A baseline quantitative assessment of deep-sea benthic fauna of the Gulf of Aqaba (Northern Saudi Arabia, Red Sea).

The Gulf of Aqaba (hereafter 'the Gulf') is a narrow, semi-enclosed, warm, high saline, and oligotrophic water body. This baseline study provides the first quantitative data on deep-sea (207-1281 m depth) benthos of the Gulf. Fifty-five benthic species (predominantly polychaetes) with a density of 160-670 ind. m-2, species richness of 11-25, and Shannon-Wiener diversity (H') of 3.14-4.17 bits. ind.-1 were recorded from nine stations. The density and H' of benthos of the Gulf are comparable with those of the Red Sea, while both are lower than those reported from the Arabian Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. The good-high ecological status of benthic communities indicates the absence of major stress in the deep-sea habitats of the Gulf. As large-scale urbanization is proposed in the Saudi coastal areas of the Gulf, this study is expected to provide a baseline dataset for future environmental impact assessments.

Lymphangiomatous Polyp of Palatine Tonsil in A Child Presenting with Dysphagia and Dysarthria.

Pedunculated lymphangiomatous polyps of the tonsil are rare benign lesions that have been described in literature using varied nomenclature. Majority of the cases have been reported in adults with varying clinical symptoms. We report a case of lymphangiomatous polyp of left palatine tonsil in a 14-year-old male child who presented with dysphagia and dysarthria. Clinical examination revealed a large pedunculated polyp arising from upper pole of left tonsil. Patient underwent left tonsillectomy with excision of the polyp. Based on histopathological features a diagnosis of pedunculated lymphangiomatous polyp was made. We discuss the clinical and histopathological features of this lesion with differential diagnosis and short review of literature.

Safety and efficacy of quartz head contact laser ablation for large prostates using 980-nm laser: a comparative prospective study against that for small- and medium-sized prostates.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the safety and efficacy of quartz head laser ablation of the prostate (QLAP) in the treatment of large and huge prostates as compared with small- and medium-sized ones. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred forty-two patients with lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) were included in the study, of which 210 patients were evaluable. Patients were divided into 2 groups: group A: patients with BPH volume of <80 mL (120 patients) and group B patients with gland size ≥80 mL. All patients were subjected to QLAP procedure. They were evaluated perioperatively and 1 week; 1, 3, and 6 months; and every 6 months thereafter postoperatively. RESULTS: Patients' demographics and preoperative data were similar except for the gland size (group A, 54.96 ± 15.49 mL [20-79 mL] and group B, 124.68 ± 40.88 mL [80-233 mL]). Operative time corrected to gland volume was shorter in group B. Only 10% of all patients needed 2 fibers. There was no significant electrolyte change in both groups. Hemoglobin has minimally decreased in both groups but was statistically significant. Group B outcome was significantly better regarding International Prostate Symptom Score, International Prostate Symptom Score quality of life, and uroflowmetry. Prostate size decreased by 47 ± 2% and 62.7 ± 2% at 6 months post operatively for groups A and B, respectively. CONCLUSION: QLAP demonstrated good efficacy and safety in treating large and huge BPH. It possessed no added risk as compared with small prostates. It can be a good alternative to open prostatectomy especially in patients with significant comorbidities.

Quartz head contact laser fiber: a novel fiber for laser ablation of the prostate using the 980 nm high power diode laser.

PURPOSE: High power 980 nm diode laser ablation of the prostate using the side firing fiber has proven its efficiency and safety in treating lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia. Nevertheless, this procedure is associated with some drawbacks such as prolonged irritative symptoms and tissue sloughing. In this study we evaluated the clinical outcome of high power 980 nm diode laser ablation of the prostate using a new quartz head contact fiber, and compared it to the standard side firing fiber in a randomized fashion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 120 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia scheduled for high power 980 nm diode laser ablation of the prostate were randomized to receive treatment with the standard side firing fiber or the novel quartz head contact fiber between April 2009 and April 2010. Patients were followed for at least 6 months, although 7 were lost to followup. RESULTS: The side firing fiber and quartz head contact fiber groups demonstrated significant improvement in International Prostate Symptom Score (from 20 to 8.39 vs 21.63 to 9.91), International Prostate Symptom Score-quality of life (from 4.47 to 1.94 vs 4.57 to 1.98) and maximum flow rate (from 7.79 to 22.22 vs 8.93 to 29.63 ml per second), and decreased prostate volume (47.79% vs 55.54%) and prostate specific antigen (59.69% to 60.61%), respectively. Complications, postoperative passage of tissue remnants and irritative symptoms were significantly less in the quartz head contact fiber group, as was the number of fibers per case. CONCLUSIONS: The quartz head contact fiber can produce similarly good outcomes in ablating the prostate using the high power 980 nm diode laser compared to the side firing fiber, and with fewer complications and side effects.

Aldose reductase deficiency protects from autoimmune- and endotoxin-induced uveitis in mice.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of aldose reductase (AR) deficiency in protecting the chronic experimental autoimmune (EAU) and acute endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU) in c57BL/6 mice. METHODS: The WT and AR-null (ARKO) mice were immunized with human interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding peptide (hIRPB-1-20), to induce EAU, or were injected subcutaneously with lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 100 µg) to induce EIU. The mice were killed on day 21 for EAU and at 24 hours for EIU, when the disease was at its peak, and the eyes were immediately enucleated for histologic and biochemical studies. Spleen-derived T-lymphocytes were used to study the antigen-specific immune response in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS: In WT-EAU mice, severe damage to the retinal wall, especially to the photoreceptor layer was observed, corresponding to a pathologic score of ∼2, which was significantly prevented in the ARKO or AR inhibitor-treated mice. The levels of cytokines and chemokines increased markedly in the whole-eye homogenates of WT-EAU mice, but not in ARKO-EAU mice. Further, expression of inflammatory marker proteins such as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1 was increased in the WT-EIU mouse eyes but not in the ARKO-EIU eyes. The T cells proliferated vigorously when exposed to the hIRPB antigen in vitro and secreted various cytokines and chemokines, which were significantly inhibited in the T cells isolated from the ARKO mice. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that AR-deficiency/inhibition protects against acute as well as chronic forms of ocular inflammatory complications such as uveitis.

The role of trp ion channels in testicular function.

Transient receptor potential (TRP) proteins are homologues of Drosophila transient receptor potential ion channels first identified in the photo receptors and reported to be involved in calcium entry following calcium store depletion during photo transduction. TRP is a large super family divided in several families including the TRPC (Canonical) family, the TRPV (Vanilloid) family, the TRPM (Melastatin) family, the TRPP (Polycystin) family, the TRPML (Mucolipin) family, the TRPA (Ankyrin) family, and the TRPN (NOMPC) family. TRP proteins are six transmembrane ion channels and act as components of multimeric complexes which allow cation entry either after internal calcium depletion or in response to receptor stimulation. TRP ion channels have been reported to act as molecular sensors of environment. Trp genes are expressed in a wide range of tissues including testis. In addition to this TRP proteins have also been detected in mature sperm from a number of species including humans. TRP may be involved in regulating calcium dependent functions of sperm including motility, capacitation, and acrosome reaction. Here we review the available information about TRP proteins reported in the sperm, as well as in other cells/tissue systems.

Spatio-temporal organization of Vam6P and SNAP on mouse spermatozoa and their involvement in sperm-zona pellucida interactions.

Acrosomal assembly during spermatogenesis and acrosome reaction during sperm-oocyte interaction are unique events of vesicle synthesis, transport, and fusion leading to fertilization. SNARE complex formation is essential for membrane fusion, and vesicle-associated (v-) SNARE intertwines with target membrane (t-) SNARE to form a coiled coil that bridges two membranes and facilitates fusion. We detected messages of Vam6P and SNAP in mammalian testis and epididymis. Vam6P and SNAP were detected in a temporally organized fashion on the spermatozoa from testis and epididymis, which showed accumulation on the principal acrosomal domains during capacitation. Vam6P and SNAP were shed off from the principal acrosomal domain after acrosome reaction, but the equatorial and the post-acrosomal domains retained these proteins. Antibodies to VAMP and SNAP inhibited sperm-zona pellucida interaction, suggesting their possible involvement in sperm membrane vesiculation.

Formation and dynamic alterations of horizontal microdomains in sperm membranes during progesterone-induced acrosome reaction.

Capacitated mammalian spermatozoa undergo a fusion response of their head plasma membrane and the outer acrosomal membrane leading to vesiculation classically known as acrosome reaction. Acrosome reaction occurs in response to various acrosome reaction inducers including zona pellucida proteins, calcium ionophore, dibutyryl cAMP, progesterone, etc. All the acrosome reaction inducers cause a transient of calcium influx into the sperm through voltage-dependent cation channels. Efflux of chloride, stimulation of activity of phospholipases, and phosphorylation of proteins are other known changes introduced by acrosome reaction inducers. Macromolecular organization and dynamics of sperm membranes during the progression of this vesiculation are largely unexplored. In this study, we report that progesterone induced the formation of horizontal microdomains within the exofacial surfaces of sperm membranes, which showed progressive and independent alterations in molecular dynamics. In the light of this observation, we propose that sperm membrane rafts may contain both horizontal and vertical microdomains.