Global, Regional, and National Levels and Trends in Burden of Oral Conditions from 1990 to 2017: A Systematic Analysis for the Global Burden of Disease 2017 Study.

Government and nongovernmental organizations need national and global estimates on the descriptive epidemiology of common oral conditions for policy planning and evaluation. The aim of this component of the Global Burden of Disease study was to produce estimates on prevalence, incidence, and years lived with disability for oral conditions from 1990 to 2017 by sex, age, and countries. In addition, this study reports the global socioeconomic pattern in burden of oral conditions by the standard World Bank classification of economies as well as the Global Burden of Disease Socio-demographic Index.

Incidence, Clinical Manifestation, Treatment Outcome, and Drug Susceptibility Pattern of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria in HIV Patients in Tehran, Iran.

Background: Nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infections have radically increased worldwide due to the increase in HIV infections. The disease activity increases with progressive immunodeficiency.

Methods: A total of 216 HIV seropositive patients suspected of having mycobacterial infection were recruited for this study.

Green biolubricant infused slippery surfaces to combat marine biofouling.

Hypothesis: Marine biofouling is a global, longstanding problem for maritime industries and coastal areas arising from the attachment of fouling organisms onto solid immersed surfaces. Slippery Liquid Infused Porous Surfaces (SLIPS) have recently shown promising capacity to combat marine biofouling. In most SLIPS coatings, the lubricant is a silicone/fluorinated-based synthetic component that may not be fully compatible with the marine life.

Thermal-Disrupting Interface Mitigates Intercellular Cohesion Loss for Accurate Topical Antibacterial Therapy.

Bacterial infections remain a leading threat to global health because of the misuse of antibiotics and the rise in drug-resistant pathogens. Although several strategies such as photothermal therapy and magneto-thermal therapy can suppress bacterial infections, excessive heat often damages host cells and lengthens the healing time. Here, a localized thermal managing strategy, thermal-disrupting interface induced mitigation (TRIM), is reported, to minimize intercellular cohesion loss for accurate antibacterial therapy.

Systematic review of using medical informatics in lung transplantation studies.

Background: Lung transplantation is one of the advanced treatment options performed even in patients suffering from end-stage lung disease. Due to the positive results of medical informatics in other fields of medicine, lung transplant researchers have also conducted remarkable studies to improve transplant outcomes. The main objective of this article was to review the current studies of health information technology used in lung transplantation.

Augmented reality mastectomy surgical planning prototype using the HoloLens template for healthcare technology letters.

In breast reconstruction following a single mastectomy, the surgeon needs to choose between tens of available implants to find the one that can reproduce the symmetry of the patient's breasts. However, due to the lack of measurement tools this decision is made purely visually, which means the surgeon has to order multiple implants to confirm the size for every single patient. In this Letter, the authors present an augmented reality application, which enables surgeons to see the shape of the implants, as 3D holograms on the patient's body.

Molecular identification of mutations conferring resistance to rifampin, isoniazid and pyrazinamide among isolates from Iran.

Here, we aimed to determine the susceptibility of 70 isolates obtained from different regions of the country to 8 anti-tuberculosis (anti-TB) drugs and possible underlying mechanisms causing resistance to rifampin, isoniazid, and pyrazinamide. The susceptibility of 70 isolates of to anti-TB drugs was tested using proportion method. Strains showing resistance to the first line anti-TB drugs were subjected to PCR amplification and sequencing of the genes, promoter and intergenic regions to detect resistance conferring mutations.

Polyacrylonitrile/MIL-53(Fe) electrospun nanofiber for pipette-tip micro solid phase extraction of nitrazepam and oxazepam followed by HPLC analysis.

Nanofibers were prepared from a nanocomposite consisting of polyacrylonitrile and a metal-organic framework of type MIL-53(Fe) by electrospinning. They are shown to be a viable sorbent for pipette-tip solid-phase extraction for the extraction of the benzodiazepine drugs nitrazepam and oxazepam. The nanofibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction.

Evaluation of Amikacin Pharmacokinetics in Critically Ill Patients with Intra-abdominal Sepsis.

Although the current widespread use of amikacin is in intra-abdominal sepsis treatment, its pharmacokinetic changes in the present setting are not yet well known. This study was aimed to evaluate the amikacin pharmacokinetic profile in critically ill patients with intraabdominal sepsis compared to pneumosepsis. Adult septic patients received amikacin therapy were studied.

Salivary levels of IgE and ECP in patients with recurrent aphthous stomatitis.

Background: Recurrent aphthous stomatitis is a common oral mucosa disease, with no specific etiology. Atopy has been implicated in the development of this disease. In this study, the salivary levels of immunoglobulin E (IgE) and eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) were measured as allergy-related biomarkers in patients with aphthous stomatitis.

Therapeutic effects of nebulized verapamil on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A randomized and double-blind clinical trial.

Objectives: In this study, we assessed the clinical effect of inhaled verapamil on hospitalized COPD patients in a randomized and double-blind study.

Method: COPD patients randomly received 10 mg of inhaled verapamil or 4 cc nebulized distilled water (DW) as placebo.

Results: Twenty patients enrolled in each group with no difference in baseline characteristics.

The effect of vitamin D and calcium supplementation on inflammatory biomarkers, estradiol levels and severity of symptoms in women with postpartum depression: a randomized double-blind clinical trial.

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a major depressive disorder. Vitamin D deficiency may play a role in PPD pathogenesis. This study was designed to determine the effect of vitamin D and calcium supplementation on the severity of symptoms and some related inflammatory biomarkers in women with PPD.

Transcriptome landscape of Rafflesia cantleyi floral buds reveals insights into the roles of transcription factors and phytohormones in flower development.

Rafflesia possesses unique biological features and known primarily for producing the world's largest and existing as a single flower. However, to date, little is known about key regulators participating in Rafflesia flower development. In order to further understand the molecular mechanism that regulates Rafflesia cantleyi flower development, RNA-seq data from three developmental stages of floral bud, representing the floral organ primordia initiation, floral organ differentiation, and floral bud outgrowth, were analysed.

A framework for exhaustive modelling of genetic interaction patterns using Petri nets.

Motivation: Genetic interaction (GI) patterns are characterized by the phenotypes of interacting single and double mutated gene pairs. Uncovering the regulatory mechanisms of GIs would provide a better understanding of their role in biological processes, diseases and drug response. Computational analyses can provide insights into the underpinning mechanisms of GIs.

Low diagnostic accuracy of Xpert MTB/RIF assay for extrapulmonary tuberculosis: A multicenter surveillance.

Diagnostic accuracy of Xpert MTB/RIF assay for pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and extrapulmonary TB (EPTB) has not been investigated in Iran. This study was aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of Xpert MTB/RIF assay for both PTB and EPTB. A total of 2111 clinical samples (1218 pulmonary and 838 extra-pulmonary) were collected from 16 medical centers during the study period and were analyzed for detection of PTB and EPTB by both Xpert MTB/RIF assay and standard conventional methods (culture and direct smear microscopy).

The Anti-Mycobacterial Activity Of Ag, ZnO, And Ag- ZnO Nanoparticles Against MDR- And XDR-.

Background: Nowadays, tuberculosis (TB) is one of the top ten leading causes of mortality worldwide. The emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) - and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) - is identified as one of the most challenging threats to TB control. Thus, new and safe nano-drugs are urgently required for the elimination of TB.

Suppression of Zika Virus Infection in the Brain by the Antiretroviral Drug Rilpivirine.

Zika virus (ZIKV) infection is associated with microcephaly in neonates and Guillain-Barré syndrome in adults. ZIKV produces a class of nonstructural (NS) regulatory proteins that play a critical role in viral transcription and replication, including NS5, which possesses RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) activity. Here we demonstrate that rilpivirine (RPV), a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) used in the treatment of HIV-1 infection, inhibits the enzymatic activity of NS5 and suppresses ZIKV infection and replication in primary human astrocytes.

Metal nanoparticles synthesis through natural phenolic acids.

For being applied in medicine as therapeutic agents, nanostructures need to be biocompatible and eco-friendly. Plant-derived phenolic acids have been utilised for green synthesis of metallic or metallic oxide nanoparticles (NPs). The phenolic acids play role as both reducing agents and stabilisers in the process of NPs synthesis.

Mapping 123 million neonatal, infant and child deaths between 2000 and 2017.

Since 2000, many countries have achieved considerable success in improving child survival, but localized progress remains unclear. To inform efforts towards United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3.2-to end preventable child deaths by 2030-we need consistently estimated data at the subnational level regarding child mortality rates and trends.

Improving the surface energy of titanium implants by the creation of hierarchical textures on the surface via three-dimensional elliptical vibration turning for enhanced osseointegration.

An increase in bone-implant contact and an increase in surface hydrophilicity are the two important factors involved in improving osseointegration. Therefore, three-dimensional elliptical vibration turning method is applied to increase the hydrophilicity of titanium surface by the generation of hierarchical nano- and micro-textures. That being the case, face turning process at different cutting conditions is carried out in this research.

Synergetic Impact of Combined 5-Fluorouracil and Rutin on Apoptosis in PC3 Cancer Cells through the Modulation of P53 Gene Expression.

Prostate cancer is as far the most prevalent male cancer. Rutin (a glycoside from quercetin flavonoid) displays antioxidant activity leading to cell apoptosis. Combined effects of rutin with the widely used anti-cancer drug, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), on prostate cancer cell line (PC3) was investigated herein.

Promoting neural cell proliferation and differentiation by incorporating lignin into electrospun poly(vinyl alcohol) and poly(glycerol sebacate) fibers.

Electrospinning of natural and synthetic polymers open a new practical approach to tissue engineering by producing fibers. In this study, aligned electrospun poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)-poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS) fibers with various percentages of lignin (0, 1, 3, and 5%wt) fabricated for nerve tissue engineering. The effect of the different amount of lignin on the morphology and diameter of the fibers was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Effect of new year holidays on hospital mortality: a time series study.

Background: Nowruz holidays, as one of the most important holidays in Iran, can lead to changes in the trend of hospital deaths. Due to changes in lifestyle and increased accidents, hospitals become crowded during the holidays. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of Nowruz holidays on hospital deaths at teaching hospitals affiliated with the Kerman University of Medical Sciences in southeast Iran.