Introduction: Human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infected monocytes are now believed to serve as a reservoir for HIV-1 infection, and to play a role in viral rebound phenomena in certain groups of patients who failed or stopped highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).Data characterizing the morphological changes of peripheral blood monocytes in HIV-1-infected individuals are limited. Materials and Methods: In this study, we collected monocytes from 21 asymptomatic HIV-1-infected individuals with CD4 count more than 500 cells/mm ³ and healthy individuals. The monocytes ultrastructural morphologic changes and α-naphthyl butyrate esterase (ANBE) activity were compared between the two groups. Results: In monocytes from patients infected with HIV-1, activity of α?naphthyl butyrate esterase?(ANBE) was markedly increased compared with normal monocytes. In both light microscopic and ultrastructural studies, the cytoplasm of monocytes from HIV?1?infected patients contained a haphazard appearing network of thin fibrils. Cell surface expression of the activation marker HLA?DR molecule was upregulated. There were no discernible differences between the cell surface expression of CD4, CD14, and CD16 molecules comparing normal monocytes to those from HIV?1?infected patients. -naphthyl butyrate esterase (ANBE) was markedly increased compared with normal monocytes. In both light microscopic and ultrastructural studies, the cytoplasm of monocytes from HIV-1-infected patients contained a haphazard appearing network of thin fibrils. Cell surface expression of the activation marker HLA-DR molecule was upregulated. There were no discernible differences between the cell surface expression of CD4, CD14, and CD16 molecules comparing normal monocytes to those from HIV-1-infected patients. Conclusions: Possibly, changes in the activity of ANBE along with a disrupted appearing cytoplasmic fibril network contribute to monocyte dysfunction in HIV-1-infected patients.

The relation between Islam and medicine has been described as intimate. Muslims are expected to be moderate and balanced in all matters, including health. Islamic law is based on a complete system of morality that can provide a moral context in medicine from a legal perspective. Islamic teaching is also very flexible and adaptable to many new and novel situations. Islamic Ethics also upholds "the four principles" of biomedical ethics proposed by Beauchamp and Childress. Several authors claim that the roots of these principles are clearly identifiable in Islamic teachings. However, there are some differences in the applications of these principles. This article shed light on the roots of the four principles in Islamic teachings and elaborates on the differences between Islamic and contemporary western bioethics.

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) refers to group of inherited diseases resulting from impaired adrenal steroidogenesis, and its most common cause is 21-hydroxylase deficiency. Testicular adrenal rest tumors (TARTs) are an important complication of CAH, which probably develop from ectopic remnants of intra-testicular adrenal tissue stimulated by Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) hypersecretion. These lesions are typically located within the rete testis and are bilateral, synchronous, nodular and multiple. TART usually, but not always, responses to suppressive medical therapy. TART leads to testicular structural damage, spermatogenesis disorders, infertility and most importantly, mass-forming lesions that could be mistaken for Leydig cell tumor (LCT). The later has a significantly different behavior with up to 10% of being malignant. Nowadays, due to advances in diagnosing and treating CAH, mass-forming TART is rarely encountered. As a result, there is the paucity in the medical literature regarding its features from pathological perspective. We herein present a case of mass-forming TART and we discuss the clinical, radiological, and morphological features as well as the major differential diagnosis of this rare lesion.

There have been only a few reported human cases of infections caused by Serratia rubidae in literature. Among these sparse cases there is only one reported case of urinary tract infection (UTI) due to S. rubidae in literature. The organism is known to produce a red pigment known as prodigiosin. We report a case of UTI caused by S. rubidae in a diabetic patient who presented with burning micturition and reddish discoloration of urine, which on laboratory diagnosis, was proved to be due to the reddish pigment produced by the organism. This case report highlights that this rare organism might be associated with UTI leading to reddish discoloration of urine.

We report a case of pre-operative bilateral renal artery embolization to control the resistant and malignant hypertension in a patient prepared for kidney transplantation. A 34-year-old man with end-stage renal disease as a result of the focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and uncontrolled hypertension that precluded the transplantation surgery and the patient's post-transplant blood pressure and the renal function remained within normal limits following the transplant for 6 months of follow-up.