Optimization of paclitaxel-loaded poly (d,l-lactide-co-glycolide-N-p-maleimido benzoic hydrazide) nanoparticles size using artificial neural networks.

The aim of this study was to find a model using artificial neural networks (ANNs) to predict PLGA-PMBH nanoparticles (NPs) size in preparation by modified nanoprecipitation. The input variables were polymer content, drug content, power of sonication and ratio of organic/aqueous phase (i.e.

Transcriptome analysis reveals differential splicing events in IPF lung tissue.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a complex disease in which a multitude of proteins and networks are disrupted. Interrogation of the transcriptome through RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) enables the determination of genes whose differential expression is most significant in IPF, as well as the detection of alternative splicing events which are not easily observed with traditional microarray experiments. We sequenced messenger RNA from 8 IPF lung samples and 7 healthy controls on an Illumina HiSeq 2000, and found evidence for substantial differential gene expression and differential splicing.

Formulation development and evaluation of metformin chewing gum with bitter taste masking.

Background: Medicated gums are intended to be chewed and act either locally, absorbed via the buccal mucosa or swallowed with saliva. We prepared the metformin gum to overcome its side effects including vomiting, diarrhea, and abdomen discomfort. Furthermore, it could be useful for those who have swallowing problems.

Polarization of the effects of autoimmune and neurodegenerative risk alleles in leukocytes.

To extend our understanding of the genetic basis of human immune function and dysfunction, we performed an expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) study of purified CD4(+) T cells and monocytes, representing adaptive and innate immunity, in a multi-ethnic cohort of 461 healthy individuals. Context-specific cis- and trans-eQTLs were identified, and cross-population mapping allowed, in some cases, putative functional assignment of candidate causal regulatory variants for disease-associated loci. We note an over-representation of T cell-specific eQTLs among susceptibility alleles for autoimmune diseases and of monocyte-specific eQTLs among Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease variants.

Pharmacists' opinions and self-reporting performance regarding the professional tasks and responsibilities in Isfahan, Iran.

Background: The pharmacists' roles and responsibilities toward the pharmaceutical care practice have developed considerably during the recent years.

Objectives: The aim of this program is to explore the opinions and performances of community pharmacists with regard to their professional tasks and responsibilities in Isfahan city.

Materials And Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional questionnaire survey of community pharmacists was conducted on a sample of 150 pharmacists using the Delphi process.

Hypermethylation in the ZBTB20 gene is associated with major depressive disorder.

Background: Although genetic variation is believed to contribute to an individual's susceptibility to major depressive disorder, genome-wide association studies have not yet identified associations that could explain the full etiology of the disease. Epigenetics is increasingly believed to play a major role in the development of common clinical phenotypes, including major depressive disorder.

Results: Genome-wide MeDIP-Sequencing was carried out on a total of 50 monozygotic twin pairs from the UK and Australia that are discordant for depression.

Transcriptome analysis reveals differential splicing events in IPF lung tissue.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a complex disease in which a multitude of proteins and networks are disrupted. Interrogation of the transcriptome through RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) enables the determination of genes whose differential expression is most significant in IPF, as well as the detection of alternative splicing events which are not easily observed with traditional microarray experiments. We sequenced messenger RNA from 8 IPF lung samples and 7 healthy controls on an Illumina HiSeq 2000, and found evidence for substantial differential gene expression and differential splicing.

Brewer's Yeast Improves Glycemic Indices in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Background: Brewer's yeast may have beneficial effects on insulin receptors because of itsglucose tolerance factor in diabetic patients. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of brewer's yeast supplementation on glycemic indices in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods: In a randomized double-blind controlled clinical trial, 84 adults (21 men and 63 women) aged 46.

Type I interferon signaling genes in recurrent major depression: increased expression detected by whole-blood RNA sequencing.

A study of genome-wide gene expression in major depressive disorder (MDD) was undertaken in a large population-based sample to determine whether altered expression levels of genes and pathways could provide insights into biological mechanisms that are relevant to this disorder. Gene expression studies have the potential to detect changes that may be because of differences in common or rare genomic sequence variation, environmental factors or their interaction. We recruited a European ancestry sample of 463 individuals with recurrent MDD and 459 controls, obtained self-report and semi-structured interview data about psychiatric and medical history and other environmental variables, sequenced RNA from whole blood and genotyped a genome-wide panel of common single-nucleotide polymorphisms.

Prediction of stroke-related diagnostic and prognostic measures using robot-based evaluation.

Traditional clinical scores for assessment of impairments resulting from stroke are inherently subjective and limited by inter-rater and intra-rater reliability. In contrast, robotic technologies provide objective, highly repeatable tools for quantification of motor performance of stroke subjects. Although use of robotic technologies has been widely suggested in the literature, they are not an established tool and their relationship to traditional clinical scales for stroke diagnosis and prognosis is mostly unknown.

Dependence of the geriatric depression on nutritional status and anthropometric indices in elderly population.

Objective: Malnutrition and depression are highly prevalent in the elderly and can lead to unfavorable outcomes. The aims of the current study were to determine the association between malnutrition and depression and also to find any correlation of depression with some anthropometric indices in free living elderly.

Method: In this cross-sectional study, 337 elderly subjects (193 females) were selected using cluster sampling.

Effects of zinc supplementation in patients with major depression: a randomized clinical trial.

Objective: Major depression is a mood disorder that causes changes in physical activity, appetite, sleep and weight. Regarding the role of zinc in the pathology of depression, the present study was aimed to investigate the effects of zinc supplementation in the treatment of this disease.

Methods: This study was a double-blind randomized clinical trial.

Carotid artery function in children with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome.

Background: Nephrotic patients are prone to atherosclerosis in consequence of frequent exposures to hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and immunosuppressive drugs.

Objectives: We studied the carotid parameters as early indicators of atherosclerosis in children with nephrotic syndrome.

Methods: Between 2008 and 2011, 51 children with history of nephrotic syndrome enrolled in the study.

Hepatotoxicity of Dorema aucheri (Bilhar) in albino mice.

Background: The geographic map of cancer prevalence differs due to environmental and dietary factors in various populations. High prevalence of a number of cancers in some regions is thought to be attributed to local dietary habits. Dorema aucheri (Bilhar) is used commonly as an herbal medicine in some regions including Iran.

Brewer's Yeast Improves Blood Pressure in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Background: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Brewer's yeast supplementation on serum lipoproteins and blood pressure in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods: In a randomized double blind clinical trial, 90 adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus were recruited, and divided randomly into 2 groups, trial group received brewer's yeast (1800 mg/day) and control group received placebo for 12 weeks. Weight, BMI, food consumption (based on 24 hour food recall), fasting serum lipoproteins (Cholesterol, Triglyceride, LDL-c, HDL-c), systolic and diastolic blood pressures were measured before and after the intervention.

Normalizing RNA-sequencing data by modeling hidden covariates with prior knowledge.

Transcriptomic assays that measure expression levels are widely used to study the manifestation of environmental or genetic variations in cellular processes. RNA-sequencing in particular has the potential to considerably improve such understanding because of its capacity to assay the entire transcriptome, including novel transcriptional events. However, as with earlier expression assays, analysis of RNA-sequencing data requires carefully accounting for factors that may introduce systematic, confounding variability in the expression measurements, resulting in spurious correlations.

Orthodontic Wire Ingestion during Treatment: Reporting a Case and Review the Management of Foreign Body Ingestion or Aspiration (Emergencies).

Today orthodontic treatment is in growing demand and is not limited to a specific age or social group. The nature of orthodontic treatment is such that the orthodontic wires and appliances, which are used to apply force and move the teeth, are exposed to the oral cavity. Shaping and replacing these wires in oral cavity are the major assignments of orthodontist on appointments.

Effects of a comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation program on quality of life in patients with coronary artery disease.

Background: Health-related quality of life is an important factor to evaluate effects of different interventions in cardiovascular diseases. Improvement in quality of life (QOL) is an important goal for individuals participating in cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of comprehensive CR on QOL in patients with cardiovascular disease (CAD).

An overview and mapping of childhood tuberculosis: prevalence, scientific production and citation analysis.

Aim: The study aimed to analyze publications in the field of "pediatric tuberculosis" and associate them with regional Tuberculosis (TB) profile.

Methods: A schematic analysis of scientific production in the field of pediatric tuberculosis between 1990 and 2010 using ISI web of science was carried out. Terms used for searches were each as a combination of "Mycobacterium Tuberculosis", or "Tuberculos*" and "Child", or "Infant", or "New born", or "Neonatal", or "Adolescent", or "Pediatric".

Enhanced antibacterial activity of roxithromycin loaded pegylated poly lactide-co-glycolide nanoparticles.

Background And The Purpose Of The Study: The purpose of this study was to prepare pegylated poly lactide-co-glycolide (PEG-PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) loaded with roxithromycin (RXN) with appropriate physicochemical properties and antibacterial activity. Roxithromycin, a semi-synthetic derivative of erythromycin, is more stable than erythromycin under acidic conditions and exhibits improved clinical effects.

Methods: RXN was loaded in pegylated PLGA NPs in different drug;polymer ratios by solvent evaporation technique and characterized for their size and size distribution, surface charge, surface morphology, drug loading, in vitro drug release profile, and in vitro antibacterial effects on S.

Labeling nodes using three degrees of propagation.

The properties (or labels) of nodes in networks can often be predicted based on their proximity and their connections to other labeled nodes. So-called "label propagation algorithms" predict the labels of unlabeled nodes by propagating information about local label density iteratively through the network. These algorithms are fast, simple and scale to large networks but nonetheless regularly perform better than slower and much more complex algorithms on benchmark problems.

Antioxidant effects of vitamins C and e on the low-density lipoprotein oxidation mediated by myeloperoxidase.

Background: Oxidative modification of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) appears to be an early step in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Meanwhile, myeloperoxidase (MPO)-catalyzed reaction is one of the potent pathway for LDL oxidation in vivo. The aim of this study was to evaluate in vitro antioxidant effects of vitamins C and E on LDL oxidation mediated by MPO.

The effect of the cardiac rehabilitation program on obese and non-obese females with coronary heart disease.

Introduction: Obesity is strongly associated with coronary heart disease and it is known as an independent risk factor. So, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of phase II comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation program on obesity indexes, functional capacity, lipid profiles, and fasting blood sugar in obese and non-obese female patients with coronary heart disease and to compare changes in these groups.

Materials And Methods: Two hundred and five women with coronary heart disease participated in our study.

Dietary intake, growth and development of children with ADHD in a randomized clinical trial of Ritalin and Melatonin co-administration: Through circadian cycle modification or appetite enhancement?

Objective: It is postulated that ritalin may adversely affect sleep, appetite, weight and growth of some children with ADHD. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate melatonin supplementation effects on dietary intake, growth and development of children with ADHD treated with ritalin through circadian cycle modification and appetite mechanisms.

Method: After obtaining consent from parents, 50 children aged 7-12 with combined form of AD/HD were randomly divided into two groups based on gender blocks: one received melatonin (3 or 6 mg based on weight) combined with ritalin (1mg/kg) and the other took placebo combined with ritalin (1mg/kg) in a double blind randomized clinical trial.