The potential preventive effect of probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics on cardiovascular risk factors through modulation of gut microbiota: A review.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a significant contributor to global morbidity and death, underscoring the importance of their prevention and treatment. The association between the development and progression of CVD and several risk factors has been extensively studied. Among these risk factors, the gut microbiota has garnered considerable attention of the scientific community during the last two decades.

Intelligent berberine-loaded erythrocytes attenuated inflammatory cytokine productions in macrophages.

Erythrocytes are impressive tools for drug delivery, especially to macrophages. Therefore, berberine was loaded into erythrocytes using both hypotonic pre-swelling and endocytosis methods to target macrophages. Physicochemical and kinetic parameters of the resulting carrier cells, such as drug loading/release kinetics, osmotic fragility, and hematological indices, were determined.

Nanocomposite of electrochemically reduced graphene oxide and gold nanourchins for electrochemical DNA detection.

A nanocomposite of graphene oxide and gold nanourchins has been used here to modify the surface of a screen-printed carbon electrode to enhance the sensitivity of the electrochemical DNA detection system. A specific single-stranded DNA probe was designed based on the target DNA sequence and was thiolated to be self-assembled on the surface of the gold nanourchins placed on the modified electrode. Doxorubicin was used as an electrochemical label to detect the DNA hybridisation using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV).

A potential hypothesis for 2019-nCoV infection therapy through delivery of recombinant ACE2 by red blood cell-hitchhiking.

A novel infectious disease, caused by 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is responsible for the recent outbreak of severe respiratory disease. The 2019-nCoV spread rapidly and reaching epidemic proportions in many countries of the world. ACE2 was identified as a key receptor for 2019-nCoV infections.

Psychiatric morbidity among adult transgender people in Iran.

Psychiatric morbidity among transgender and gender diverse people is thought to be to an important extent related to socio-cultural intolerance, but such morbidity has been understudied in non-western socio-political contexts. This study aims to report the psychiatric profiles of clients who are seeking gender-affirming treatment in a gender clinic in Iran. All transgender people who were consecutively referred to the Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in Mashhad, Iran, between February 2015 and December 2016 were investigated.

A comparative, single-blind, randomized study on quetiapine and aripiperazole augmentation in treatment of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic psychiatric disorder, of unknown etiology, that affects 2.5% of the population. An appropriate therapeutic response to conventional treatment is seen.

Growth Factors as Tools in Photoreceptor Cell Regeneration and Vision Recovery.

Photoreceptor loss is a major cause of blindness around the world. Stem cell therapy offers a new strategy in retina degenerative disease. Retinal progenitors can be derived from embryonic stem cells (ESC) in vitro, but cannot be processed to a mature state.

Childhood Sex-Typed Behavior and Gender Change in Individuals with 46,XY and 46,XX Disorders of Sex Development: An Iranian Multicenter Study.

Disorders of sex development (DSD) are congenital conditions in which the typical genetic and hormonal profiles are affected and thereby the usual process of sexual differentiation. Most of these studies, however, have been conducted in Western countries. In the present study, preschool sex-typed activities of Iranian individuals with DSD and their age-matched non-affected male and female relatives were assessed using the Pre-School Activities Inventory (PSAI) modified for retrospective self-report.

Mental Health and Disorders of Sex Development/Intersex Conditions in Iranian Culture: Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia, 5-α Reductase Deficiency-Type 2, and Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome.

Sixty-one patients (22 patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia [CAH] with a mean age of 14.86 years [range, 5-23], 20 patients with 5-α reductase deficiency type 2 [5α-RD-2] with a mean age of 19.5 years [range, 5-29], and 19 patients with complete androgen insensitivity syndrome [CAIS] with a mean age of 18.

A highly sensitive miR-195 nanobiosensor for early detection of Parkinson's disease.

Early detection of Parkinson's disease (PD), as a dangerous neurodegenerative disease, is a key factor in the therapy or prevention of further development of this disease. We developed an electrochemical nanobiosensor for early detection of PD based on the quantification of circulating biomarker, miR-195. Exfoliated graphene oxide (EGO) and gold nanowires (GNWs) were used to modify the surface of screen-printed carbon electrode.

Taguchi Experimental Design for Optimization of Recombinant Human Growth Hormone Production in CHO Cell Lines and Comparing its Biological Activity with Prokaryotic Growth Hormone.

Growth hormone deficiency results in growth retardation in children and the GH deficiency syndrome in adults and they need to receive recombinant-GH in order to rectify the GH deficiency symptoms. Mammalian cells have become the favorite system for production of recombinant proteins for clinical application compared to prokaryotic systems because of their capability for appropriate protein folding, assembly, post-translational modification and proper signal. However, production level in mammalian cells is generally low compared to prokaryotic hosts.

A nanobiosensor composed of Exfoliated Graphene Oxide and Gold Nano-Urchins, for detection of GMO products.

Genetically Modified Organisms, have been entered our food chain and detection of these organisms in market products are still the main challenge for scientists. Among several developed detection/quantification methods for detection of these organisms, the electrochemical nanobiosensors are the most attended which are combining the advantages of using nanomaterials, electrochemical methods and biosensors. In this research, a novel and sensitive electrochemical nanobiosensor for detection/quantification of these organisms have been developed using nanomaterials; Exfoliated Graphene Oxide and Gold Nano-Urchins for modification of the screen-printed carbon electrode, and also applying a specific DNA probe as well as hematoxylin for electrochemical indicator.

Sexual orientation and medical history among Iranian people with Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome and Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia.

Objective: To report sexual orientation, relationship status and medical history of Iranian people with Differences of Sex Development (DSD) who were raised female.

Methods: Our participants consisted of nineteen 46,XY individuals with Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (CAIS) and eighteen 46,XX individuals with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) who were raised as females and older than 13years. As well as their relationship status and detailed medical history, an expert psychiatrist assessed their sexual orientation by a semi-structured psychiatric interview with them and, where applicable, their parents.

Investigating the Interaction of Fe Nanoparticles with Lysozyme by Biophysical and Molecular Docking Studies.

Herein, the interaction of hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL) with iron nanoparticle (Fe NP) was investigated by spectroscopic and docking studies. The zeta potential analysis revealed that addition of Fe NP (6.45±1.

Psychosexual Outcome Among Iranian Individuals With 5α-Reductase Deficiency Type 2 and Its Relationship With Parental Sexism.

Introduction: Few studies exist on the psychosexual outcome of homogeneous groups of individuals with 5α-reductase deficiency type 2 (5α-RD-2) and the relation between gender changes and parental hostile and benevolent sexism, which are two components of ambivalent sexism that assume a stereotypical approach toward women in an overtly negative way or a chivalrous, seemingly positive way.

Aim: To report on the psychosexual outcome of individuals with 5α-RD-2 and to investigate its relation to the level of parental sexism in a relatively large sample of Iranians with 5α-RD-2.

Methods: Twenty participants (mean age = 19.

The "Reading the Mind in the Eyes" Test: Investigation of Psychometric Properties and Test-Retest Reliability of the Persian Version.

The psychometric properties of the Persian "Reading the Mind in the Eyes" test were investigated, so were the predictions from the Empathizing-Systemizing theory of psychological sex differences. Adults aged 16-69 years old (N = 545, female = 51.7 %) completed the test online.

Validation of serum IGF-I as a biomarker to monitor the bioactivity of exogenous growth hormone agonists and antagonists in rabbits.

The development of new growth hormone (GH) agonists and growth hormone antagonists (GHAs) requires animal models for pre-clinical testing. Ideally, the effects of treatment are monitored using the same pharmacodynamic marker that is later used in clinical practice. However, intact rodents are of limited value for this purpose because serum IGF-I, the most sensitive pharmacodynamic marker for the action of GH in humans, shows no response to treatment with recombinant human GH and there is little evidence for the effects of GHAs, except when administered at very high doses or when overexpressed.

Efficacy of integrating stress coping skills training with detoxification on social adjustment of addicted women.

Background: Addiction as a biopsychosocial problem has been dramatically increased in our country. Adverse consequences of the addiction in women have been shown to be more than men, which in turn can affect family members' health and wellbeing. The current study examined the efficacy of stress coping skills training in addicted women referring to an outpatient centre of addiction prevention located in Welfare Organization of Gorgan, Iran.