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Cytokine gene polymorphisms may affect their transcription, influence their level of production and may be implicated in inducing susceptibility or resistance to diseases. In 40 Iranian healthy subjects, cytokine single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were used to determine allelic and genotypic frequencies for the following cytokine genes: IL-1a (T/C -889), IL-1beta (C/T -511, T/C 3962), IL-12 (C/A -1188), IFN-gamma (A/T UTR 5644), TGF-beta (C/T codon 10, G/C codon 25), TNF-a (G/A -308, G/A -238), IL-2 (T/G -330, G/T 166), IL-4 (T/G -1089, T/C -590, T/C -33), IL-6 (G/C -174, G/A nt565), IL-10 (G/A -1082, C/T -819, C/A -592), IL-1R (C/T pst11970), IL-1RA (T/C mspa111100) and IL-4RA (G/A 1902). All typing were performed with polymerase chain reaction with sequence specific primers assay. Significant heterogeneity of cytokine SNPs among the Iranian and the other East-South Asian populations was observed. Heterogeneity of cytokine SNPs may explain the role of natural selection in susceptibilities of populations to different disorders.

Several factors which influence the balance between fibrinolysis and coagulation pathways play role in the outcome of conception. A large body of studies demonstrate that gene variations are associated with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) by different mechanisms. We aimed to determine the allele and genotype frequencies of the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) gene in Iranian Azeri Turkish women with unexplained RPL. Fifty patients with RPL and 63 fertile healthy women as controls were entered in the study. A standard method was used for DNA isolation. All genotypes were determined using PCR. Our analysis showed that patient (chi(2) = 0.347, p = 0.84) and control (chi(2) = 0.77, p = 0.68) groups fitted the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium strongly. No significant differences were found regarding the frequencies of ACE genotypes [deletion/deletion (D/D), insertion/deletion (I/D) and insertion/insertion (I/I)] and alleles between cases and controls. Based on these findings, we could not find any association between ACE (D/D, I/D and I/I) gene polymorphisms and RPL.

A characteristic decline in pulmonary function test values and the severity of respiratory impairment may facilitate the occurrence of a pneumothorax in silicosis.

Introduction. Esophageal perforation is a relatively uncommon and lethal disease usually resulting from endoscopic procedures. Delay in the diagnosis and treatment occurs in more than 50% of cases, leading to a mortality rate of 40% to 60%, but this rate decreases is 10%–25% if treatment is carried out within 24 hours of perforation. Case Presentation. To analyze the characteristics, etiology, site of perforation, presentation, time interval till diagnosis, treatment and outcome of patients with esophageal perforation. Over a five-year period, from October 2004 through March 2009, 11 patients with esophageal perforation were referred to the division of thoracic surgery of a tertiary referral hospital. In eight patients, perforations were thoracic with delayed diagnosis for at least 48 hours. Two patients had cervical esophageal perforation, and one patient had early-diagnosed Boerhaave's syndrome. Eight patients are alive after followup for a period ranging from eight months to five years. In the remaining three patients, cancer was the underlying disease and the reason of death. Conclusion. No patient with esophageal perforation should be deprived from surgical repair due to delayed diagnosis. All, except preterminal patients, should undergo exploration after resuscitation, and appropriate treatment should be carried out depending on the findings during operation. Aggressive treatment is necessary in the case of established mediastinitis.

Recent studies have supported the cancer stem cell (CSC) hypothesis, suggesting that many cancers are managed by cells possessing stem cell characters. Ganglioside GD2 has been introduced as a potential marker for breast CSCs. Synthesis of GD2 by GD2 synthase is considered to be critical for the synthesis of all complex gangliosides.