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Transcranial direct current stimulation in treatment of tinnitus
No full textBackground and Aim: Approximately 20 of general population is struggling with tinnitus. Recent theories on tinnitus are mainly based on impairments in the central auditory system that can lead to tinnitus. Recent studies have shown that tinnitus is not simply a result of the involvement of one brain region or pathway; but it can be caused by simultaneous involvement of multiple brain regions. Due to lack of information about the tinnitus etiology, site, and pathophysiology, there is still no any specific and common method for its management. In recent years, neuromodulation techniques such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been proposed for management of tinnitus. In this study, we aimed to review the role of tDCS in tinnitus management. Recent Findings: Based on the inclusion criteria, 7 eligible articles were selected for review. Most of them showed the beneficial effects of tDCS on tinnitus management. Conclusion: The tDCS can be an effective technique for management of tinnitus. One of the main challenges for using tDCS in tinnitus patients is the differnce in stimulation parameters; therefore, more studies are recommended for obtaining its ideal parameters. © 2021, Tehran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved
Disaster Risk Assessment among Iranian Exceptional Schools
No full textBackground: Exceptional children, like other children, have the right to be educated in a safe environment. Disasters are considered as serious issues regarding safety and security of educational environments. Following disasters, vulnerable groups, especially children with handicaps and disabilities are more likely to be seriously injured. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the safety and disaster risk assessment of exceptional schools in Tehran, Iran. Method: The cross-sectional study was conducted in exceptional schools in Tehran, 2018. First, 55 exceptional schools in all grades were selected based on census sampling method and evaluated by using a checklist designed by Tehran Disaster Mitigation and Management Organization (TDMMO) and Ministry of Education in 2015. The data were analyzed using Excel software and statistical descriptive tests. Result: Based on the results, school facilities are worn and have unsafe elevators (least safety: 7.69), yards (least safety: 9.52), laboratories (least safety: 16.67), libraries (least safety: 24.24), fire extinguishing systems (least safety: 28.99), and storage rooms and kitchens (least safety: 33.33) which require immediate considerations. In total, the safety of exceptional schools in this study was 70.13, which suggests medium-risk level. Conclusion: The educational settings must be reconsidered, along with identifying the risk and safety at school. In addition, a standard should be established for evaluating safety, especially in exceptional schools. © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2021
Telework and telerehabilitation programs for workers with a stroke during the COVID-19 pandemic: A commentary
No full textBACKGROUND: Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, rehabilitation facilities have become less accessible for patients with a stroke. Lack of early, intensive rehabilitation misses the opportunity for recovery during the critical time window of endogenous plasticity and improvement post-stroke. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this commentary was to highlighting the benefits of telework and telerehabilitation programs for workers with a stroke during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Relevant publications regarding the management of individuals with a stroke, telerehabilitation and teleworking in the setting of COVID-19 were reviewed. RESULTS: Previous studies showed that telerehabilitation can effectively provide an alternate method of promoting recovery for patients with a stroke. With the physical distancing precautions in place for mitigating viral spread, teleworking can also provide a method for long term recovery and improvements in quality of life after a stroke. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, this commentary addresses the benefits of physically distant, safe and effective alternatives to support individuals who live with a stroke during COVID-19 pandemic. © 2021 - IOS Press. All rights reserved
Randomized Study of the Effects of Zinc, Vitamin A, and Magnesium Co-supplementation on Thyroid Function, Oxidative Stress, and hs-CRP in Patients with Hypothyroidism
No full textHypothyroidism can occur due to deficiencies in micronutrients such as zinc, magnesium, and vitamin A. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of supplementation with these micronutrients on thyroid function, oxidative stress, and hs-CRP levels in patients with hypothyroidism. In a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with two parallel groups, 86 hypothyroid patients aged 20�65 were allocated to receive daily supplementation with either: (intervention group, n = 43) one 30 mg zinc gluconate capsule per day, one 250 mg magnesium oxide tablet per day, and one 25,000 IU vitamin A capsule twice/week for 10 weeks or (placebo group, n = 43) placebo capsules and tablets as above for 10 weeks. Neither of the groups changed their diet or physical activity. Thyroid hormones (free and total thyroxine (FT4 and TT4), free tri-iodothyronine (FT3), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)), oxidative markers (malondialdehyde (MDA) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC)), serum hs-CRP, and anthropometric indices (height and weight) were assessed at the baseline and at the end of the study. In the intervention group, we found a significant increase in serum FT4, decreased anthropometric indices, and lower levels of serum hs-CRP by the end of the 10 week protocol (P < 0.05). In the placebo group, serum TAC was decreased and hs-CRP increased (P < 0.05), with no significant changes in serum TSH, FT3, TT4, and MDA after the intervention. Zinc, vitamin A, and magnesium supplementation may have beneficial effects in patients with hypothyroidism and in diseases associated with hyperthyroidism. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC part of Springer Nature
Characterization, possible sources and health risk assessment of PM2.5-bound Heavy Metals in the most industrial city of Iran
No full textAir pollution associated with particulate matters results in different types of disease including allergy, lung destruction, heart failure, and related problems. This study has been designed and performed to examine the concentration of PM2.5-bound heavy metals, risk assessment, possible sources and effect of meteorological parameters on 17 sites of the air of the most industrial city of Iran (Karaj) in 2018-19. For this purpose, four samples were taken from every point of Karaj air over one year using a pump (Leland Legacy (SKC)) with flow rate of 3 L/min on PTFE filter for 24 h. Overall, 68 samples of PM2.5-bound heavy metals were collected. Note that during the sampling, atmospheric parameters including temperature, pressure, humidity, and wind speed were regularly recorded using PHB318 portable device. In examining the chemical composition of these particles, the concentration of metals (Al-Zn- Ar-Cd-Cr-Cu-Fe-Hg-Mn-Ni-Pb) was determined after digestion of the collected samples and through injection into ICP-OEC device. The results indicated that the mean annual concentration of PM2.5 particles range from 21.84 to 72.75 µg/m3. The mean concentration of heavy metals lied within the range of 25.63 to 336.27 ng/m3. Among heavy metals, the maximum concentration belonged to aluminum (277.95 ng/m3) and iron (336.27 ng/m3), which are known as elements with a ground source (sources such as car fuels, exhaust gases, decorative materials, batteries, indoor smoking, the paint used for painting walls, erosion and corrosion of rubber of cars). Meanwhile, there was a positive relationship between heavy metals and temperature(r: 0.418, p < 0.019), pressure (r: 0.184, p < 0.0.402), as well as wind speed (r: 0.38, p < 0.017), while an inverse relationship was observed with relative humidity (r: -0.219, p < 0.018). The ecological risk of the metals calculated was very notable, with the maximum environmental risk being related to cadmium in children (6.61) and manganese in adults (0.82). The largest HQ in children and adults was associated with Cr. Finally, ILCR values for cadmium in both children (1.19 E-04) and adult (4.81 E-04) groups indicated high risk of developing cancer in humans. © 2021, Springer Nature Switzerland AG
Insight into molecular characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein following D614G point mutation, a molecular dynamics study
Get PDFUndoubtedly, the SARS-CoV-2 has become a major concern for all societies due to its catastrophic effects on public health. In addition, mutations and changes in the structure of the virus make it difficult to design effective treatment. Moreover, the amino acid sequence of a protein is a major factor in the formation of the second and tertiary structure in a protein. Amino acid replacement can have noticeable effects on the folding of a protein, especially if an asymmetric change (substitution of polar residue with non-polar, charged with an uncharged, positive charge with a negative charge, or large residue with small residue) occurs. D614G as a spike mutant of SARS-CoV-2 previously identified as an associated risk factor with a high mortality rate of this virus. Using structural bioinformatics, our group determined that D614G mutation could cause extensive changes in SARS-CoV-2 behavior including the secondary structure, receptor binding pattern, 3D conformation, and stability of it. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma. © 2021 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group
A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis on the extraction of pesticide by various solid phase-based separation methods: a case study of malathion
No full textMalathion is one of the most well-known pesticides which is widely used for controlling insects and pests. Slow degradation and extensive and/or inappropriate use of malathion have resulted in the contamination of the environment inflicting hazardous damages to the ecosystems and human health. This systematic study along with meta-analysis is aimed at reviewing a vast number of reports on the application of the above-mentioned methods used for the extraction and detection of malathion in a wide variety of samples. Initially, the relevant articles over the last decade (2011-2020) were selected for the meta-analysis and subsequently systematically reviewed. The major key points of each article were extracted by a predefined data template. In addition, the statistical analyses were performed by the R software. Following a thorough screening, 812 articles were found to be suitable. Of which, 68 were finally selected which met the required quantitative criteria for the meta-analysis. Meta-analysis was conducted by the random-effects model with a high heterogeneity (I2 = 99.99). The pooled results on the selected articles revealed that the solid phase-based methods in combination with gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) have gained lots of interest among the researchers. Within the mentioned articles, the respective recoveries, LODs and LOQs were reported to fall in the range of 95.43-139, 0.000026-100 µg/l, 0.000078-300 µg/l and 97.20-136, 0.00001-1.3 µg/g, 0.00005-4.2 µg/g for the aqueous and solid matrices. The results also revealed that the maximum recovery was affiliated to the SPE method (139) for the aqueous matrices, while the corresponding value for the solid matrices was 134. According to the pooled data, the mean recoveries varied in the ranges of 92.11-102.50 and 92.21-102.91 in the aqueous and solid matrices, respectively. The maximum recovery of malathion was assigned to the extraction by SPE (101.46, 95 CI= 94.66-108.27). © 2021 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group
Bioengineered tissue models for the development of dynamic immuno-associated tumor models and high-throughput immunotherapy cytotoxicity assays
No full textCancer immunotherapy is rapidly developing, with numerous therapies approved over the past decade and more therapies expected to gain approval in the future. However, immunotherapy of solid tumors has been less successful because immunosuppressive barriers limit immune cell trafficking and function against cancer cells. Interactions between suppressive immune cells, cytokines, and inhibitory factors are central to cancer immunotherapy approaches. In this review, we discuss recent advances in utilizing microfluidic platforms for understanding cancer-suppressive immune system interactions. Dendritic cell (DC)-mediated tumor models, infiltrated lymphocyte-mediated tumor models e.g., natural killer (NK) cells, T cells, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells, and macrophages, monocyte-mediated tumor models, and immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) tumor models are among the various bioengineered immune cell�cancer cell interactions that we reviewed herein. © 2020 This review is focused on introducing the role of bioengineering in-vitro models and particularly microfluidic tissue platforms in elucidating the underlying mechanisms of immune �tumor cells interactions in favor of more efficient immunotherapy interventions. © 202
Correlation between Base Transceiver Station and the Quality of Sleep and Life of Nearby Residents
No full textIntroduction: Electromagnetic waves that are of higher energy than visible light transmit information between mobile phones and antennas BTS (Base Transceivers Station). The increasing use of mobile phones due to the proliferation of antennas is a matter of concern. The present study aimed to investigate the correlation between distance from the BTS antennas and the quality of sleep and life of nearby residents. Material and Methods: For the assessment of the quality of sleep, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality standard questionnaire (PSQI) was used. On the other hand, the 12-item Short -Form Health Survey (SF-12) was used to assess the quality of life. This questionnaire contains two parameters: Mental Health Composite Scores (MCS) and Physical Health Composite Scores (PCS). Results: The analysis of the data obtained from 810 people indicated that the most sleep disturbance and the minimum average MCS score (p<0.05) were detected in the residents who were living within 50�100 meters from the antenna. Moreover, it was found that the average PCS score was lower among those residing within 100�200 meters from the antenna, as compared to other residents. Conclusion: The present study demonstrates that exposure to electromagnetic waves can affect sleep quality, as well as the mental and physical life qualities of the residents depending on the distance from BTS. Antennas implant must be set in patterns that have the lowest intensity in terms of beam convergences for all residents. © 2020. All Rights Reserved
Designed synthesis of perylene diimide-based supramolecular heterojunction with g-C3N4@MIL-125(Ti): insight into photocatalytic performance and mechanism
No full textA new supramolecular semiconductor perylene diimide (PDI)-functionalized g-C3N4@MIL-125(Ti) (is nominated as PC@MIL-125(Ti)) was prepared through in situ growth of MIL-125(Ti) on PDI-functionalized g-C3N4 (PC) sheets. This heterojunction was used for photodegradation of methyl orange (MO) pollutants under visible light illumination. This process was sensitive to the pH of solution, dosage of PC and the presence of the various scavengers. The 30PC@MIL-125(Ti) as optimum photocatalyst indicated synergistic effects on photodegradation of MO, where the maximum photocatalytic efficiency was obtained 100 under 90 min irradiation that was higher than pure PC and MIL-125(Ti). Herein, the PDI component acts as a powerful light harvester and improves absorption of visible light where PC@MIL-125(Ti) has a lower bandgap than g-C3N4@MIL-125(Ti). Moreover, proper contact between PDI and g-C3N4 sheets constructs the highway for easy and fast electron transfer that verified by photoluminescence analysis. The sum of these factors resulted in the superior photocatalytic ability of this heterojunction, where the TOC analysis confirmed 91 mineralization for MO. Besides, according to the results of LC-MASS analysis, the azo cleavage and dealkylation were main photodegradation pathways. By considering superior photocatalytic performance of this heterojunction, this work can be a guideline for the development of PDI-based supramolecular organic�inorganic photocatalyst. © 2021, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature