How to evaluate scar colour after burn injuries - A clinical comparison of the Mexameter® and the subjective scar assessment (POSAS/VSS)

INTRODUCTION

Scarring after burn injuries remains one of the major challenges in burn medicine and is the subject of current research. Accurate and high-quality assessment of scars is needed to enable exact outcome evaluation of different treatments. Our aim was to evaluate the most common subjective scar evaluation scores-the POSAS (Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale) and VSS (Vancouver Scar Scale)-in comparison with the objective device Mexameter® for colour evaluation.

METHODS

A prospective monocentre study was performed, which included 120 examined scar areas of 60 patients with third degree burns who had received skin grafts between 1975 and 2018 with a total burned surface area (TBSA) > 2%. Two different scar areas in comparison with one healthy skin area concerning 'colour', 'pigmentation', and 'vascularization' were evaluated by the Mexameter® MX 18, the OSAS, and the VSS by the same examiner, as well as the PSAS by the patient.

RESULTS

The mean TBSA of the 60 patients was 24.3%. In the OSAS, 61% of the scars were evaluated as 'hyper-', 19% as 'hypo-', and 19% as 'mix-pigmented'. Furthermore, 65% of the scars were estimated as highly vascularized. In the Mexameter®, the melanin index values of the scar areas compared to the healthy skin areas showed a small difference of 12 (p < 0.05). The mean difference of erythema between the scar and the healthy skin areas was 84 (p < 0.001). For the Mexameter®, moderate correlations were found when comparing 'erythema' with the OSAS category 'vascularization' (r = 0.33, p < 0.05) and 'melanin' with the OSAS parameter 'pigmentation' (r = 0.28, p < 0.05). When comparing the Mexameter® measurements to the OSAS questionnaire, 27% of the scars were wrongly evaluated as 'hyperpigmented' by the observer and 21% as 'hypervascularized', while showing low measurements in the device. Additionally, a novel Mexameter® ordinal scare scale was calculated.

CONCLUSION

In this study, we were able to show on a relatively large patient population that with the Mexameter®, the subjectivity of the scar colour assessment by examiner/patient can be overcome, but precise differentiation can still be ensured with subjective evaluation tools. We further introduced a novel Mexameter® Scar Scale. It is necessary to further investigate the vast range of objective devices and develop scar panels for with an incorporation of objective and subjective devices to further improve reliability with reduced bias in terms of scar assessment.

Nanostructures for site-specific delivery of oxaliplatin cancer therapy: Versatile nanoplatforms in synergistic cancer therapy

As a clinically approved treatment strategy, chemotherapy-mediated tumor suppression has been compromised, and in spite of introducing various kinds of anticancer drugs, cancer eradication with chemotherapy is still impossible. Chemotherapy drugs have been beneficial in improving the prognosis of cancer patients, but after resistance emerged, their potential disappeared. Oxaliplatin (OXA) efficacy in tumor suppression has been compromised by resistance. Due to the dysregulation of pathways and mechanisms in OXA resistance, it is suggested to develop novel strategies for overcoming drug resistance. The targeted delivery of OXA by nanostructures is described here. The targeted delivery of OXA in cancer can be mediated by polymeric, metal, lipid and carbon nanostructures. The advantageous of these nanocarriers is that they enhance the accumulation of OXA in tumor and promote its cytotoxicity. Moreover, (nano)platforms mediate the co-delivery of OXA with drugs and genes in synergistic cancer therapy, overcoming OXA resistance and improving insights in cancer patient treatment in the future. Moreover, smart nanostructures, including pH-, redox-, light-, and thermo-sensitive nanostructures, have been designed for OXA delivery and cancer therapy. The application of nanoparticle-mediated phototherapy can increase OXA's potential in cancer suppression. All of these subjects and their clinical implications are discussed in the current review.

Diagnosis of Pebrine Disease in Silkworm Using Molecular Methods

Since pebrine disease, as the most important and dangerous disease in silkworms, spreads horizontally through the spores and vertically through the eggs, combating the disease and eliminating it completely from livestock production has been associated with numerous problems. This project aimed to identify the molecular cause of pebrine disease in silkworms using a sensitive, specific, and accurate method. To this purpose, a 136 bp fragment was selected based on the Nosema bombycis partial SSU rDNA sequence, and a pair of primers was designed. Afterward, using the conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method, the target fragment was amplified and sequenced. After that, to determine the detection sensitivity, using the Real-Time PCR method, 5-fold serial dilutions of N. bombycis DNA were prepared, and the last dilution that produced a fluorescent signal was considered the minimum detection limit. All tests were performed in duplicates. Based on the results of the sensitivity test, the standard curve including Ct values ​​and DNA concentration was used for analysis. Moreover, 80 unknown samples examined by light microscope were evaluated using conventional PCR and Real-Time PCR. Both PCR results showed no amplification for the negative control samples. The findings demonstrated that the lowest detection limit for N. bombycis was less than 6 pg of DNA, while, this amount was 8 ng for conventional PCR. Out of 80 samples examined, 55, 60, and 62 samples were positive for light microscope, conventional PCR, and Real-Time PCR methods, respectively. The findings suggested that the Real-Time PCR method had a higher ability to detect the causative agent of pebrine disease than the conventional PCR method, and both methods were superior to light microscopy. Therefore, due to the fewer steps and higher accuracy of Real-Time PCR, it can be introduced as a suitable method for diagnosing pebrine disease.

The BUrn Mortality Prediction (BUMP) Score - An improved mortality prediction score based on data of the German burn registry

BACKGROUND

Burn injuries constitute the fourth most common injuries globally. Patient outcomes must be currently assessed to provide appropriate patient care with high quality standards. However, existing mortality prediction scoring methods have been shown to lack accuracy in current burn patient populations. Therefore, this study aimed to validate existing scores using current patient data and assess whether new prediction parameters can provide better accuracy.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of the patient data from the German Burn Registry between 2016 and 2019 was performed to evaluate all Abbreviated Burn Severity Index (ABSI) score parameters. All patients over 16 years of age who received intensive care were included. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis were used to identify novel prediction parameters based on the parameters documented at admission and establish a new prediction score, the BUrn Mortality Prediction (BUMP) score. The quality of the new score was subsequently compared to that of the original ABSI, modified ABSI, Galeiras, Revised Baux score and TIMM. The new prediction score was then validated using patient data collected in the German Burn Registry in 2020.

RESULTS

In total, 7276 patients were included. Age; the presence of at least two comorbidities; burn injuries caused by work-related accidents, traffic accidents and suicide attempts; total burn surface area; inhalation trauma and full-thickness burns were identified as independent significant predictors of mortality (p < 0.001). Additionally, we evaluated new age groups to improve prediction accuracy. The number of comorbidities (p < 0.001) and the aetiology (burns occurring at work [p = 0.028], burns caused by traffic accidents [p < 0.001] or burns due to attempted suicide [p < 0.001]) had a significant influence on mortality. The BUMP score, which was developed based on these parameters, showed the best fitness and showed more accurate mortality prediction than all the above-mentioned scores (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve: 0.947 [0.939-0.954] compared to 0.926 [0.915-0.936], 0.928 [0.918-0.939], 0.937 [0.928-0.947], 0.939 [0.930-0.948], 0.940 [0.932-0.949] respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

A novel score (BUMP score) was developed for the purpose of external quality assessment of burn centres participating in the German burn registry, where observed and expected outcomes are compared on a hospital level, and for scientifically applications. The clinical impact of this score and its generalisability to other patient populations needs to be evaluated.

Detection and Characterization of Nosema bombycis Using TEM and SEM Techniques

Pebrine disease is the most important and dangerous disease of silkworm caused by Nosema bombycis as an obligate intracellular parasitic fungus. It has caused tremendous economic losses in the silk industry in recent years. Given the fact that light microscopy method (with low accuracy) is the only method for diagnosing pebrine disease in the country, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) methods were adopted in this study for accurate morphological identification of the spores causing pebrine disease. Infected larvae and mother moth samples were collected from several farms (Parand, Parnian, Shaft, and Iran Silk Research Center in Gilan province, Iran). The spores were then purified using the sucrose gradient method. From each region, 20 and 10 samples were prepared for SEM and TEM analysis, respectively. In addition, an experiment was performed to evaluate the symptoms of pebrine disease by treating fourth instars with the spores purified for the present study, along with a control group. The results of SEM analysis showed that the mean±SD length and width of spores were 1.99±0.25 to 2.81±0.32 μm, respectively. Based on the obtained results, the size of spores was smaller than the Nosema bombycis (N. bombycis) as the classic species that cause pebrine disease. In addition, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) pictures showed that the grooves of the adult spores were deeper than those of other Nosema species, Vairomorpha, and Pleistophora, and resembled N. bombycis in other studies. Examination of pathogenicity of the studied spores indicated that the disease symptoms in controlled conditions were similar to those in the sampled farms. The most important symptom in fourth and fifth instrars were the small size and no growth in the treatment group compared with the control group. Findings of SEM and TEM analysis showed better morphological and structural details of parasite compared with light microscopy, and demonstrated that the studied species were a native strain of N. bombycis specific to Iran, whose size and other characteristics were unique and introduced for the first time in this study.

Role of Honey Bee Gut Microbiota in the Control of American Foulbrood and European Foulbrood Diseases

American foulbrood (AFB) and European foulbrood (EFB) are the two most important honey bee brood diseases which impose heavy economic losses to the apiculture industry worldwide by reducing bee population and honey production. Treatment with antibiotics has led to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains, calling for alternative safe treatment procedures that could control these diseases. Honey bee gut microbiota is known to affect the overall health of honey bees by enhancing their resistance to a number of diseases via modulation of the immune response and production of different antimicrobial metabolites. The majority of these gut resident bacteria are identified as probiotic bacteria and secure the health of these tiny insects. In the present review, we highlighted the significance of the honey bee gut microbial community and their probiotic potency for the prevention of AFB and EFB diseases in honey bees.

Diffusivity interfaces in lattice Monte Carlo simulations: Modeling inhomogeneous delivery and release systems

Lattice Monte Carlo (LMC) simulations are widely used to investigate diffusion-controlled problems such as drug-release systems. The presence of an inhomogeneous diffusivity environment raises subtle questions about the interpretation of stochastic dynamics in the overdamped limit, an issue sometimes referred to as the "Ito-Stratonovich-isothermal dilemma." We propose a LMC formalism that includes the different stochastic interpretations in order to model the diffusion of particles in a space-dependent diffusivity landscape. Using as an example a simple inhomogeneous one-dimensional system with a diffusivity interface and different boundary conditions, we demonstrate that we can properly reproduce the steady state and dynamic properties of these systems and that these properties do depend on the choice of calculus. In particular, we argue that the version of the LMC algorithm that uses Ito calculus, which is commonly used to model drug delivery systems, should be replaced by the isothermal version for most applications. Our LMC methodology provides an efficient alternative to Langevin simulations for a wide class of space-dependent diffusion problems.

Safety and Efficacy of Combined Intramuscular/Intranasal RAZI-COV PARS Vaccine Candidate Against SARS-CoV-2: A Preclinical Study in Several Animal Models

Several vaccine candidates for COVID-19 have been developed, and few vaccines received emergency approval with an acceptable level of efficacy and safety. We herein report the development of the first recombinant protein-based vaccine in Iran based on the recombinant SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in its monomeric (encompassing amino acid 1-674 for S1 and 685-1211 for S2 subunits) and trimer form (S-Trimer) formulated in the oil-in-water adjuvant system RAS-01 (Razi Adjuvant System-01). The safety and immunity of the candidate vaccine, referred to as RAZI-COV PARS, were evaluated in Syrian hamster, BALB/c mice, Pirbright guinea pig, and New Zeeland white (NZW) rabbit. All vaccinated animals received two intramuscular (IM) and one intranasal (IN) candidate vaccine at 3-week intervals (days 0, 21, and 51). The challenge study was performed intranasally with 5×106 pfu of SARS-CoV-2 35 days post-vaccination. None of the vaccinated mice, hamsters, guinea pigs, or rabbits showed any changes in general clinical observations; body weight and food intake, clinical indicators, hematology examination, blood chemistry, and pathological examination of vital organs. Safety of vaccine after the administration of single and repeated dose was also established. Three different doses of candidate vaccine stimulated remarkable titers of neutralizing antibodies, S1, Receptor-Binding Domain (RBD), and N-terminal domain (NTD) specific IgG antibodies as well as IgA antibodies compared to placebo and control groups (P<0.01). Middle and high doses of RAZI-COV PARS vaccine significantly induced a robust and quick immune response from the third-week post-immunization. Histopathological studies on vaccinated hamsters showed that the challenge with SARS-CoV-2 did not induce any modifications in the lungs. The protection of the hamster was documented by the absence of lung pathology, the decreased virus load in the lung, rapid clearance of the virus from the lung, and strong humoral and cellular immune response. These findings confirm the immunogenicity and efficacy of the RAZI-COV PARS vaccine. Of the three tested vaccine regimens, the middle dose of the vaccine showed the best protective immune parameters. This vaccine with heterologous prime-boost vaccination method can be a good candidate to control the viral infection and its spread by stimulating central and mucosal immunity.

[The medical habilitation at German universities: a comparison of the regulations over 23 years]

BACKGROUND

Due to the further decrease in the number of habilitations in medicine since 2010, the general requirements for habilitation could have increased during the same period.

OBJECTIVE

The requirements for a medical habilitation at German universities in a comparison of 23 years are re-evaluated.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

An analysis of habilitation regulations for 12 target parameters and evaluation of these by a scoring system (range 0-34 points).

RESULTS

Only the criterion of the requirement for a doctorate has remained the same in the 23-year comparison in the evaluation (1998-2021). All results of the other 11 criteria have changed compared to the previous study from 2010. The rating of habilitation achievements has increased from a total score in 1998 of 15.2 ± 5.1 points (95% confidence interval 13.6-16.9 points) to 25.1 ± 3.6 points in 2021 (95% confidence interval 23.9-26.2 points; p < 0.001). The range of assigned scoring values is again more broadly spread in the 11-year comparison with values from 12 to 31 points. A striking new criterion was that 98% of the assessed habilitation regulations now require a didactic continuing education in, however, significantly different requirements from the faculties.

CONCLUSION

The requirements for a medical habilitation continued to significantly increase over the 23-year period with, however, a wider dispersion of scores. The more detailed description can be seen as a direct indication of an improvement in transparency. In contrast, the broader dispersion shows that a uniform assessment standard for Germany has again receded into the distance.

An experimental approach to analyze aerosol and splatter formations due to a dental procedure

Throughout 2020 and beyond, the entire world has observed a continuous increase in the infectious spread of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) otherwise known as COVID-19. The high transmission of this airborne virus has raised countless concerns regarding safety measures employed in the working conditions for medical professionals. Specifically, those who perform treatment procedures on patients which intrinsically create mists of fine airborne droplets, i.e., perfect vectors for this and other viruses to spread. The present study focuses on understanding the splatter produced due to a common dentistry technique to remove plaque buildup on teeth. This technique uses a high-speed dentistry instrument, e.g., a Cavitron ultrasonic scaler, to scrape along the surface of a patient's teeth. This detailed understanding of the velocity and the trajectory of the droplets generated by the splatter will aid in the development of hygiene mechanisms to guarantee the safety of those performing these procedures and people in clinics or hospitals. Optical flow tracking velocimetry (OFTV) method was employed to obtain droplet velocity and trajectory in a two-dimensional plane. Multiple data collection planes were taken in different orientations around a model of adult mandibular teeth. This technique provided pseudo-three-dimensional velocity information for the droplets within the splatter developed from this high-speed dental instrument. These results indicated that within the three-dimensional splatter produced there were high velocities (1-2 m/s) observed directly below the intersection point between the front teeth and the scaler. The splatter formed a cone-shape structure that propagated 10-15 mm away from the location of the scaler tip. From the droplet trajectories, it was observed that high velocity isolated droplets propagate away from the bulk of the splatter. It is these droplets which are concerning for health safety to those performing the medical procedures. Using a shadowgraphy technique, we further characterize the individual droplets' size and their individual velocity. We then compare these results to previously published distributions. The obtained data can be used as a first step to further examine flow and transport of droplets in clinics/dental offices.

Solving the fully fuzzy multi-objective transportation problem based on the common set of weights in DEA

A transportation problem basically deals with the problem which aims to minimize the total transportation cost or maximize the total transportation profit of distributing a product from a number of sources or origins to a number of destinations. While, in general, most of the real life applications are modeled as a transportation problem (TP) with the multiple, conflicting and incommensurate objective functions. On the other hand, for some reason such as shortage of information, insufficient data or lack of evidence, the data of the mentioned problem are not always exact but can be fuzzy. This type of problem is called fuzzy multi-objective transportation problem (FMOTP). There are a few approaches to solve the FMOTPs. In this paper, a new fuzzy DEA based approach is developed to solve the Fully Fuzzy MOTPs (FFMOTPs) in which, in addition to parameters of the MOTPs, all of the variables are considered fuzzy. This approach considers each arc in a FFMOTP as a decision making unit which produces multiple fuzzy outputs using the multiple fuzzy inputs. Then, by using the concept of the common set of weights (CSW) in DEA, a unique fuzzy relative efficiency is defined for each arc. In the following, the unique fuzzy relative efficiency is considered as the only attribute for the arcs. In this way, a single objective fully fuzzy TP (FFTP) is obtained that can be solved using the existing standard algorithms for solving this kind of TPs. A numerical example is provided to illustrate the developed approach.

A click tyrosine zwitterionic stationary phases for hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography

New zwitterionic (ZIC) stationary phases (SPs) are synthesized with the click and conventional bonding of tyrosine to silica gel. Infrared spectra and elemental analysis demonstrate the successful click and conventional bonding of this ZIC group on silica particles by the surface coverage including 2.36 and 0.75 µm m^-2, respectively. Given the above-mentioned explanation, the present study evaluated the retention mechanism and chromatographic manners of polar compounds on these new materials under hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) conditions. Based on the results, the Click-Tyrosine Stationary Phase provided good HILIC characteristics when it was applied to separate phenolic compounds, amino acids, alkaloids, and nucleobases compared to bare silica gel SP and even conventional tyrosine SPs. Further, this new Click-Tyrosine-SP represented appropriate HILIC features and column efficiency (the theoretical plate number was up to 50,000 plates m^-1 for thebaine). Furthermore, the study investigated the effect of solute polarity (the number of the hydroxyl group of phenolic compounds) and hydrophobicity (the number of the side chain of aliphatic amino acids) on retention behaviors. Finally, some important factors were studied as the potential variables for guiding the retention behavior of the polar compound in HILIC condition including solvent composition, salt concentration, and the buffer pH of the mobile phase.

Effects in broiler hens of genetic lines differing in fertility, biotin supplementation, and age on relative abundance of oviductal transforming growth factor-β and carbonic anhydrase mRNA transcripts

There was evaluation of effects of biotin administration on oviductal abundance of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and carbonic anhydrase (CA) mRNA transcript in younger and older broiler hens of relatively lesser and greater fertility lines. Additionally, effects of biotin supplementation on attenuation of age-related subfertility were evaluated. Hens from the relatively greater (Line D, n = 60) and lesser (Line B, n = 60) fertility rate line were randomly assigned to three treatment groups. Biotin was not or was administered in drinking water from 30 to 33 (younger age) and 53 to 56 (older age) wk of age to have access to no biotin (T₀), or 0.3 (T₁), or 0.45 (T₂) mg/L of biotin. There was assessment the relative oviductal abundances of TGF-β and CA mRNA transcript abundances. Supplemental biotin and age had no effect on the relative abundance of oviductal TGF-β mRNA transcript in hens of Line D. There, however, was a ten-fold greater abundance of TGF-β in hens of the T₀ group of Line B compared with Line D. Relative abundance of TGF-β mRNA transcript was greater in younger hens of Line B; however, biotin supplementation of older hens of the T₂ group of Line B resulted in a similar TGF-β abundance to that of younger hens. Inconstant with the TGF-β abundance, CA abundance in hens of Line B was not affected by supplemental biotin or bird age. Overall, differences in TGF-β or CA abundances did not affect fertility of broiler hens.

The effect of cytoplasmic crude extracts of Trichophyton verrucosum on cell mediated immunity

OBJECTIVE

Trichophyton verrucosum is a slow growing dermatophyte responsible for a number of skin diseases such as ringworm, and is characterized by patches of hair loss and thick crusts on the host skin in domestic animals. In this study, we examined the immunomodulatory effects of crude extract of Trichophyton verrucosum (TV)cytoplasm in a mouse model.

METHODS

The TV variate was cultured on Sabouraud dextrose agar and the mycelium was grinded by mechanical force. The purified protein was obtained from crude extract of the fungus, and protein concentration was measured by BradFord assay. Six to eight week-female BALB/c mice were divided into three groups: test group, receiving cytoplasmic crude extract plus defibrinated sheep blood; control group, receiving defibrinated sheep blood; and normal group, receiving normal saline. Injections were performed on days 0, 3, 5, 7 and 9 and the mice were sacrificed four days after the last injection. T lymphocyte metabolic activity was examined by methyl thiazol tetrazolium (MTT) assay, and also interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interferon-γ (IFNγ) levels were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTS

MTT assay showed that the TV extract stimulated lymphocyte metabolic activity. ELISA results showed that despite increase in the level of IFNγ, no changes were observed in IL-4 level.

CONCLUSIONS

Results indicated that crude extract of TV cytoplasm may probably act as an immune modulator, which affects Th₁ responses. The TV crude extract may be an appropriate agent to induce cellular immunity for combating dermatophytosis infection in animals; and therefore, TV extract may have some potential applications in vaccine/adjuvant technology.

Polymyxins interaction to the human serum albumin: A thermodynamic and computational study

Polymyxin B and E (colistin), are a group of cationic charged cyclic antibiotic lipopeptides that are frequently used in the clinics to treat infections caused by the multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria. Since the interactions with the blood plasma drug-transport proteins may play a critical role in determining their pharmacological and pharmacokinetic profiles, we studied the binding properties of polymyxins to the human serum albumin (HSA) under simulated physiological conditions by the combination of biophysical approaches, such as isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), fluorescence anisotropy, circular dichroism (CD) buttressed by computational studies. The HSA binding to the polymyxins was relatively strong (K_a ≈ 1.0 × 10⁷ M^-1). Molecular docking indicated that polymyxins bind to the cleft of HSA between domains I and III via the electrostatic interactions. This evidence was further confirmed by the entropy-driven interaction for the polymyxins bound HSA. Far UV-CD experiments showed that the secondary structure of HSA doesn't alter and its stable structure is preserved. Collectively, these investigations revealed that the polymyxins bind preferentially to the partially unfolded intermediate forms of the protein structure; however, HSA molecule does not undergo any significant conformational changes upon binding. This is promising as it may limit the unfavorable side effects of the medicine. On the whole, the results provide quantitative and qualitative insight of the binding interaction between HSA and polymyxins, which is important in understanding their effect as therapeutic agents.

TNF receptor type 1 and TNF receptor type 2 mRNA expression was not associated with coronary artery disease in a group of Iranian Turks

OBJECTIVES

Present investigation was carried out to evaluate the mRNA level of TNF receptor type 1 (TNFR1) and TNF receptor type 2 (TNFR2) in peripheral-blood cells in patients with premature CAD over healthy controls.

BACKGROUND

TNFα as a pleiotropic cytokine could be concerned in cardiovascular pathophysiology regarding its special effects on endothelial cells. TNFα exerts its activities through its receptors, TNFR1 and TNFR2.

METHODS

Totally, 40 patients with premature CAD and 40 healthy controls were studied. The qRT-PCR technique was used to determine the mRNA level of TNFR1 and TNFR2 in tested groups.

RESULTS

The results of this study show that the relative expression was 1.32 ± 0.34 in cases and 1.11 ± 0.16 in controls for TNFR1. The relative expression was 0.96 ± 0.13 in cases and 1.49 ± 0.41 in controls for TNFR2. There is no significant difference in the level of gene expression in the studied groups regarding TNFR1 and TNFR2 genes (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

It can be concluded that the mRNA levels of TNFR1 and TNFR2 were not associated with CAD risk. Studies with more details, larger sample size, and new risk loci are necessary to reveal disease-causing mechanisms in the pathogenesis of CAD (Fig. 3, Ref. 21).

Taxonomically Informed Scoring Enhances Confidence in Natural Products Annotation

Mass spectrometry (MS) offers unrivalled sensitivity for the metabolite profiling of complex biological matrices encountered in natural products (NP) research. The massive and complex sets of spectral data generated by such platforms require computational approaches for their interpretation. Within such approaches, computational metabolite annotation automatically links spectral data to candidate structures via a score, which is usually established between the acquired data and experimental or theoretical spectral databases (DB). This process leads to various candidate structures for each MS features. However, at this stage, obtaining high annotation confidence level remains a challenge notably due to the extensive chemodiversity of specialized metabolomes. The design of a metascore is a way to capture complementary experimental attributes and improve the annotation process. Here, we show that integrating the taxonomic position of the biological source of the analyzed samples and candidate structures enhances confidence in metabolite annotation. A script is proposed to automatically input such information at various granularity levels (species, genus, and family) and complement the score obtained between experimental spectral data and output of available computational metabolite annotation tools (ISDB-DNP, MS-Finder, Sirius). In all cases, the consideration of the taxonomic distance allowed an efficient re-ranking of the candidate structures leading to a systematic enhancement of the recall and precision rates of the tools (1.5- to 7-fold increase in the F1 score). Our results clearly demonstrate the importance of considering taxonomic information in the process of specialized metabolites annotation. This requires to access structural data systematically documented with biological origin, both for new and previously reported NPs. In this respect, the establishment of an open structural DB of specialized metabolites and their associated metadata, particularly biological sources, is timely and critical for the NP research community.

In vivo, in vitro and pharmacologic models of Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease (PD), which is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer's disease, is firstly defined after James Parkinson's report. It carries motor symptoms such as resting tremor, bradykinesia and rigidity of skeletal muscle and freezing of gait. Furthermore, non-motor symptoms such as cognitive and behavioral problems, besides sensory impairments are seen in the patients. However, they may also suffer from sleep disorders or autonomic dysfunction. Although there are some medications in order to symptomatic management, but unfortunately, scientist could not have found exact approaches to cure this disease. Hence, producing a model which can express the most pathophysiologic and behavioral aspects of the disease is a desire. In this paper, we aimed to describe the different models of Parkinson's disease in brief.

Photon-Counting CT of the Brain: In Vivo Human Results and Image-Quality Assessment

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Photon-counting detectors offer the potential for improved image quality for brain CT but have not yet been evaluated in vivo. The purpose of this study was to compare photon-counting detector CT with conventional energy-integrating detector CT for human brains.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Radiation dose-matched energy-integrating detector and photon-counting detector head CT scans were acquired with standardized protocols (tube voltage/current, 120 kV(peak)/370 mAs) in both an anthropomorphic head phantom and 21 human asymptomatic volunteers (mean age, 58.9 ± 8.5 years). Photon-counting detector thresholds were 22 and 52 keV (low-energy bin, 22-52 keV; high-energy bin, 52-120 keV). Image noise, gray matter, and white matter signal-to-noise ratios and GM-WM contrast and contrast-to-noise ratios were measured. Image quality was scored by 2 neuroradiologists blinded to the CT detector type. Reproducibility was assessed with the intraclass correlation coefficient. Energy-integrating detector and photon-counting detector CT images were compared using a paired t test and the Wilcoxon signed rank test.

RESULTS

Photon-counting detector CT images received higher reader scores for GM-WM differentiation with lower image noise (all P < .001). Intrareader and interreader reproducibility was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient, ≥0.86 and 0.79, respectively). Quantitative analysis showed 12.8%-20.6% less image noise for photon-counting detector CT. The SNR of photon-counting detector CT was 19.0%-20.0% higher than of energy-integrating detector CT for GM and WM. The contrast-to-noise ratio of photon-counting detector CT was 15.7% higher for GM-WM contrast and 33.3% higher for GM-WM contrast-to-noise ratio.

CONCLUSIONS

Photon-counting detector brain CT scans demonstrated greater gray-white matter contrast compared with conventional CT. This was due to both higher soft-tissue contrast and lower image noise for photon-counting CT.

Zero and Five End-Digit Preference and Blood Pressure Quality of Care Revisited

BACKGROUND

To determine the rate of zero and five end-digit preference (EDP) for systolic and diastolic blood pressures (SBP and DBP, respectively) and risk factors amongst a representative sample of Iranian adults in the year 2011.

METHODS

Data gathered from 7997 Iranian adults aged 25-70 were extracted from the database of the sixth Survey of Surveillance of Risk Factors of Non-communicable Diseases, which surveyed a total of 11,864 individuals aged 6 to 70 years. Multilevel multiple logistic regression was used to identify the independent factors associated with zero or five EDP.

RESULTS

The prevalence of three serial zero or five EDP for SBP and DBP were 18.5% (95% CI: 11.3%-25.7%). SBP ≥140 mmHg (OR = 0.78; 95% CI: 0.65-0.95), DBP ≥90 mmHg (OR = 0.71; 95% CI: 0.58-0.88), and a positive family history of diabetes (OR = 0.77; 95% CI: 0.66-0.9) were found as protective factors against zero or five EDP in blood pressure recording the male gender (OR = 1.18; 95% CI: 1.04-1.35) was found to be its independent risk factor.

CONCLUSION

Sex, SBP, DBP and family history of diabetes were found to be the main independent determinants of EDP in our country which underscores the importance of assessing the many patient-related factors in the studies involving EDP as part of BP monitoring in public health care.

The relationship between clinical parameters and lifestyle variables among patients with severity of coronary artery stenosis: A cross-sectional analysis based on the severity of coronary artery stenosis

INTRODUCTION

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death all over the world. Lifestyle can have an important role not only in reducing risk factors but also in the prevention and treatment of coronary heart diseases. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between clinical parameters and various aspects of patients' lifestyles according to the severity of their coronary artery stenosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study was a descriptive, analytic study carried out on 220 patients undergoing coronary angiography at Mazandaran Heart Center. Based on the angiography results, patients were divided into two groups: artery stenosis > 50% (110 cases) and < 50% (110). Patients' lifestyles were evaluated using health-promoting behavior questionnaire. Blood pressure and triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, cholesterol, and fasting blood sugar were also measured. After collecting data, SPSS 21 software, Chi-square test, t-test, and multiple linear regression were used for analysis of the data.

RESULTS

The results showed that in patients with positive angiographic data, there is a significant correlation between clinical parameters and dimensions of health-promoting behavior (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Given the impact of clinical parameters on various aspects of lifestyle, it seems that by teaching the different aspects of lifestyle (such as having a healthy diet consisting of fresh fruits and vegetables, reducing intake of saturated fat, physical activity and regular exercise, stress management, and blood pressure control) to patients with a positive angiographic result, we can improve their lifestyles by means of improving clinical parameters.

Are CRH & NGF as psychoneuroimmune regulators in women with polycystic ovary syndrome?

PURPOSE

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects quality of life and can worsen anxiety and depression either due to the features of PCOS or due to the diagnosis of a chronic disease. Corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) and nerves growth factor (NGF) are the modulator for the actions of the sympathetic nervous and immune systems.

METHODS

In total, 171 women divided into two groups: study and control groups. Serum CRH, NGF, and interleukins: IL-1α. IL-1β, 17A, and TNFα were determined by ELISA Kits in both groups.

RESULTS

The results showed that IL-1α (p < 0.001) and β (p = 0.017) significantly increased in PCO group. CRH, NGF, and IL-17α in serum of patients with PCO significantly lower than the control group (p < 0.001). The results of this study indicate: (1) destruction of three cytokines pattern, (2) Reduction of CRH, NGF, and IL-17α in serum of PCO patients can be under the direct influence of the sympathetic nervous system (SAS), and (3) reduction of CRH and NGFα can be reason of psych/emotional distress in women with PCOS.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study confirm (1) low-grade chronic inflammation in PCOS. This impaired cytokine pattern can play a major role in the immune-pathogenesis of PCOS; (2) hyponeurotrophinemia and reduction of CRH in women with PCOS could reflect deficit of neuronal stress-adaptation in these patients.

Increased B Regulatory Phenotype in Non-Metastatic Lymph Nodes of Node-Positive Breast Cancer Patients

Tumour-draining lymph nodes (TDLNs) are centre in orchestrating the immune responses against cancer. The cellularity and lymphocyte subpopulations change in the process of cancer progression and lymph node involvement. B lymphocyte subsets and their function in breast cancer-draining lymph nodes have not been well elucidated. Here, we studied the influence of tumour metastasis on the frequencies of different B cell subsets including naïve and memory B cells as well as those which are known to be enriched in the regulatory pool in TDLNs of 30 patients with breast cancer. Lymphocytes were obtained from a fresh piece of each lymph node and stained for CD19 and other B cell-associated markers and subjected to flow cytometry. Our investigation revealed that metastatic TDLN showed a significant decrease in active, memory and class-switched B cells while the frequencies of B cells with regulatory phenotypes were not changed. However, CD27(hi) CD25(+) and CD1d(hi) CD5(+) B regulatory subsets significantly increased in non-metastatic lymph nodes (nMLNs) of node-positive patients compared with node-negative patients. Our data provided evidence that in breast cancer, metastasis of tumour to axillary lymph nodes altered B cell populations in favour of resting, inactive and unswitched phenotypes. We assume that the lymphatic involvement may cause an increase in a subset of regulatory B cells in non-metastatic lymph nodes.

Gain-saturated one-pump fiber optical parametric amplifiers in presence of longitudinal dispersion fluctuations

In this paper, we investigate the impact of longitudinal dispersion fluctuations of the optical fiber on the gain spectrum and the saturation behavior of one-pump fiber-optical parametric amplifiers (1-P FOPAs). The gain spectra and the saturation curves of 1-P FOPAs are simulated by solving the coupled amplitude equations numerically and taking into account the dispersion fluctuations as a stochastic process with a given standard deviation and correlation length. Results show that the shape and the level of the gain spectrum and also the saturation power of 1-P FOPAs are considerably changed in the presence of dispersion fluctuations in comparison with the case when dispersion fluctuations are ignored. This feature is also totally different compared with the small-signal gain spectrum of the FOPA in the presence of dispersion fluctuations. Moreover, the value of the change in the gain and the saturation power depends strongly on the fluctuation parameters, i.e., the standard deviation and the correlation length.

A dose-response meta-analysis of the impact of body mass index on stroke and all-cause mortality in stroke patients: a paradox within a paradox

The obesity paradox is often attributed to fat acting as a buffer to protect individuals in fragile metabolic states. If this was the case, one would predict that the reverse epidemiology would be apparent across all causes of mortality including that of the particular disease state. We performed a dose-response meta-analysis to assess the impact of body mass index (BMI) on all-cause and stroke-specific mortality among stroke patients. Data from relevant studies were identified by systematically searching PubMed, OVID and Scopus databases and were analysed using a random-effects dose-response model. Eight cohort studies on all-cause mortality (with 20,807 deaths of 95,651 stroke patients) and nine studies of mortality exclusively because of stroke (with 8,087 deaths of 28,6270 patients) were evaluated in the meta-analysis. Non-linear associations of BMI with all-cause mortality (P < 0.0001) and mortality by stroke (P = 0.05) were observed. Among overweight and obese stroke patients, the risk of all-cause mortality increased, while the risk of mortality by stroke declined, with an increase in BMI. Increasing BMI had opposite effects on all-cause mortality and stroke-specific mortality in stroke patients. Further investigations are needed to examine how mortality by stroke is influenced by a more accurate indicator of obesity than BMI.

Intra-renal arterial injection of autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells ameliorates cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury in a rhesus Macaque mulatta monkey model

BACKGROUND

Clinically, acute kidney injury (AKI) is a potentially devastating condition for which no specific therapy improves efficacy of the repair process. Bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-MSCs) are proven to be beneficial for the renal repair process after AKI in different experimental rodent models, but their efficacy in large animals and humans remains unknown. This study aims to assess the effect of autologous rhesus Macaque mulatta monkey BM-MSC transplantation in cisplatin-induced AKI.

METHODS

We chose a model of AKI induced by intravenous administration of 5 mg/kg cisplatin. BM-MSCs were transplanted through intra-arterial injection. The animals were followed for survival, biochemistry analysis and pathology.

RESULTS

Transplantation of 5 × 10(6) cells/kg ameliorated renal function during the first week, as shown by significantly lower serum creatinine and urea values and higher urine creatinine and urea clearance without hyponatremia, hyperkalemia, proteinuria and polyuria up to 84 d compared with the vehicle and control groups. The superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle-labeled cells were found in both the glomeruli and tubules. BM-MSCs markedly accelerated Foxp3+ T-regulatory cells in response to cisplatin-induced damage, as revealed by higher numbers of Foxp3+ cells within the tubuli of these monkeys compared with cisplatin-treated monkeys in the control and vehicle groups.

CONCLUSIONS

These data demonstrate that BM-MSCs in this unique large-animal model of cisplatin-induced AKI exhibited recovery and protective properties.

A simple modelling approach for prediction of standard state real gas entropy of pure materials

The performance of an energy conversion system depends on exergy analysis and entropy generation minimisation. A new simple four-parameter equation is presented in this paper to predict the standard state absolute entropy of real gases (SSTD). The model development and validation were accomplished using the Linear Genetic Programming (LGP) method and a comprehensive dataset of 1727 widely used materials. The proposed model was compared with the results obtained using a three-layer feed forward neural network model (FFNN model). The root-mean-square error (RMSE) and the coefficient of determination (r(2)) of all data obtained for the LGP model were 52.24 J/(mol K) and 0.885, respectively. Several statistical assessments were used to evaluate the predictive power of the model. In addition, this study provides an appropriate understanding of the most important molecular variables for exergy analysis. Compared with the LGP based model, the application of FFNN improved the r(2) to 0.914. The developed model is useful in the design of materials to achieve a desired entropy value.

Effect of intradermal injection of heparinase III on skin wound healing in diabetic rats

AIM

neuropathy and vascular damage in this disease. Heparanase is an endoglycosidase that degrades heparan sulfate in the extracellular matrix and is believed to promote angiogenesis. The present study has been performed to investigate the effect of heparinase III (an enzyme which exclusively cleaves heparan sulfate) on wound healing in diabetic rats.

METHODS

The rats became diabetic by a single streptozotocin injection. Two weeks later, a wound was created by excision of the skin in the left paravertebral area. Heparinase III (0.2 unit) was injected intradermally around the wound every 5 days, starting on day one, for a total of three doses. The wound area was measured every 3 days. After completion of wound healing, full thickness skin samples were taken from the wound sites and evaluated for volume density of the collagen bundles, numerical density of the fibroblasts, and length density of the vessels.

RESULTS

Heparinase III accelerated wound closure compared to control diabetic animals. Microscopical examination revealed that it increased angiogenesis with no significant effect on collagen density and the number of fibroblasts.

CONCLUSION

Heparinase III induces angiogenesis and improves wound healing in diabetic animal model.

Evaluation of opium effect on pancreatobiliary system in opium addicted patients by endoscopic ultrasonography

INTRODUCTION

Pancreatobiliary abnormalities in patients with opium addiction have not been widely evaluated by endoscopic ultrasonography before.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients without any pancreatobiliary disease or symptom during 10 months were enrolled in this study. Common bile duct (CBD), pancreatic duct (PD) and portal vein (PV) diameters, gallbladder wall thickness and surface area of the papilla and abnormalities were evaluated in both groups by endosonography.

RESULTS

In total, 199 patients were evaluated. 36 (18.1%) cases were addicted to opium. Mean age of the patients was 56.0 ± 14.2 years. Opium users had a statistically significant higher (all P < 0.001) mean diameters of distal CBD (4.6 ± 1.9 vs. 3.1 ± 1.0 mm), middle part of CBD (7.5 ± 3.1 vs. 4.6 ± 1.6 mm), PD in head (3.3 ± 1.3 vs. 2.3 ± 0.7 mm) and PV (10.3 ± 2.3 vs. 8.9 ± 2.1 mm). However, the difference in the diameters of PD in the body of pancreas and gallbladder wall thickness did not reach statistical significance. The size of the papilla as measured by the surface area of the papilla of Vater was also significantly larger in opium users (40.6 ± 17.1 vs. 29.9 ± 13.5, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Opium addicted persons have larger diameters of CBD, PV and a larger surface area of the papilla of Vater. Dilated PD only in the head of the pancreas might be an important clue to differentiate opium-induced CBD dilation from periampullary tumors and chronic pancreatitis. The clinical significance of these findings warrants further investigation.

Investigating the effect of music on labor pain and progress in the active stage of first labor

DESIGN AND PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of music-therapy on labor pain and progress in parturient primipara. Music-therapy during labor increases tolerance to pain; decreasing anxiety, it increases paturition and uterus activity and shorten labor duration.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

The subjects of this research were 30 women, selected voluntarily and they have been put in two experimental and control group. This research has been conducted in the form of pre-test and post-test design. The experimental group listened to a relaxing music for 30 minutes in each hour for a two-hour period a nd the control group was not exposed to music during this period. For the purpose of gathering data in both groups, the pain scales (verbal, numeric and visual) was used to measure pain. The independent variable in this research is relaxing music and the dependent variables are the pain level and delivery progress.

FINDINGS

The independent t for sensations of pain in the experimental and control group before intervention has been (p = 0.875) 0.601 in numeric and visual pain and (p < 0.01) 2.92 in verbal pain, and one hour after intervention, it has been (p < 0.0001) 8.527 in visual and numeric pain and (p < 0.0001) 11.824 in verbal pain. Also, the equal value of independent t for the duration of delivery in control group before and after intervention shows that music has not had any effect on the rate of serotonin.

CONCLUSION

The results of statistical analysis show the effect of music on the decrease of sensation of pain in the experimental group as compared with the control group.

Haloarchaeobius iranensis gen. nov., sp. nov., an extremely halophilic archaeon isolated from a saline lake

Strain EB21T was isolated from a brine sample from Aran-Bidgol salt lake, a saline playa in Iran. Strain EB21T was an orange–red-pigmented, motile rod and required at least 2 M NaCl but not MgCl2 for growth. Optimal growth was achieved at 3.5 M NaCl and 0.2 M MgCl2. The optimum pH and temperature for growth were pH 7.5 and 40 °C, while it was able to grow at pH 6.0–8.0 and 25–55 °C. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that strain EB21T is a member of the family Halobacteriaceae , showing low levels of similarity to other members of the family. The highest sequence similarities, 91.8, 91.7 and 91.5 %, were obtained with the 16S rRNA gene sequences of the type strains of Halobiforma lacisalsi , Haloterrigena thermotolerans and Halalkalicoccus tibetensis , respectively. Polar lipid analyses revealed that strain EB21T contains phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol phosphate methyl ester and phosphatidylglycerol sulfate. Three unidentified glycolipids and one minor phospholipid were also observed. The only quinone present was MK-8(II-H2). The G+C content of its DNA was 67.7 mol%. On the basis of the data obtained, the new isolate could not be classified in any recognized genus. Strain EB21T is thus considered to represent a novel species in a new genus within the family Halobacteriaceae , order Halobacteriales , for which the name Haloarchaeobius iranensis gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Haloarchaeobius iranensis is EB21T ( = IBRC-M 10013T  = KCTC 4048T).

Rank-based ant system method for non-linear QSPR analysis: QSPR studies of the solubility parameter

The solubility parameter (δ) plays a unique role in the development of stable pharmaceutical formulations for assessing phase segregation during product synthesis. Understanding this parameter helps to determine how a drug substance will behave when processed or when dosed in vivo. The aim of this work was to develop a novel comprehensive yet rapid and accurate Quantitative Structure-Property Relationship (QSPR) method based on the rank-based ant system feature selection. The method was coupled with the multiple linear regression and support vector regression and applied to the assessment of solubility parameters for a diverse dataset of 1804 chemical compounds. The models were validated by solubility prediction of 360 test set compounds which were not used in building models. The developed models have high prediction power characterized by r (2) values 0.75 and 0.82, and RMSE values 1.96 and 1.65 (J/(cm(3)))(0.5) for the external test set. Various validation techniques and comparison results with the novel optimized support vector regression indicate that the developed models can be used to determine the solubility parameters for a diverse set of chemicals with an acceptable accuracy. The developed models can be beneficial for designing new chemical materials with desired solubility parameter values.

Bacillus iranensis sp. nov., a moderate halophile from a hypersaline lake

A Gram-positive, moderately halophilic rod, designated X5BT, was isolated from saline mud of the hypersaline lake Aran-Bidgol in Iran. Strain X5BT was a strictly aerobic, motile bacterium that produced ellipsoidal endospores at a central-subterminal position in non-swollen sporangia. The isolate grew at pH 7.0-10.0 (optimum pH 7.5), at 25-45 °C (optimum 35 °C) and with 2.5-15 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum 5-7.5 %). On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequences, strain X5BT belonged to the genus Bacillus and showed highest similarity with Bacillus persepolensis HS136T (95.6 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity) and Bacillus salarius BH169T (95.5 %). The DNA G+C content was 42.4 mol%. The major cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C15:0 and iso-C15:0 and the polar lipid profile consisted of phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, three phospholipids and two glycolipids. The diamino acid found in the cell-wall peptidoglycan was meso-diaminopimelic acid and the isoprenoid quinones were MK-7 (92 %), MK-6 (6 %) and MK-5 (2 %). On the basis of phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic and phenotypic data, a novel species of the genus Bacillus is proposed, with the name Bacillus iranensis sp. nov. The type strain is X5BT (=IBRC 10446T=DSM 23995T).