Olfactory ensheathing cells-based therapy for spinal cord injury (SCI) repair has been a possible treatment for clinical study because of their safety in autologous transplantation and potential regenerative capability. However, there are contradictory reports on the results after transplantation in animal models. The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of acute transplantation of human mucosa-derived olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) on the repair of the spinal cord. Human olfactory ensheathing cells were isolated from the human mucosa and cultured under supplemented neuronal cell culture medium. They were characterized by immunocytochemistry for olfactory ensheathing cell markers. We induced spinal cord injury at T8-T9 of rats by aneurysm clips and simultaneously injected two million OECs into subarachnoid space of spinal cord. Sensory and motor behaviors were recorded by tail-flick reflex (TFR) and BBB scores, respectively every week for seven weeks after injury. Morphology and S100-beta antigen expression in olfactory ensheathing cells of the human olfactory mucosa was confirmed by immunostaining. OECs transplantation did not recover inflammation, neuronal vacuolation, hemorrhage, and cyst formation. These findings suggest that OECs transplantation in this experimental setting did not lead to tissue regeneration to enhance locomotion. These results broaden current knowledge and are additions to the science and literature.

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a complex disease with higher level of IL-6. In order to elucidate the alterations related to IL-6 gene in RA, we evaluated the -174 G/C IL-6 gene polymorphism and methylation pattern of its promoter. A total of 120 RA patients and 120 healthy controls were recruited for polymorphism analysis, and 30 individuals of both groups were randomly selected for methylation analysis. The IL-6 gene polymorphism was analyzed by PCR-RFLP and methylation pattern was analyzed by MSP-PCR. Regarding IL-6 gene polymorphism, no significant difference was found between RA patients and controls (P>0.05). For DNA, two CpG regions of IL-6 promoter gene was analyzed. The first region (−1069, −1061, −1057 and −1001 CpG) did not show significant differences, whereas the second region (−628, −610, −574 and −491 CpG) showed a significant hypermethylated status (P=0.0004) in RA patients as compared with controls.These results, suggest a possible relationship between methylation pattern and the susceptibility to RA in our studied population.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a DNA virus which belongs to the Herpesviridae family, has been infected with 90% of the world’s population. EBV is transmitted through saliva and associated with different diseases such as Infectious Mononucleosis, Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Burkitt`s lymphoma, Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin`s lymphoma. This study was designed to determine the frequency of EBV DNA and genotyping of this virus in histological tissues of Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in Ahvaz, Iran. In this study, 12 samples of Hodgkin and 29 samples of Non-Hodgkin`s lymphoma were examined from Ahvaz Imam Khomeini Hospital. After deparaffinization and DNA extraction, Nested-PCR technique was carried out on Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA-1) and Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen 3C (EBNA-3C) regions in order to detect EBV genome and genotype in tumoral tissues. Among 12 cases of Hodgkin`s lymphoma, 3 (25%) cases and among 29 cases of Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, 14 (48%) cases were positive for EBV. All 3 EBV positive cases of Hodgkin`s lymphoma and a number of 8 (57%) cases of Non-Hodgkin`s lymphoma belonged to the adolescence age group which proves an association between age and EBV positive in Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin`s lymphoma according to Fisher`s exact test (P=0.03). All EBV positive cases in Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin`s lymphoma were EBV-1. The results of this study revealed that EBV played a possible important role in Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin`s lymphoma especially in adults. Also, the main genotype of virus in the current study was EBV-1.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major public health concern in Egypt with its unique genotype. Besides liver disease, HCV is a lymphotropic virus involved in the pathogenesis of various extrahepatic diseases. A causative role of HCV in the generation of chronic lymphoproliferative diseases as well as its impact on disease behavior in HCV chronic carriers are not fully understood. We investigated the prevalence of HCV among cohort of Egyptian patients (n:84) with chronic lymphoproliferative diseases, the relation between HCV infection and the immunological state of this opulation and also their clinical and laboratory characteristics. High prevalence of HCV (40%) among Egyptian patients with chronic lymphoproliferative diseases with following subtype frequency was revealed; CLL (38.2%) followed by DLBCL (20.6%), and LPL (17.6%). We found significant correlation between HCV and platelet count (P=0.014), Albumin (P=0.02), LDH (P=0.014) and B2M (P=0.05). Otherwise, there were no significant correlations with other parameters especially the immunological assessment; serum immunoglobulins, Coombs test, and cryoglobulinemia. HCV prevalence among patients with chronic lymphoproliferative diseases is higher than that estimated in the general population. Those patients should be tested for HCV during the assessment. Our observations suggest that HCV may have an oncogenic role in Egyptian patients with chronic lymphoproliferative diseases and it may affect the prognostic markers in those populations.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited genetic disorder with chronic respiratory manifestations. The respiratory symptoms may start very early in life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of respiratory pathogens in children with CF. In this clinical laboratory study, 100 CF patients were prospectively collected from February 2016 to March 2017. Microbiological cultures and antimicrobial susceptibility tests of the most frequently isolated upper respiratory tract bacteria were performed. According to the results of this study, Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequent microorganism 24 (24%) in CF patients followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa 21 (21%). In children younger than one-year-old, Enterococci and Klebsiella pneumonia were the most frequently isolated pathogens. In other age groups, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeroginosa were most frequent. All pathogens showed more sensitivity to Ceftriaxone, Amikacin, and Ceftazidime. However, Staphylococcus aureus was most sensitive to Cefoxitin, Clindamycin, and Linezolid and Pseudomonas aeroginosa were most sensitive to Amikacin, Ceftazidime, and Ceftriaxone respectively. In conclusion, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeroginosa were the most frequent microorganisms in CF patients in our population. In patients younger than one-year-old, the most frequent pathogens were Enterococci and Klebsiella. All pathogens and Pseudomonas aeroginosa were sensitive to Ceftriaxone, Amikacin, and Ceftazidime but Staphylococcus aureus was most sensitive to Cefoxitin, Clindamycin, and Linezolid respectively. It seems that Ceftriaxone, Amikacin, and Ceftazidime are the most suitable antibiotics for the treatment of pulmonary infections in CF patients in our population.

Ethics is an essential element in the provision of healthcare services. Fundamental ethical values determine the manner in which the professional behavior is implemented in the healthcare area. These ethical principles find meaning in time and place and in the social context of ethical values and among children as vulnerable groups. So, this study examined the ethical principles of providing health care services for children and barriers to their application in Iran from key informants’ perspective. Therefore, qualitative content analysis method was used by means of semi-structured questionnaire to theoretical saturation scale with the participation of 20 key informants. Each interview underwent the process of implementation, evaluation, coding, and analysis, and then its findings were presented in two dimensions: desirable principles and barriers for its application, including 15 classes. Desirable principles include autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice, confidentiality, accent, consent, and participation. Obstacles to their compliance also included weakness of the policy landscape, weakness of the judicial system, cultural conservatism, socio-economic inequality, services commodification with unequal distribution, resource mismanagement (limitation), weakness of the professional education system, and the emergence of complex situations. From the key informants’ point of view, codes of ethics do not differ significantly from international principles, but their application is faced with difficulties, and they are likely to be improved through evidence-based policies according to the results of scientific studies.

About 10% of thyroid nodule Fine Needle Aspirations (FNAs) are reported indeterminate, and this number is much higher in Iran. All of these patients undergo thyroid surgery, whereas, only about 20% of them are malignant and they did not need surgery. Therefore, we decided to evaluate the ultrasonographic features of malignant thyroid nodules to find a predictive scoring model for thyroid nodules and consequently reduce the unnecessary thyroid surgeries. This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 114 patients with thyroid nodule who were candidate for thyroid surgery. All the patients were assessed by ultrasonography of thyroid before surgery, and after surgery by the gold standard of permanent pathology, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of each parameter of ultrasonography were determined. Finally, by using the logistic regression analysis, a predictive scoring model was suggested. A total of 114 patients with mean age of 43.13±13 years (90 females (78.9%) were studied. Prevalence of malignancy in final pathology was 75.9%, 39.0%, and 15.9% in FNA biopsies which were malignant, undetermined and benign, respectively. FNA correctly verified 48.9% of the malignant pathologies. In all, smaller nodules, hypoechogenicity, metastatic lymphadenopathy, oval shape, thick or incomplete halo, ill margins, microcalcification, and heterogenicity are associated with malignancy (All, P<0.05). We recommend that complementary tools upon ultrasonographic data along with FNA can be helpful for more accuracy and early diagnosis of malignant thyroid nodules.

Lipoid proteinosis (LP) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by malfunction mutations in extracellular matrix protein 1 gene (ECM1) with common features such as hoarseness of the voice, infiltration of the skin and mucosa, and varying degrees of skin scars. We studied two LP patients. Clinical and genetic examination and genetic counseling were carried out, and their family pedigree was drawn. Two different variants were found in exon 6 of ECM1 gene in both patients: a homozygous deletion of a nucleotide T at position 507 and a missense variant at nucleotide 389 which the first was a pathogenic mutation and the other one was a non-pathogenic variant.

Persistent low level of beta-hCG (PLL) is defined as rising hCG level no more than two-fold over a three months period. Almost many types of PLL can lead to the wrong diagnosis. Here, we presented two cases of the retained product of conception (RPOC) with persistent low levels of beta-hCG. Both cases were presented with persistent low levels of beta-hCG and abnormal uterine bleeding since first-trimester pregnancy termination. Ultrasonography revealed a vascular mass with extension from the endometrial cavity to myometrium imitating gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) or arteriovenous malformation (AVM). The final pathologies of both cases were retained product of conception. Imaging features of RPOC can closely imitate those of an AVM or GTN; so, hysteroscopy is one of the best non-invasive procedures which may be helpful in diagnosis and selection of appropriate treatment especially in young patients who desire to preserve their fertility.

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