the azoospermia and oligozoospermia groups were 3.299±1.051 and 6.2603±2.621 ng/l, respectively, which was significantly higher than that in the control group (12.807±2.170 ng/l). One-way analysis of variance and least significant difference post-hoc test were performed to assess significant differences among means. R-squared measures how well the linear regression model fits the data. It can be interpreted as the proportion of variance of the outcome Y explained by the linear regression model. R-squared is a number between 0 and 1. In non-obstructive forms of severe oligozoospermia and azoospermia, like the case in the current study, intracytoplasmic sperm injection is suggested by using testicular biopsy for spermatozoa extraction, if viable spermatozoa are present.

Development of a T-ARMS-PCR Assay for Detecting Genetic Polymorphism in the Catalase (rs7943316) Gene in the Iraqi Population with Breast Cancer.

Numerous investigations have demonstrated that oxidative stress is markedly increased in breast cancer patients compared to their healthy counterparts. Catalase (CAT), a crucial antioxidant enzyme, plays a pivotal role in safeguarding cells against oxidative damage initiated by reactive oxygen species (ROS). The CAT (rs7943316) gene encodes catalase, and certain genetic variations in this gene have been observed to modify catalase activity and levels. Such changes can lead to an altered response to oxidative stress, potentially increasing the risk of breast cancer. In light of this, a novel tetra-primer amplification-refractory mutation system (T-ARMS)-PCR assay was developed to investigate the possible correlation between the CAT (rs7943316) gene polymorphism and the development of breast cancer in patients. This method employs a one-step PCR, which is faster, more cost-effective, and more precise than existing techniques. Sanger sequencing was performed to validate the accuracy of our findings. The T-ARMS-PCR assay revealed a significant association between the A/T allele of the CAT (rs7943316) gene and breast cancer. Specifically, individuals with the TT genotype had a higher risk of developing breast cancer than those with the AA genotype. The T allele frequency was greater among breast cancer patients than in the control group, and genotype frequencies were consistent with the principles of the Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium. This study is the first to showcase a rapid, cost-effective, and high-throughput method for detecting the SNP in the CAT (rs7943316) gene. This method has the potential to be employed in large-scale clinical trials.

Association of the Manganese Superoxide Dismutase (Mn-SOD) Gene C47T Polymorphism with Lung Cancer: A Case-Control Study.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the association between manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) gene C47 T polymorphism and the risk of malignant lung cancer in Iraqi smokers. METHODS: Blood samples were obtained from 260 lung cancer patients (88 females and 172 males) and 295 healthy individuals (91 females and 204 males). DNA was extracted from blood samples and the SOD2 gene was amplified using specific primers. The nucleotide sequences of the SOD2 gene were analyzed by using BLAST server at National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and the Raptorx app. RESULTS: TT, CT, and CC genotypes concentrations were 48.1%, 33.2%, and 18.7%, respectively, in the control group. The concentrations of TT, CT, and CC genotypes were 43.5%, 31.5%, and 25%, respectively, in the case group. There were no statistical differences between cases and controls in terms of genotype frequency of SOD2C47T polymorphism. We observed that SOD2C47T polymorphism CT genotype did not increase the risk of lung cancer development compared to those with TT genotype (OR= 0.951, 95% CI = 0.648-1.396; P = 0.798). In addition, it was observed that CC genotype did not increase the risk of lung cancer development in comparison with TT genotype ( OR=0.673, 95% Cl=0.435-1.041: P=0.075). CONCLUSION: These results indicated that there was no association between SOD2C47T polymorphism and the risk of lung cancer development in Iraqi smokers.

Design, simulation and analysis of micro electro-mechanical system microneedle for micropump in drug delivery systems.

This article reports on the mechanical strength analysis and flow characteristics of square tip and circular tip microneedles by employing highly potent drugs that are given in extremely little quantity (microlitres) using MEMS technology, which proves to be a significant component of micropump in the application of Bio-MEMS. These microneedles are well suitable for a MEMS-based micropump in the drug delivery systems. It is an essential part of the micropump through which the drug is released into the patient's body. The proposed microneedles can withstand a stress of 23 MPa and 20 KPa. An extensive investigation on selection of material for the microneedle is carried out to meet the requirements of the biocompatibility and high yield, as well as tensile strength. As mighty drugs such as vasopressin, atropine and digoxin are administered in large quantities, the microneedle is designed so as to deliver 800 µl of drug, with each microneedle delivering 90 µl. in a 3 3 array. 3 × 3 array releasing 90 µl.

Chronic Headache and Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis Due to Varicella Zoster Virus Infection: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

BACKGROUND Varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection causes 2 clinically distinct forms of the disease: varicella (chickenpox) and herpes zoster (shingles). Primary VZV infection results in the diffuse vesicular rash of varicella, or chickenpox. Endogenous reactivation of latent VZV typically results in a localized skin infection known as herpes zoster, or shingles. The infection usually manifests as a self-limited disease. However, it can be associated with various neurological complications such as encephalitis, meningitis, ventriculitis, cerebellar ataxia, ischemic or hemorrhagic, and, rarely, cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST). This report presents a case of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis due to varicella zoster virus infection in a 20-year-old Nepalese man who presented to the Emergency Department with headache. CASE REPORT A 20-year-old Nepalese male patient presented to the Emergency Department with headache of 10 day's duration. Five days prior to that, he had a diffuse pruritic skin rash. Examination as well as serology confirmed the presence of primary varicella infection. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance venography (MRV) demonstrated CVST. Thrombophilia workup revealed a transient elevation of antiphospholipid serology. Shortly after admission, the patient had a transient seizure. He was treated with acyclovir, levetiracetam, and anticoagulation. A comprehensive literature review of similar cases was performed to establish a link between thrombotic complications and primary VZV infection and to formulate possible mechanistic pathways. CONCLUSIONS This report shows that primary VSV infection can be associated with vasculopathy and CVST. Physicians should recognize this serious complication, which should be diagnosed and treated without delay.

Ovarian Crohn's Disease: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

We present to you a rare case of Crohn's disease involving the ovary in a 28-year-old nulligravida Eritrean patient. This is considered a rare manifestation of Crohn's disease that is believed to be due to fistulization between the ovary and intestines.

A Rare Case of Choroid Plexus Papilloma of the Third Ventricle in an Adult.

Colloid cysts are the commonest masses of the third ventricle. Third ventricle neoplasms are uncommon. They include tumors arising from the choroid plexus (papillomas, carcinomas), tumors arising from other than the choroid plexus (ependymomas, meningiomas), metastases, and lymphoma. Choroid plexus tumors usually occur in the lateral ventricle in children and fourth ventricle in adults, and often present with hydrocephalus. We herein describe the extremely rare occurrence of third ventricle choroid plexus papilloma in a 35-year-old man who presented to the emergency department with a long history of intermittent headaches, occasionally associated with photophobia. CT and MR imaging revealed a lobulated ovoid lesion in the third ventricle with minimal extension into the right lateral ventricle through the foramen of Monro, causing mild ventricular dilatation. Surgical resection was performed and histopathology revealed choroid plexus papilloma.

Zinner Syndrome Unmasked by Workup for Renal Colic and Uncontrolled Hypertension.

Zinner syndrome is a rare hereditary disorder of the mesonephric duct. The triad of the absence of one kidney, ipsilateral cystic dilatation of the seminal vesicle, and ejaculatory duct obstruction makes the diagnosis. Mostly, it is asymptomatic. However, genitourinary manifestations and workup for the incidental absence of one kidney often uncover the disease. Ultrasound and CT scan can identify the absence of a kidney and seminal vesicle cyst, while MRI is the gold standard for diagnostic elaboration of the pelvic anatomy. In this article, we have presented a 51-year-old male patient who presented with renal colic and hypertension. Radiological investigations for the renal colic uncovered the diagnosis of Zinner syndrome incidentally. This case highlights the incidental nature, variability in the clinical presentation, and the diagnostic challenges of this rare disorder. It also emphasizes on the radiologist for a careful evaluation of the pelvic images in patients with unilateral absence of a kidney.

A microbubble-sparged yeast propagation-fermentation process for bioethanol production.

BACKGROUND: Industrial biotechnology will play an increasing role in creating a more sustainable global economy. For conventional aerobic bioprocesses supplying O2 can account for 15% of total production costs. Microbubbles (MBs) are micron-sized bubbles that are widely used in industry and medical imaging. Using a fluidic oscillator to generate energy-efficient MBs has the potential to decrease the costs associated with aeration. However, little is understood about the effect of MBs on microbial physiology. To address this gap, a laboratory-scale MB-based Saccharomyces cerevisiae Ethanol Red propagation-fermentation bioethanol process was developed and analysed. RESULTS: Aeration with MBs increased O2 transfer to the propagation cultures. Titres and yields of bioethanol in subsequent anaerobic fermentations were comparable for MB-propagated and conventional, regular bubble (RB)-propagated yeast. However, transcript profiling showed significant changes in gene expression in the MB-propagated yeast compared to those propagated using RB. These changes included up-regulation of genes required for ergosterol biosynthesis. Ergosterol contributes to ethanol tolerance, and so the performance of MB-propagated yeast in fed-batch fermentations sparged with 1% O2 as either RBs or MBs were tested. The MB-sparged yeast retained higher levels of ergosteryl esters during the fermentation phase, but this did not result in enhanced viability or ethanol production compared to ungassed or RB-sparged fermentations. CONCLUSIONS: The performance of yeast propagated using energy-efficient MB technology in bioethanol fermentations is comparable to that of those propagated conventionally. This should underpin the future development of MB-based commercial yeast propagation.

Phytotoxic and genotoxic effect of Aluminum to date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) in vitro cultures.

BACKGROUND: Al is a common metallic element found in earth's crust and is a toxic pollutant present at high concentrations in acidic soil, thus affecting plant growth. Despite being well studied as a toxic element, the effects of Al on date palm have not been investigated. This study aimed to assess the toxic effects of different Al concentrations on the development and growth of date palm callus and evaluate the biochemical and molecular response of date palm cells under Al stress. RESULTS: Our study revealed the phytotoxicity of Al concentrations (50, 100, 150 and 200 mg.l-1) on date palm callus. The fresh and dry weight and the number of produced embryos were significantly decreased in response to Al concentration. At 150 mg.l-1, the embryo number decreased to 1.66 compared with the 19.33 in the control treatment. At high Al concentration (200 mg.l-1), the callus failed to produce any embryo. Biochemical analysis revealed that Al exposure had negative effect on callus. Total soluble carbohydrates, total soluble protein and free amino acids were decreased in plants receiving 200 mg.l-1 Al treatment compared with those in the untreated ones. A similar decline was observed in total soluble protein and free amino acid in response to Al treatment. Significant accumulations of malondialdehyde, H2O2 and peroxidase activity accompanied the increase in Al concentration in cultured tissues, revealing the generation of toxic reactive oxygen species in affected cultures. The genotoxic effect of Al at high concentrations (150 and 200 mg.l-1) was revealed by protein patterns. CONCLUSION: Our findings revealed for the first time the phytotoxicity of Al to date palm callus. At 200 mg.l-1, Al prevented the embryo production of date palm callus. At 50, 100, 150 and 200 mg.l-1, Al negatively affected the biochemical characteristics of date palm callus. At 150 and 200 mg.l-1, Al induced changes in protein expression. These data showed that the tissue culture technique can be used as a valuable approach in heavy metal toxicity studies.

Legal capacity of persons with disabilities in Ethiopia: The need to reform existing legal frameworks.

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) prohibited deprivation legal capacity of persons with disability based on assessment of mental capacity. The assertion is that, persons with disabilities shall exercise their legal capacity in all aspects of life without any restrictions that are based on mental incapacity (such as, unsoundness of mind, deficit in mental capacity, dotage, etc. This approach signifies a shift from substituted decision making, where another person act on behalf of persons with mental disabilities, to supported decision making where the person with mental disability is assisted in decision making. The rationale for the move lies on the recognition that the right to legal capacity embodies the inherent meaning of what it meant to be human. Without legal capacity a person cannot exercise all other rights and entitlements. Accordingly, States parties to CRPD are required to reform domestic legislations that are based on substituted decision making model and recognize full legal capacity of persons with disabilities in line with supported decision making model. As a Sate party to CRPD, Ethiopia assumed the same obligation. Nonetheless, in its initial report to the Committee on CRPD, the country denies existence of legislation that restricts legal capacity on the grounds of mental incapacity. This research found out that there are restrictions imposed on legal capacity of persons with disabilities on the basis of mental incapacity/disability. The research analyzed the approach employed to restrict legal capacity under the existing legal frameworks of Ethiopia vis-à-vis supported decision-making regime under CRPD. The research is doctrinal and, as such, limited to content analysis of general and specific legal capacity laws of the country (such as, marriage, divorce, will, work and employment, political participation, access to justice and others).

Trace metal levels, sources, and ecological risk assessment in a densely agricultural area from Saudi Arabia.

The present study was conducted in one of the most densely cultivated area of Al-Qassim region in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to (i) monitor trace metal (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) contents in surface and subsurface soils, (ii) assess the pollution and potential ecological risk levels of trace metals, and (iii) identify trace metal sources using enrichment factor (EF), correlation matrix, and principal component analysis (PCA). The pollution levels of the analyzed trace metals calculated by the geoaccumulation index (I geo) and contamination factor (C f) suggested that the soils were highly contaminated with Cd and moderately contaminated with Pb. Based on the average values of EF, soil samples were found to present extremely high enrichment for Cd, significant enrichment for Pb, moderate enrichment for Zn, and deficient to minimal enrichment for other trace metals. Among the analyzed trace metals, a very high ecological risk was observed only in the case of Cd at some sampling sites. Meanwhile, other investigated trace metals had a low ecological risk. The results of PCA combined with correlation matrix suggested that Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Cr Ni, Cu, and Co represent natural abundance in soil, but Cd, Pb, and Cu are of anthropogenic inputs, mainly due to agrochemical and fertilizer applications. It could be generally concluded that the obtained results can be useful for assessing and conducting a future program for trace metal monitoring in agricultural areas of Saudi Arabia.

Choice of antihypertensive medications among physicians and its impact on blood pressure control among Nigerians living with hypertension.

Background: Hypertension, if untreated or uncontrolled, leads to damage of vital organs such as the brain, heart and the kidneys among others. These complications have been shown to be severer in black Africans. Benefit of treatment has been repeatedly demonstrated by many studies. Therefore, many guidelines have been produced by relevant bodies in different countries in order to assist physicians in making the right choices for blood pressure (BP) control. Most of these bodies produce the guidelines based on the peculiarities of hypertension in their respective population. Several reports have shown how different hypertension is, in black Africans, still there is no published unified guideline for its treatment in this population. Methods: This was a survey of known hypertensives who were on follow up visit. Their prescriptions were assessed for drug name, class and number. Their blood pressures at that visit were also recorded. Prevalence of single therapy and combination therapy were determined. Compliance with the AHA recommended 2 ­ drug combination was determined. The percentage of BP control as well as the prescribed drugs in each group were also obtained. Results: Those on single agents were 13% out of which 52% were controlled. 87% were on various combination of 2 or more drugs of whom 41.9% of those on 2 drugs and 21.1% of those on more than 2 drugs had controlled BP. BP control in those on 2 drugs was better than in those with > 2 drugs, (p=0.0027). ACEI were the commonest used drug either as single agent (55.9%) or as 2 ­ drug combination as seen in 54.8% of the subjects on 2 ­ drug combination. 13 different 2 ­ drug combinations were identified with the best control in ARB + Diuretic, ACEI + Diuretic and CCB + Diuretic. The least control was observed in the ACEI + CCB group. Compliance with AHA recommendation was good but still 7.7% were under unacceptable group while another 7.7% were unclassified. Conclusion: ACE-Is are becoming the drugs of choice both as monotherapy and as combination therapy. Despite good compliance to AHA recommendation on drug combination, overall control is still a problem which calls for a revisit of these recommendations in Africans.