Mutational Analysis in Pediatric Thyroid Cancer and Correlations with Age, Ethnicity, and Clinical Presentation.

BackgroundWell-differentiated thyroid cancer (WDTC) incidence in pediatrics is rising, most being papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). The objective of the study was to assess the prevalence of different mutations in pediatric WDTC and correlate the genotype with the clinical phenotype.MethodsThis is a single-center retrospective study. Thyroid tissue blocks from 42 consecutive pediatric WDTC patients who underwent thyroidectomy between 2001 and 2013 were analyzed at Quest Diagnostics for BRAF(V600E), RAS mutations (N,K,H), and RET/PTC and PAX8/PPARγ rearrangements, using validated molecular methods. Thyroid carcinomas included PTC, follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC), and follicular variant of PTC (FVPTC).ResultsThirty-nine samples (29 females) were genotyped. The mean age at diagnosis was 14.7 years (range 7.9-18.4 years), and most were Hispanic (56.4%) or Caucasian (35.9%). The mean follow-up period was 2.9 years. Mutations were noted in 21/39 (53.8%), with both BRAF(V600E) (n = 9), and RET/PTC (n = 6) detected only in PTC. Mutations were detected in 2/5 FTC (PAX8/PPARγ and NRAS) and 3/6 FVPTC cases (PAX8/PPARγ). Of 28 PTC patients, 57.1% had mutations: 32.1% with BRAF(V600E), 21.4% with RET/PTC, and 3.6% with NRAS. Of patients with BRAF(V600E), 77.8% were Hispanic and 88.9% were >15 years, while all RET/PTC-positive patients were ≤15 years (p = 0.003). Tumor size, lymph node involvement, and distant metastasis at diagnosis (or soon after (131)I ablation) did not vary significantly based on the mutation.ConclusionsBRAF(V600E) was the most common mutation, especially in older and Hispanic adolescents. A larger, ethnically diverse pediatric cohort followed long term will enable the genotypic variability, clinical presentation, and response to therapy to be better assessed

Immediate Implant Loading in Osteoporotic Patients: Mini Review

Immediate Loading in implant treatment has gained trust and confidence among implantologists. Hence, immediate loading needs careful criteria to be considered during treatment planning. Adell, et al. [1] advocated that implant micro movement caused by functional force around the bone-implant interface during healing may lead to fibrous tissue formation rather than bone [1]. Occlusal scheme is another key factor that predicts the success rate in immediate loading. Balshi & Wolfinger [2] claimed that most of failures in their immediate loaded implant patients were due to bruxism [2]. Surgical technique is another factor. Gentle surgery, absence of heat generation and operator experience play a marvellous role in raising the success rate. It has been elucidated that a temperature over 47 °C for a minute might yield heat necrosis in the bone [3,4]. Success rate effect ranged between negative factor to positive one in relation to the placement of immediate loading in fresh extraction sites and healed ones. Chaushu, et al. [5] claimed a negative effect if implants were loaded immediately in fresh extractions sites [5]. Whereas, Jo, et al. [6] claimed a higher success rate when implants loaded immediately in fresh extraction sites [6]. Operators’ skills play a significant factor in enhancing implant treatment success. Clinicians who placed more than 50 implants will reduce the failure rate by 50% when compared with inexperienced ones [7]. Implant design plays a relevant role for yielding primary stability [8]. MalÓ, et al. [9] found no difference in success rate after 1 year between implants inserted with insertion torque ≥ 30 Ncm compared to implants inserted with torque < 30 Ncm [9]. Immediate implant loading for completely mandibular edentulous arches gained favorable clinical achievements in the long term [10]. Khan, et al. [11] claimed that platelet rich fibrin has a role in preventing bone loss during the surgical to prosthetic phase [11]. Bone diseases affect on implant osseointegration. Osteoporosis is an example; it is characterized by a decrease in bone mass, and considered a major public health concern [12]. Many authors [13-15] have advocated that mutilation of osseointegration might occur around implants in osteoporotic animal specimens. Degidi & Pittelli [16] advocated that it is possible to immediately load dental implants in an osteoporotic patient [16]. Osteoporosis is not a contraindication for implant therapy [17]. Oteoporotic patients received dental show acceptable outcomes [18]

Lived Experiences of Female Undergraduate Students, at a Nursing College in Abu Dhabi, about Nursing as a Profession

Aim: To explore the lived experiences of female undergraduate nursing students about nursing as a profession and the circumstances that have influenced their experience. Introduction: Nursing as a profession is a relatively new practice, and thus in the developmental stage, in the UAE. The number of national students (Emirati) who enrol in the nursing program is relatively small. To understand the opinions, feelings and thoughts of these undergraduate nursing students about nursing as a profession, it was essential to explore their lived experiences. Research Methods and Design: An exploratory, descriptive qualitative research design was used. The target population was third-year female undergraduates nursing students at a nursing college, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. A purposeful sampling was used. Self-report data were gathered from each participant through written reflections. Each participant was asked to reflect on two questions. The sample size was concluded through data saturation. Data was analysed using Collaizi’s 7- step method and guided the researchers to sort each transcript into themes, sub-themes and categories. Trustworthiness criteria was utilized to assess the validity and reliability of the results. Findings: Analysis of data revealed four themes about nursing as a profession. These themes included changing perceptions, nursing as a career, scope of practice, and social stand of nursing as a profession. Conclusion: Nursing students’ lived experiences about nursing as a profession provided valuable information that could be employed to enhance students’ recruitment into the nursing program. Consequently these experiences will inform the Emiratization process, as well as the issue of nursing shortage in the UAE. Keywords: Nursing as a Profession, Nursing Profession, Nursin

Dry Socket: Frequency, Clinical Picture, and Risk Factors in a Palestinian Dental Teaching Center

Aims: The objectives of this study were to find out the frequency, clinical picture, and risk factors of dry socket at the Dental Teaching Center of Al-Quds University in Palestine. Methods and Materials: Two previously used questionnaires were accomplished in this study over a one year period. The first questionnaire was completed for every patient who had one or more permanent teeth extracted in the Dental Surgery Clinic. The other one was completed for every patient suffered a postoperative pain and was diagnosed with dry socket. Results: There were 1305 dental extractions performed in 805 patients. The overall frequency of dry socket was 3.2%. The incidence of dry socket following non-surgical extractions was 1.7% while it was 15% following surgical extractions (P< 0.005). The incidence of dry socket was significantly higher in smokers (12%) than in non-smokers (4%) (P < 0.005), however, there is a strong association between the amount of smoking and the incidence of dry socket (P < 0.002). The incidence of dry socket was significantly higher in the single extraction cases (13%) than in the multiple extraction cases (5%) (P = 0.005). Age, sex, medical history, extraction site, amount of local anesthesia and experience of operator play no role in the occurrence of dry socket. Conclusion: Smoking, surgical trauma and single extractions are considered predisposing factors in the occurrence of dry socket. On the other hand, factors like: age, sex, medical history, extraction site, amount of anesthesia, and operator experience have no effect on the observation of dry socket

Small Nuclear RNAs Encoded by Herpesvirus saimiri Upregulate the Expression of Genes Linked to T Cell Activation in Virally Transformed T Cells

SummarySeven small nuclear RNAs of the Sm class are encoded by Herpesvirus saimiri (HVS), a γ Herpesvirus that causes aggressive T cell leukemias and lymphomas in New World primates and efficiently transforms T cells in vitro [1–4]. The Herpesvirus saimiri U RNAs (HSURs) are the most abundant viral transcripts in HVS-transformed, latently infected T cells but are not required for viral replication or transformation in vitro [5]. We have compared marmoset T cells transformed with wild-type or a mutant HVS lacking the most highly conserved HSURs, HSURs 1 and 2. Microarray and Northern analyses reveal that HSUR 1 and 2 expression correlates with significant increases in a small number of host mRNAs, including the T cell-receptor β and γ chains, the T cell and natural killer (NK) cell-surface receptors CD52 and DAP10, and intracellular proteins—SKAP55, granulysin, and NKG7—linked to T cell and NK cell activation. Upregulation of three of these transcripts was rescued after transduction of deletion-mutant-HVS-transformed cells with a lentiviral vector carrying HSURs 1 and 2. These changes indicate an unexpected role for the HSURs in regulating a remarkably defined and physiologically relevant set of host targets involved in the activation of virally transformed T cells during latency

In situ determination of carbaryl in complex biological matrices using a potentiometric chemical sensor, and study of superionic BaSnF₄ as a potential transducer material

Carbamate insecticides such as carbaryl (1-naphthyl N-methylcarbamate) are broad-spectrum insecticides that comprise the major portion of agricultural pesticides used in today's agricultural industry. Therefore, the synthesis of molecularly imprinted polymeric beads that can be used for isolating carbaryl from complex matrices would be a great asset. Conventional molecular imprinting technology allows the synthesis in organic solvents of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) that have considerable molecular recognition ability, and can be used as a separation media. The results obtained showed that the use of an imprinted polymer cartridge as a pre-column in high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), using ultra-violet detection and a "dilute and shoot" approach for the rapid, inexpensive and accurate determination of carbaryl in complex biological matrices (rat plasma and apple homogenate) with a detection limit of 1.00 ng/mL and a response that is linear (r² > 0.98) over the concentration range of 1.00 to 10.0 ng/mL, was successful. In the past decade, numerous biosensing methods for the detection of pesticides have been developed using enzyme-based and affinity-based sensors as well as several types of transducers and this has been the subject of several recent reviews. We report that the use of an imprinted carbaryl polymer column in a non-enzymatic flow injection potentiometric chemical sensor system for the determination of carbaryl in complex biological matrices (rat plasma) was successful. The potentiometric chemical sensor system efficiency in the determination of carbaryl in rat plasma was validated in terms of selectivity, carry-over, calibration range and precision and accuracy in accordance with the Guidance for Industry Bioanalytical Method Validation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration. However, the results showed that the use of BaSnF 4 as a solid state conductivity electrode as a part of a conductivity chemical sensor system for the determination of carbaryl in solution was not successful due to limitations in preparing a BaSnF 4 sheet resistant to the capillary pressure applied by the micro-fluid passing through the conductivity cell

Pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of doxycycline in ostriches (Struthio camelus) at two different dose rates

A bioavailability and pharmacokinetics study of doxycycline was carried out on 30 healthy ostriches after a single intravenous (IV), intramuscular (IM) and oral dose of 15 mg/kg body weight. The plasma doxycycline concentration was determined by HPLC/UV at 0 (pretreatment), 0.08, 0.25, 0.5 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24 and 48 h after administration. The plasma concentration-time curves were examined using non-compartmental methods based on the statistical moment theory for only the higher dose. After IV administration, the elimination half-life (t1/2β), mean residence time (MRT), volume of distribution at the steady-state (Vss), volume of distribution (Vdarea) and total body clearance (ClB) were 7.67 ± 0.62 h, 6.68 ± 0.86 h, 0.86 ± 0.16 l/kg, 1.67 ± 0.52 l/kg and 2.51 ± 0.63 ml/min/kg, respectively. After IM and oral dosing, the mean peak plasma concentrations (Cmax) were 1.34 ± 0.33 and 0.30 ± 0.04 µg/ml, respectively, which were achieved at a post-administration time (tmax) of 0.75 ± 0.18, 3.03 ± 0.48 h, respectively. The t1/2β, Vdarea and ClB after IM administration were 25.02 ± 3.98 h, 23.99 ± 3.4 l/kg and 12.14 ± 1.71 ml/min/kg, respectively and 19.25 ± 2.53 h, 61.49 ± 7 l/kg and 40.19 ± 3.79 ml/min/kg after oral administration, respectively. The absolute bioavailability (F) of doxycycline was 5.03 and 17.52% after oral and IM administration, respectively. These results show that the dose data from other animals particularly mammals cannot be extrapolated to ostriches. Therefore, based on these results along with those reported in the literature, further studies on the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic, in vitro minimum inhibitory concentration values and clinical applications of doxycycline in ostriches are required

Recovering of Dizziness of a Patient with Sinusitis after RootCanal Therapy for Upper Second Molar

This case report illustrates the recovery of dizziness of a young healthy patient after root canal therapy of upper second molar. The patient developed dizziness and unbalanced walking four months ago. After cardiac, ENT, neurological, physiotherapy and medical investigations, his entire checkup showed no abnormalities. The patient visited a dental clinic for a routine checkup; after dental clinical and radiographical examination, a chronic abscess infection in an upper second molar region close to the sinus was diagnosed. Root canal therapy was performed that resulted in a disappearance of the dizziness and full recovery was achieved. Conclusion. Infected upper teeth with periapical lesion are associated with dizziness as a complication of odontogenic-related sinusitis. Dental and medical cooperation contributes to a better management diagnosis of the dizziness.The authors wish to express their gratitude to Dr. Emad Qirresh at Al Quds University

Study of the physical formation of medieval Cairo

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 1989.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 78-80).This essay is an application of Ibn Khaldun's theories of culture and civilization to a study of the physical formation of medieval Cairo . The study is based on the premise that the city is an historical process governed by an underlying set of cultural conditions. Those conditions manifest themselves in the physical form of the city. Ibn Khaldun formulated his theories as tools for investigating the nature of social phenomena. He considered such investigation a necessary step towards understanding and recording the historical events. His concept of history, stated in the first part of this study, is based on a cyclical pattern of cultural change which leads to the rise and fall of civilization. The city in his framework becomes an aspect of civilization following the same inevitable evolutionary pattern. The first part of this study examines those theories and focuses on their important aspects. The second part introduces some historical facts about the evolution of medieval Cairo and analyses them using the premises of Ibn Khaldun's theories. The reports of al-Maqrizi - a fifteenth century historian of Cairo - provided the historical information necessary for this investigation. The study raised some issues concerning the use of Ibn Khaldun's theories in pursuing such kind of studies, and the knowledge of the Islamic city which need to be reassessed. Those issues are presented in the last section under Reflections.by Tawfiq F. Abu-Hantash.M.S