Minimal important difference of Berg Balance Scale, performance-oriented mobility assessment and dynamic gait index in chronic stroke survivors.

Objective: The Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment (POMA), and Dynamic Gait Index (DGI) are crucial standard tools used to evaluate functional balance. However, their minimal important difference (MID) threshold is yet to be established. The objective of this research was to explore the MID for BBS, POMA, and DGI in people suffering from chronic stroke.

Nanoparticle-based delivery of harmine: A comprehensive study on synthesis, characterization, anticancer activity, angiogenesis and toxicity Evaluation.

The effective treatment of cancer presents numerous challenges, including drug resistance and the risk of detrimental effects on normal tissues. Harmine, a beta-carboline alkaloid, has demonstrated diverse biological properties. This study aimed to synthesize and characterize harmine encapsulated in polylactic--glycolic acid (PLGA) nanoparticles (Ha-PLGA-NPs) to investigate their potential as agents against cancer and angiogenesis.

Gluten-free Nan-e-Fasaee: Formulation optimization on the basis of quinoa flour and inulin.

Diversification of gluten-free (GF) bakery products is considerably important, as those who suffer from gluten intolerance should follow a GF diet their whole life. Regarding this study, it was aimed at optimizing the formulation of a quinoa-based GF traditional bakery product, i.e.

Drug-use disorders in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: a glance at GBD 2019 findings.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to investigate drug use disorders which are a major cause of Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR).

Methods: This article is a part of the global burden of diseases (GBD), injuries, and risk factors 2019 study. The GBD modeling approach was used to estimate population-level prevalence of drug use disorders.

Protective effect of early immunomodulatory treatment on ocular involvement in Behcet's disease: Historical cohort of 1166 patients.

Objectives: Eye involvement is a main presentation of Behcet's disease. This study was performed to evaluate possible determinants affecting the occurrence of eye involvement, especially the role of early systemic treatment with immunomodulatory drugs on the incidence of ocular involvement.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study performed on 1166 Behcet's patients in the Behcet's Clinic of Rheumatology Research Center.

Milk thistle nano-micelle formulation promotes cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells through modulating miR-155-3p /SOCS2 /PHLDA1 signaling axis.

Background: Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is a prevalent form of liver cancer that causes significant mortality in numerous individuals worldwide. This study compared the effects of milk thistle (MT) and nano-milk thistle (N-MT) on the expression of the genes that participate in apoptosis and cell cycle pathways in Huh-7 and HepG2 cells.

Methods: IC50 values of MT and N-MT were determined using the MTT assay.

Effect of Lipid Profile Parameters on Noise Induced Hearing Loss.

Background: Noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) is an irreversible occupational disease among industrial workers. Recent studies have reported that changes in some metabolic factors such as the serum level of sugar and lipids might have a role in suffering from NIHL among workers exposed to noise. We designed this study to assess the association between lipid profile changes and NIHL occurrence among noise-exposed workers.

Genotyping tool for salmonid gill pox virus (SGPV) obtained from farmed and wild Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar).

Poxviruses are common viruses found in vertebrate species. In 2006, the first poxvirus associated with salmon, salmonid gill poxvirus (SGPV), was identified during an outbreak of gill disease at a smolt production site in northern Norway and at two marine farms in western Norway. Poxviruses had previously been detected in ayu (Plecoglossus altivelis) and koi carp (Cyprinus carpio).

The Effects of Covid-19 on Financial-Economic and Performance Efficiency of Hospitals.

Background: During the pandemic of COVID-19, the function and performance of hospitals have been affected by various economic-financial and management aspects. The aim of the current study was to assess the process of therapeutic care delivery and also the economic-financial functions of the selected hospitals before and after COVID-19.

Methods: This research is a descriptive-analytical study and a cross-sectional-comparative study in terms of time, and it was conducted in several selected teaching hospitals of Iran University of Medical Sciences.

Retention rate in methadone maintenance treatment and factors associated among referred patients from the compulsory residential centers compared to voluntary patients.

Introduction: Compulsory treatment has decades of history in Iran; both before and after the Islamic Revolution, but there are many debates regarding its efficacy and effectiveness. Retention Rate is one of the best indices to estimate the efficacy of treatment. This study will compare Retention Rate among people referred from compulsory treatment centers and volunteer participants.

In vitro anti-Toxoplasma gondii activity of Ganoderma lucidum extracts.

Objective: Ganoderma extracts have the potential to be used as anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulator, and antimicrobial agents, as evaluated in numerous studies. This study was aimed to determine the lethal and inhibitory effects of aqueous, hydroalcoholic, and alcoholic extracts of Ganoderma lucidum on Toxoplasma gondii RH strain tachyzoites, in vitro.

Results: All three types of extracts showed toxoplasmacidal effects.

Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of virulence markers and antifungal susceptibility of oral Candida species from diabetic and non-diabetic hemodialysis patients.

Background: Patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis are often colonized by Candida species with high possibility of fungal infections. The purposes of this study were to determine the prevalence of Candida species, evaluate antifungal susceptibility profile, biofilm formation, proteinase and phospholipase activities, and the frequency of virulence genes in the Candida species isolated from the oral mucosa of hemodialysis diabetic (DM) and non-diabetic (non-DM) patients.

Methods: This study identified several species of Candida isolated from 69 DM and 58 non-DM patients on hemodialysis using phenotypic methods and PCR-RFLP technique.

Application of inulin in bread: A review of technological properties and factors affecting its stability.

Due to its dual function, inulin is an important prebiotic compound in the cereal industry, especially in bread production. In other words, improving technological features and creating health properties (such as reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, and osteoporosis) have led to the widespread use of this compound. Inulin has many important technological functions in bread, including its ability to interact with water, create structure, and influence rheological properties, texture, and overall acceptability of the final product.

Novel hybrid neuro-fuzzy model to anticipate the heat transfer in a heat exchanger equipped with a new type of self-rotating tube insert.

In this investigation, a combination of the wingsuit flying search (WFS) and teaching-learning-based optimization (TLBO) algorithms is developed as a new combinatorial optimization algorithm. The proposed combinatorial algorithm is tested over some well-known benchmark functions and then integrated with the artificial neural network (ANN) to construct a novel hybrid model. After that, the obtained hybrid model is employed to anticipate the experimentally obtained values of the average Nusselt number (Nu), average friction coefficient (f) as well as thermal-hydraulic performance ratio (η), in a heat exchanger equipped with a new type of self-rotating tube insert, against governing parameters.

The Uncomplicated Course of COVID-19 in Primary Immunodeficiency Patients: A Report of 14 Common Variable Immunodeficiency Patients.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) affects millions of people worldwide. Clinical manifestations range from asymptomatic to severe viral pneumonia. CVID patients with COVID-19 infection are not adequately studied.

Iranian older adults women: The Impact of COVID-19 and Coping Strategies.

In the field of epidemics, some vulnerable groups, such as older adults, are at greater risk. Many psychological, social, economic and physical hazards have threatened older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some threats can be managed with medical system interventions.

Fampridine in multiple sclerosis patients with acute phase of cervical transverse myelitis: a double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Fampridine is a potassium channel blocker drug used to improve walking ability in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). We evaluated the effect of fampridine in patients with MS in the acute phase of transverse myelitis.

Methods: In a randomized, placebo-controlled trial, 30 patients who had their first episode of cervical myelitis with quadriparesis presentation, with the final diagnosis of MS, were randomly divided into two equal groups.

Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor as a Predictive and Prognostic Biomarker for Multiple Sclerosis.

Background: Growing bodies of evidence suggest that angiogenesis plays a crucial role in the development and progression of multiple sclerosis (MS). Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is one of the key factors involved in angiogenesis. Because of this importance, we investigated the serum levels of VEGF in MS patients according to their clinical phase and subtype of MS in this study.

A case report of rhino-facial mucormycosis in a non-diabetic patient with COVID-19: a systematic review of literature and current update.

Background: COVID-19 disease may be associated with a wide range of bacterial and fungal infections. We report a patient with COVID-19 infection who developed rhino-facial mucormycosis during treatment with corticosteroids.

Case Presentation: A 59-year-old non-diabetic male patient was admitted with a diagnosis of COVID-19 based on positive RT-PCR and CT of the lungs.

Analysis of Biofilm-Related Genes and Antifungal Susceptibility Pattern of Vaginal and Non- Species.

Background: Vulvovaginal candidiasis caused by species is a prevalent fungal infection among women. It is believed that the pathogenesis of species is linked with the production of biofilm which is considered a virulence factor for this organism. The aim of this study was molecular identification, antifungal susceptibility, biomass quantification of biofilm, and detection of virulence markers of species.

Relationship between antifungal susceptibility profile and virulence factors in Candida albicans isolated from nail specimens.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate some virulence factors in Candida albicans isolates from patients with onychomycosis and determine the correlation between these factors and the antifungal resistance profile.

Methods: Seventy species of C. albicans were confirmed using polymerase chain reaction amplification of the HWP1 gene.

The influence of vgll3 genotypes on sea age at maturity is altered in farmed mowi strain Atlantic salmon.

Background: In Atlantic salmon in the wild, age at maturity is strongly influenced by the vgll3 locus. Under farming conditions, light, temperature and feeding regimes are known significantly advance or delay age at maturity. However, the potential influence of the vgll3 locus on the maturation of salmon reared under farming conditions has been rarely investigated, especially in females.