2023 CiteScore: 0.7
pISSN: 0044-6025
eISSN: 1735-9694
Editor-in-Chief:
Ahmadreza Dehpour, PharmD, PhD
This journal is a member of, and subscribes to the principles of, the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Vol 35, No 1-2 (1997)
Articles
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Transforming growth factor atpha (TGF-a), parathyroid hormone-tike proteins (PTHLP) and oncogene p53 proteins have all been demonstrated in a variety of human tumors anil have been implicated as causes of tumor cell aggressiveness. The present study determined the existence of these peptides and their immunohistochemicat profiles in ameloblastomas. Odontogenic keratocysts and dentigerous cysts were included for comparison. Formalin fixed paraffin embedded sections of 22 amelohlastom as, 18 odontogenic keratocysts and 17 dentigerous cysts were examined immunohistochemicalfy. Results showed that 14/22 ameloblastomas demonstrated a very strong positive staining for TGF-a in approximately 95% of the amelohlasts. Staining intensity in the remainder of the ameloblastomas was moderate in 2/22, weak in 1/22 samples and was focal in distribution in 5/22 sections. Immunoreacttvity for PTHLP was demonstrated in 20/22 ameloblastomas with variable levels of staining intensity ranging from very strong in 9/22, to moderate in 5/22 and weak in 3/22 specimens. The most intense staining for both antigens was demonstrated at the peripheral margins of invading tumor cells. The staining intensity in the majority of odontogenic cysts was weak or absent. Occasional focal staining with approximately 5% cell positivity and variable staining intensity was found in some specimens. Positive immunoreactivity for p53 oncogene was not demonstrated in any odontogenic lesion types examined in this study. In conclusion, the apparent in situ immunolocalization of TGF-a and PTHLP in ameloblast tumor cells indicates that these peptides were produced locally in ameloblastomas. Secondly, their expression were independent of ameloblastoma sub-types and were not altered by fixation methods used to process the formalin fixed paraffin embedded sections. Finally, the original assumptions tluit ameloblastomas are benign but locally aggressive tumors was supported in this study by showing that these tumors lack p53 oncogene proteins which are indicative of potential malignancies.
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In systemic lupus erythematosus- (SLE) various antibodies are produced against cells including platelets and result in thrombocytopenia. In the literature, the incidence of thrombocytopenia varied from 7% to 52%, in seven series of SLE patients with a mean cumulative percentage of 14.5% (1-5). SLE patients referred to the Lupus Unit of the Rheumatology Research Center, Tehran University for Medical Sciences (Shariati Hospital) during the period of 1975 to 1977 were included in this study. T/irombocytopenic patients were selected and 72 items were studied. Tiie incidence of thrombocytopenia in Iranian SLE patients was 16.6%, which is similar to the mean cumulative percentage mentioned above. There was no difference in sex ratio between thrombocytopenic ami nonthrombocytopenic patients: Tiie same was true for the mean age at the onset of the disease. In 70% of patients there was mild to moderate thrombocytopenia (platelet from 50000 to lS0000/mm3). the remaining (30%) had severe to very severe thrombocytopenia. In 1.9% of patients had a previous diagnosis of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). the following symptoms were seen more oflen in thrombocy¬topenic patients than in others: Hemolytic anemia (p<0.001), leukopenia (p<0.001), lymphopenia (p<0.001), splenomegaly (p<0.00007), and abortion (p<0.0006). For the fallowings the p value was less than 0.05: ESR> 700, positive FANA, positive Anti-dsDNA antibodies, positive VDRL, and positive anticardiolipin antibodies. All thrombocytopenic patients' except one (previously sptenectomized) were controlled by the medical treatment. Severe and very severe thrombocytopenia were controlled in 86% of cases by moderate to high dose steroids, with or without cytotoxic drugs: In 10% of cases, thrombocytopenia was controlled by a combination of chloroquine and low dose steroid (< 15 mg prednisolone daily). In 4%, other medical treatments (Danazol, etc.) were needed.
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Forty renal allograft patients with three months under immunosuppression by cycloserine were examined for their gingival overgrowth and it's correlation with several parameters including the trough levels of blood cyclosporine and it's metabolites measured by the fluorescence polarization immunoassay technique. No correlation was found between the scores of gingival overgrowth and both the age of patients and duration of cyclosporine therapy. Also, there was no correlation between the scores of gingival overgrowth and the levels of dental plaque. Our findings confirm the effective role of gingival inflammation as a local predisposing factor and also suggest the potential toxic action of cyclosporine metabolites on development of gingival overgrowth or it's accentuation.
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Nephritis remains an important problem in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We conducted retrospective study to evaluate the efficiency of intravenous pulse cyclophosphamide in lupus nephritis: From 1983 to 1993, we reviewed 133 patients with biopsy proven lupus nephritis, 47 of them excluded because of short period of follow-up or defective laboratory data. Eighty six patients were treated with the following regimens: Sixty patients with intravenous pulse cyclophospham; 13 witli IV pulse methylprednisolone succinate, 8 with cyclosporine, 4 with azathioprine and one with oral prednisolone. Sixteen patients did not respond to IV cyclophosphamide. We evaluated renal biopsy, pretreatment mean arterial pressure (MAP), BUN, creatinine and proteinuria as-prognostic and risk factors of nonresponders. The results of this study showed that diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis (DPGN) had the poorest outcome and most of nonresponders (11/16), were of DPGN. Tliere was a correlation between initial serum creatinine level and response to IV cyclophosphamide, but there was no correlation between BUN, MAP, degree of proteinuria and response to IV cyclophosphamide. IV pulse cyclophosphamid was more effective than steroid alone in preventing renal failure in lupus nephritis.
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5 Cases of hydatid cysts of the heart underwent successful enucleation or removal of the cysts with the aid of cardiopulmonary bypass are being reported. Their location, signs, symptoms, diagnostic procedures and consequences are being discussed. Clinical, radiologic, electrocardiographic and coronary angiographic findings all confirmed the diagnosis. AH the patients had uneventful postoperative course and had been foliowed-up regularly. Cardiac hydatid cyst is seen infrequently, even in the endemic regions. The incidence rate is 0.3 to 2 percent of all hydatid cyst patients, thus it is not a matter of routine cardiac surgery practice.
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Thirty young, healthy, nonsmoking women (mean age approximately 28 years) taking low-dose oral contraceptive pills were recruited for the study of the effects of these pills on coagulating factors. Twenty subjects were taking LD pill (Ethinyl estradiol 0.03 mg, levonorgestrel 0.15 mg) and 10 others were taking Cilest (Ethinyl estradiol 0.035 mg, Norgestimate 0.25 mg) for six months. The control subjects did not receive any oral contraceptives or other medications. Our results showed that:
1. There is no significant difference between the effects of LD and Cilest (with a different progestin content) on coagulating factors.
2. No significant changes were observed between both LD users and controls in PT, APTT, and fibrinogen levels.
3. No significant changes were observed between both Cilest users and controls in PT, APTT, and fibrinogen levels. -
Pure submandibular saliva was collected from anaesthetized vitamin - A - treated and control rats with using of pilocarpine as secretogogue, and then the serum was collected by cardiac puncutre. Intraperitoneal injection of a large single dose (100,000 IU/kg) of vitamin A changed total protein, calcium and sodium concentrations of saliva so that sodium level of submandibular saliva was reduced but total protein and calcium were found to be elevated significantly in rats. The levels of sodium and phosphate in serum of vitamin-A-treated animals were more higher than control values. In conclusion, if animal experiments can confirm in human, one can identify hypervitaminosis A by measuring protein and electrolytes of saliva.
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Results of a seven year (April 1985 to March 1992) prospoective study of bacterial meningitis in 189 infants and children admitted to our Center indicate that: 1) Tiie Gram-negative bacilli, especially Klebsiella species, are the leading cause of bacterial meningitis in neonates and young infants (<2 months), group B Streptococcus meningitis is rare, and Listeria monocytogenes meningitis is not observed. 2) Haemophilus influenzae is the leading cause of bacterial meningitis in children under 4 years old and Streptococcus pneumoniae becomes the leading cause over 5 years old. 3) Nine percent of H. influenzae isolates were ampicillin - resistant and 5% of S. pneumoniae were penicillin G resistant. All but one Niesseria meningitidis isolates were penicillin - susceptible. Both penicillin G f chloramphenicol or ampicillin/chloramphenicol resistance among these isolates were 2 percent. 4) The neurological compilations and mortality were highest under two months of age, 39% of these neonates died due to complications as compared to 22% in all other age groups combined. 5) Dexamethasone improves outcome when used as an adjunctive therapy for bacterial meningitis in infants and children. Tlie immediate and long-term clinical profiles both indicate better outcomes for dexamethasone.
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A 26 year old woman attended to our hospital with multifocal giant cell tumor in different sites, one in distal end of right radius with aggresive behavior and amputation of the mid forearm and the second in the head of the right humerus with benign and non aggresive clinical appearance.
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Organophosphorus compounds are known to inhibit the esteratic site of acetylcholinesterase by phosphorylation. The phosphorylated esteratic site of acetylcholinesterase undergoes hydrolytic regeneration at a slow or negligible rate. Nucleophilic agents such as hydroxytamine, hydroxamic acids, and oximes reactivate the enzyme more erapidfy than does spontaneous hydrolysis. The red cell cholinesterose activity was assayed using dithio bis-2-nitrobenzoic acid (DTNB) commonly known as Ellman's reagent. The principle of this assay method is the rate of hydrolysis of acetylthiocholine (substrate) by a red celt suspension. Thiocholine that is produced, forms a yellow complex, when EUman's reagent (DTNB) is used in the assay. This was tested in vitro in lysed erythrocyte samples of 35 healthy persons who had no known exposure to cholinesterose inhibitors, after the observation of immediate increase in absorption of light at 440 nm. All of data were statistically analyzed using one-way ANOVA and student t-test. A value of p<0.01 was considered. Results of this study show an increased absorbance in 440 nm, for pretreated samples with pratidoxime. This was observed by doses of (0.1, 0.5, 1,2 mmol, p<0.01). It was also a good dose dependent increase in absorbance at 440 nm for pralidoxime, (r=0.940, p<0.01). Also there is a significant increase in absorbance at 440 nm for samples pretreated by obidoxime at doses of (0.1, 0.5, 1,2 mmol). There is also a good correlation between absorbance at 440 nm and variou doses of obidoxime (r=0.946 , p<0.01). It is concluded that oximes can hydrofyzes the substrate, which then would be a source of error in determination of acetylcholinesterase activity and must be token into account.
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In an analytical, cohort type study, medical and obstetrical complications of 500 pregnant women over age 35 were compared with 500 younger pregnant women during 3 past years (1994-1997). 7he incidence of complications were significantly increased in pregnant women over age 35 (P<0.01).
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Ten cases of synovial cell sarcoma are reported. The youngest patient was a 2'A years old boy with synovial cell sarcoma of the knee and the oldest one was a man with synovial cell sarcoma of the elbow.
