Biomedicine (Journal)
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Application of artificial neural network in predicting EI
No full textIntroduction: Emotional intelligence (EI) constitutes a whole set of non-cognitive capabilities, competencies, and skills that affect one’s ability to deal successfully with environmental demands and pressures. Different factors such as gender, age, education, place of residence, etc. can influence this variable. Nevertheless, the influence of a multitude of factors involved in behavioral phenomena cannot often be controlled.
Purpose: Therefore, some difficulty may often raise in finding associations between these variables using regression models as regression models are built on restrictive assumptions.
Methods: In these cases, models such as artificial neural networks are excellent alternatives to regression models. In this study, the neural network model was used in SPSS software to predict the pattern held among the variables of age, gender, occupation, marital status, and education for predicting the EI of 901 individuals aged from 17 to 73 years.
Results: The appropriate neural network model for EI prediction is a hyperbolic tangent transfer function with two neaurons in the hidden layer and a sigmoid transfer function in the output layer. This network was able to predict EI in most of its dimentions with significant correlations and could demonstrate the neural network’s advantage over regression models in predicting EI using sociological variables.
Conclusion: This model is able to estimate the EI level in different occupational, educational, gender, and age groups, and provide the ground for planning to address potential deficiencies in each group
Evaluation of Sodium Valproate Low Dose Efficacy in Radicular Pain Management and It’s Relation with Pharmacokinetics Parameters
No full textBackground: Radiculopathy due to lumbar or cervical disc disease is the most common chronic neuropathic pain in adults. The aim of present study was evaluation of low dose of sodium valproate on radicular pain and determining VPA pharmacokinetics.
Materials and Methods: In this double blind randomized placebo control clinical study, 80 patients with established lumbar or cervical radicular pain, have been randomly allocated into two study groups: 40 have received sodium valproate 200 mg/day and Celecoxib 100 mg/day and acetaminophen 500 mg PRN as rescue medication, and second group has received placebo, Celecoxib and acetaminophen. Quantitative assessment of pain was done by visual analogue scale (VAS) prior to perform the intervention and after ten days (treatment duration). Blood sample has been taken for determining mean through concentration after five half-lives. Evaluation of plasma concentration of VPA and that of efficacy on pain score relationship by comparing VAS before and after the therapy was done.
Results: Group A and B have demonstrated significant alleviation in mean VAS score; -21.97±25.41, -14.39±23.03 respectively (P\u3c 0.001). The mean plasma concentration of VPA in group A was: 26.9±13.5 mg/L. Moreover, no significant correlation was seen between pain score with age, gender, and weight (p\u3e0.05).
Conclusion: Low dose of sodium valproate especially together with NSAIDs demonstrated good efficacy in lumbar and cervical radicular pain management
Three-dimensional Reconstruction of Renal Vascular Tumor Anatomy to Facilitate Accurate Preoperative Planning of Partial Nephrectomy
No full textObjectives: To evaluate the role of three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction tumors and vessels of the kidneys in aiding the preoperative planning of partial nephrectomy.
Materials and Methods: Patients with renal tumors to be treated with partial nephrectomy were included. Each patient underwent a preoperative computed tomography (CT) survey, and the reconstruction of each patient’s 3D arteriography and 3D surface-rendered tumor was performed based on the CT images for preoperative surgical planning.
Results: A total of 6 patients, three with tumors of the right kidney and three with tumors of the left kidney, were enrolled in the study. The patients’ mean age was 49.33 ± 4.03 years (range: 45–57 years), and their mean tumor size was 4.4 ± 1.84 cm (range: 2.2–6.8 cm). Four underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomies, one underwent a traditional laparoscopic partial nephrectomy, and one underwent a radical nephrectomy through laparotomy. Their average postoperative hospital stay was 6.7 days (range: 3–10 days). No intraoperative or postoperative complications were noted. The renal function was preserved in all the patients, and none of the patients exhibited evidence of local recurrence during more than 6 years of follow-up.
Conclusions: 3D arteriography fused with 3D surface-rendered tumor image navigation facilitates precise preoperative planning
Cyclohexylamine, an active compound from Toddalia asiatica, contracts epididymal vas deferens via serotonergic receptors
No full textBackground: Toddalia asiatica of Rutaceae, a Taiwan folk medicine, is used as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory herb. Cyclohexylamine (CHA) is an active compound from T. asiatica. Previous reports indicate CHA contracts rat vas deferens. However, the contractile mechanism of CHA on rat vas deferens was not yet reported. The purpose of this study was to investigate the contractile mechanism of CHA on rat epididymal portion of vas deferens.
Methods: Male S.D. rats weighting between 200 g to 250 g were used. The epididymal portion of vas deferens was isolated and was added with various concentrations of serotonin, serotonin antagonists and CHA.
Results: Serotonin elicited dose-dependent (1x10-7M~1x10-4M) contractions on rat epididymal vas deferens, which were inhibited by pretreatment with ketanserin (1 x 10-8 M ~ 1 x 10-6 M), methysergide (1 x 10-5 M) and propranolol (1 x 10-4 M), respectively. CHA elicited dose-dependent (1x10-8M~1x10-4M) contractions on rat epididymal vas deferens. The contractions of CHA (1x10-4M) on epididymal vas deferens were enhanced by serotonin in a dose-dependent manner. Methysergide (1 x 10-7 ~1 x 10-5 M) did not affect the contractions evoked by CHA. However, the CHA elicited contraction was almost completely inhibited by ketanserin (1 x 10-5 M) and was enhanced by propranolol. The effect of propranolol at the concentration of 1 x 10-4 M on CHA was likely as CHA at high concentration alone.
Conclusions: From the above results, the contraction evoked by CHA on the isolated rat epididymal vas deferens might be mediated by serotonergic receptors, primary through 5-HT2A subtype
A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis: EvaluatiA Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis: Evaluation of the β-Human Papillomavirus in Immunosuppressed Individuals with Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma with Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma
No full textBackground: Some types of beta-human papillomavirus (β-HPV) may be one of the probable causes of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in transplant recipients. β-HPVs are linked to SCC in the literature with small number of subjects. Aim: Herein, the first meta-analysis was carried out on the association between β-HPVs and cutaneous SCC in immunosuppressed patients. Methods: A systematic search was carried out in the PubMed and Scopus databases up to December 2018. The odds ratio (OR) were calculated by RevMan 5.3 software and the event rate (ER) by Comprehensive Meta-Analysis 2.0 software with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: A total of 1250 records were identified through the two databases, but at last eleven studies were included in the meta-analysis that they were published from 1989 to 2018. The results showed a significantly high prevalence of β-HPVs in cutaneous SCC patients (ER = 69.1%; 95%CI: 58.7%, 77.8%). In addition, the prevalence of overall β-HPVs and β-HPVs of 5, 8, 9, 17, 49, 75, and 76 in immunosuppressed cutaneous SCC patients was significantly higher compared with controls. Conclusions: The findings of the present meta-analysis support the hypothesis that β-HPV may play a role in cutaneous SCC development in immunosuppressed individuals
Astragalus fascicolifolius manna abortifacient risk and effects on sex hormones in BALB/c mice
No full textBackground: Astragalus fascicolifolius manna is used to treat different diseases. Because pregnant women tend to use Astragalus. fascicolifolius and Iranian traditional medicine emphasizes the abortifacient potential of this plant, this study aimed to investigate Astragalus fascicolifolius manna abortifacient property and effects on estrogen, progesterone, LH and FSH levels in BALB/c mice.
Method: This experimental study was conducted with 70 female BALB/c mice assigned to seven groups: Nonpregnant, untreated; nonpregnant, Astragalus. fascicolifolius extract (400 mg/kg)-treated; pregnant, Astragalus. fascicolifolius extract (400, 800 and 1200 mg/kg)-treated; and two pregnant control groups. On 18 and 19 days of pregnancy, cesarean section performed on mice, resorbed embryos counted; then Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), Luteinizing hormone (LH), estrogen and progesterone levels were measured by the ELISA.
Results: Astragalus. fascicolifolius extract caused a significant increase abortion in mice. The levels of progesterone, FSH and LH were significantly different among the groups such that mean progesterone level was lower and mean LH and FSH levels were higher in the Astragalus. fascicolifolius extract-treated groups than the pregnant, untreated group.
Conclusion: This extract has abortifacient properties and this plant can be used cautiously in pregnancy. Decreasing progesterone, increasing FSH and LH feedback in response to decreased progesterone by this extract is one of the potential mechanisms involved in abortion
Silver Sulfadiazine’s Effect on Keratin-19 Expression as Stem Cell Marker in Burn Wound Healing
No full textBackground: Burn wounds are one of the causes of cutaneous injury that involve both epidermal and dermal layers of skin. Silver sulfadiazine (SSD) has been widely used to treat burn wounds, however recent studies have found the treatment to have some drawbacks, such as cellular toxicity effects. Cutaneous wound regeneration is known to start from the basal layer of the epidermal epithelial cells, which are enriched with highly proliferative cells. Keratin-19 (K19) is one of the epidermal stem cell biomarkers found in the skin. This study aims to explore the expression of K19 in burn wound tissue and to investigate the effect of SSD on its expression. Methods: We created a burn wound model in Sprague Dawley rats and randomly divided them into control and SSD groups. Wound closure was evaluated (visitrak) overtime series followed by histological evaluation of K19 expression in the wound tissue (immunohistochemistry staining). Results: Our model successfully represents fullthickness damage caused by a burn wound. The SSD group showed a faster reduction of wound surface area (wound closure) compared to the control group with the peak at day 18 post wounding (pConclusion: Topical application of SSD on burn wounds showed superiority in wound closure and is likely to have no harmful effect on epidermal stem cells. However, further study is required to investigate the effect of silver species on cell viability and toxicity effects during long term treatment
A Unique Intraluminal growth of Juvenile Nasopharyngeal Angiofibroma: A Case Report
No full textJuvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA) is a rare, hypervascular, benign tumor which is mainly seen among male adolescents. The tumor typically originates from the sphenopalatine fossa, but could spread through natural foramens and fissures. There are some reports of atypical growth of this tumor in literature but the intraluminal growth, which could be seen in paraganglioma and glomus tumors, has not reported yet in angiofibroma. In this article we present a case of extensive angiofoibroma with intraluminal involvement of the ophthalmic vein. Our patient was a 19-year-old boy with a complaint of nasal obstruction and occasional epistaxis since a year ago, without any visual or neurologic complaints. Based on endoscopic examination and imaging, a nasopharyngeal angiofibroma was diagnosed. The patient underwent an endoscopic resection of the tumor after embolization via the nasal cavity. The intraoperative findings revealed the tumor extension to the orbit, intracranial space and cavernous sinus via inferior orbital fissure. The intracranial extension of the tumor was extradural and was successfully excised without Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage. An interesting finding in this patient, was an intraluminal extension of the tumor in to the ophthalmic vein, which was completely excised endoscopically. The definitive treatment of angiofibroma is surgical excision. Different surgical approaches are used but nowadays endoscopic resection with or without pre-operative embolization is the first choice of treatment. The intraluminal growth of the tumor was also excised as a pedunculated mass separately