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Anxiolytic Effect of Jasmine Aromatherapy in Pediatric Dental Procedures: A Single-Blinded Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial
No full textObjectives: The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the possible anxiolytic effect of jasmine aromatherapy in pediatric dental procedures. Materials and Methods: A parallel randomized single-blinded placebo-controlled clinical trial was designed and conducted from February 19 until April 19, 2020, on children aged 7 to 12 years-old requiring class 1 restorative treatment of primary or permanent tooth with infiltration anesthesia. Interventions were defined as 15 minutes of aromatherapy using 2mL of jasmine extract for the intervention group, and with water for the control group. Outcomes were defined as child’s anxiety and pain perception, measured by modified child dental anxiety scale (MCDAS), visual analogue scale (VAS) and changes of vital signs. After the patients received interventions based on their groups, their data was collected and analyzed. We used parametric tests and linear regression for outcome comparisons. Results: 56 patients were randomized and allocated in two groups, 28 to each. The groups did not differ significantly regarding age, sex, heart rate and O2 saturation before, during, and after procedures. Based on multivariable regression, the intervention group showed a significantly reduced MCDAS (B (95% CI) =-2.11 (-4.09,-0.13), P=0.04) and VAS (B (95% CI) =-2.30 (-3.50,-1.10), P<0.001) scores. Conclusion: Jasmine aromatherapy showed to be effective in reducing children’s anxiety and pain perception during dental procedures and therefore, can be suggested as a cheap and practical complementary method in dental practice
COVID-19 Pandemic and the challenges of pre-hospital emergency services in Iran: a systematic review
No full textINTRODUCTION: Emergency medical service (EMS) systems faced numerous challenges and issues as the frontline in dealing with the global Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This systematic review aimed to prepare a guideline for managing future pandemics by exploring the challenges emergency medical technicians face in providing pre-hospital care during the COVID-19 pandemic. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. PubMed, Web of Science (WOS), Scopus, ProQuest, Embase, Science Direct, and Google Scholar were the primary databases used to search for literature. The keywords used in this review were COVID-19, “Prehospital Emergency”, and Iran, and their equivalents, obtained from MeSH, expert opinion, or related articles. From the 787 records identified through database searching in the early stage, after investigating, analysing the characteristics, and content analysis, 11 articles were included in the final stage of this review study to answer the study questions. RESULTS: Based on the searches, 11 articles were finally evaluated. Challenges extracted from the analysis of studies were classified into 5 main themes, 12 subthemes, and 50 codes. The main themes include Ambiguity in operational protocols, Resource Shortage, Cultural challenges, Burnout, and Physical and Mental health challenges. CONCLUSIONS: The outbreak of COVID-19 has presented challenges for pre-hospital emergency services (PHES) in Iran, necessitating adaptive strategies and coordinated efforts by authorities to prepare EMS for similar crises in the futur
Novel acetylcholinesterase inhibitors: Synthesis, docking and inhibitory activity evaluation of 4-benzamido-N-(1-benzylpiperidin-4-yl) benzamide derivatives
No full textThe cholinergic hypothesis is one of the basic approaches for designing and discovering novel anti-Alzheimer drugs. Application of the pharmacophore of well-known drugs like donepezil helps us achieve new molecules. In the current project, a new series of benzamide derivatives (6a–6l) were designed and synthesized. Spectroscopic techniques (NMR, IR, MS) were utilized for characterization. Subsequently, Ellman's protocol was carried out for acetylcholinesterase assay and the obtained results were compared to donepezil (IC50 = 0.6 ± 0.05 µM). Compound 6b which bears a chlorine atom at position meta of the phenyl ring was the most potent derivative in this series (IC50 = 0.14 ± 0.03 nM) and exhibited higher activity than donepezil. In addition, molecular docking was performed to explore the binding mode and related interactions. The in silico results demonstrated that compound 6b binds to the active site of the AChE through a hydrogen bond with Trp279. This compound could be suggested as a potential lead compound and more experimental and in vivo tests are needed to prove its eligibility as a drug candidate
An Update on the Anti-diabetic Functions of Genistein: A Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) Isoflavone
No full textType 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a developing worldwide issue. Traditionally, different plants have been used throughout history to lower blood glucose and improve the impact of diabetes. Also, today, many natural products have been introduced to lower blood glucose in T2DM patients. The beneficial effects of genistein, the most essential and abundant isoflavone of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.), on blood glucose and other metabolic indicators, as well as diabetesrelated complications, have been widely investigated. In the current narrative review, through a thorough search from "2013-2020” in “PubMed", "Scopus", “ResearchGate”, “Google Scholar”, and "Web of Science" databases, we have retrieved, reviewed, and summarized all clinical trials, as well as in vitro and in vivo studies on the anti-diabetic potential of genistein
Determinants and consequences of food insecurity in families having children under the age of 2 years
No full textBackground: Today, food insecurity is recognized as an important public health problem that can have detrimental effects on families. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the determinants and consequences of food insecurity in families having children under the age of 2 years. Method: In this cross-sectional study, 307 mothers and their children under the age of 2 years were selected by stratified random sampling. Demographic and socioeconomic data were collected by completing questionnaires through face-to-face interview. Household food insecurity (HFI) status was determined using the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) household food security questionnaire. Results: Based on the results, 67.4% of families were high food secure. Low and very low food security was 25.7% and 6.9%, respectively. House size (Beta = −0.019, 95% CI: −0.029, −0.009), father's job (Beta = −4.758, 95% CI:−6.777, −2.738), father education (Beta = −0.370, 95% CI: −0.717, −0.023), and economic status (Beta = −0.628, 95% CI: −0.809, −0.448) were significantly related to the USDA total food insecurity score (p < 0.05). Regression analysis showed that children birth weight, father’s body mass index (BMI), and mother's waist circumference had a significant positive correlation with weight for age (Z-score) of children. Children’s birth weight, father’s BMI, and HFI status had significant and positive correlation with weight for length (Z-score). Moreover, the significant association between children’s birth height, mother’s BMI, and mother's waist circumference with length for age (Z-score) were observed (p < 0.05). Conclusion: We found the father's job was the most effective factor in food insecurity and economic status of the family was in the second place. Also, HFI had a relationship with weight status of children under the age of 2 years
An Evaluation of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patient’s Quality of life Following Continuous Positive Airway Pressure and Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty
No full textAims: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is characterized by episodic sleep state–dependent upper airway collapse. OSA can markedly decrease quality of life (QoL) and productivity. Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) has been used as an effective treatment for OSA. Recently, uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) treatment has emerged as effective management among patients with OSA, especially non-adherent ones to conventional therapies such as CPAP. Our aim was to determine whether CPAP and UPPP treatment could improve the quality of life in patients with moderate OSA. Design: Prospective. Setting: Patients with moderate OSA, confirmed by polysomnography from March 2019 to March 2020, participated. CPAP and UPPP treatments were considered for patients according to their preferences. The Sleep Apnea Quality of Life Index (SAQLI) questionnaire before and after treatment was completed. Methods: Change in their QoL was compared between the CPAP group and UPPP treatment. In addition, QoL was compared between these groups and patients who did not receive any of these treatment methods. Results: Seventy-eight patients were included in treatment groups, 40 using CPAP and 38 undergoing UPPP treatment. Furthermore, 10 patients who did not receive treatment were considered the control. Both methods of treatment significantly (p < 0.001) improved QoL, but UPPP treatment was superior (p = 0.042) to CPAP. There was a poor correlation between post-treatment BMI (0.037), Respiratory Disturbance Index (RDI) (0.096), age (0.022), and post-treatment SAQLI score. Conclusion: Based on these results, CPAP and UPPP treatment can improve QoL. UPPP treatment could be considered an effective arm of OSA management among the study population
Optimization and Comparative Analysis of micro-perforated panel sound absorbers: A study on structures and performance enhancement
No full textIn this study, three MPP (micro-perforated panels) absorber configurations (simple, series, parallel) were investigated via the response surface method (RSM) to broaden the absorption bandwidth. The study focused on the average normal sound absorption coefficient (SAC) in the range of 125–3000 Hz via an impedance tube. The impedance tube results were finally compared with the Finite Element Method (FEM) and Equivalent Circuit Method (ECM) simulations. Samples Fabrication involves 3D printing, with optimized configurations exhibiting expanded absorption bandwidths. The average absorption coefficient was 1.5 times higher in series MPPs and 1.2 times higher in single and parallel MPPs compared to the non-optimal state. In the optimal state, the series and parallel structures outperform the single design, and among the studied factors the hole diameter significantly influenced sound absorption more than others. The alignment of coefficients from various methods with RSM predictions was noteworthy. The results obtained from the FEM and ECM methods align perfectly, This study underscores RSM's effectiveness, demonstrating optimization benefits and coherence between numerical, theoretical, and experimental models in evaluating MPP absorbers
Improvement of biomedical properties of PEO-treated titanium with flurbiprofen and exosome conjugation
No full textExosome (EXO)-based drug delivery systems have attained a desirable position among scientific researchers and in biomedical applications. In this study, an exosomal coating comprising the anti-inflammatory drug flurbiprofen (FLB) was applied on a commercially pure titanium (cp-Ti) substrate that had undergone surface treatment using plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) process. The samples were characterized through field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and water contact angle (WCA) measurement. The results indicated that FLB was loaded onto the EXO and the formation of FLB.EXO was confirmed by FTIR, XRD, AFM and FESEM. Furthermore, FLB.EXO system was treated on PEO-treated substrates and FLB.EXO@PEO system demonstrated a considerable degree of roughness (Ra= 51.16 nm) and exceptional WCA (37.2 ± 0.7 ̊) in comparison to the other samples. The cellular inquiries were assessed through examination of the morphology of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSc) and the MTT assay. The cytotoxicity assessment showed that the FLB.EXO@PEO improved BMMSCs attachment without toxicity. The antibacterial efficacy was determined by means of bacterial adhesion testing against both gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacterial strains. FLB.EXO@PEO sample also revealed an excellent antibacterial rate of ∼ 86 % against S. aureus and ∼ 55 % against E. coli. Additionally, in vitro drug release evaluations indicated that sustained drug release was occurred and FLB released from FLB.EXO@PEO during 191 h that was lower than release time in FLB.EXO (120 h). Moreover, the prolonged release was confirmed by constant release rate in both of systems of FLB.EXO and FLB.EXO@PEO after 191 h and 167 h, respectively. The release kinetic of FLB.EXO and FLB.EXO@PEO followed the zero order and first-order model, respectively. Overall, the results indicate that the designed sustained release system have a high potential for development of advanced biomedical implants
Understanding the interactions between anticancer active molecules Cp2TiCl2 and Cp2VCl2 and E@Al12 (E = C, Si) clusters using density functional theory calculations
No full textThis work investigated the interaction between E@Al12 (E = C, Si) clusters and titanocene dichloride (TDC) and vanadocene dichloride (VDC) anticancer drugs using BP86. Corrected interaction energy values of the complexes were computed. Interaction effect on the frontier orbital energy values of the pure nano-cluster and drugs were illustrated. Also, electrophilicity-based charge transfer (ECT) was indicated charge flow from anticancer drug to nano-cluster. Cl⋅⋅⋅Al weak non-covalent interactions in the studied systems were explored with Independent gradient model analysis based on Hirshfeld partition of molecular density (IGMH) and Non-covalent interaction (NCI). QTAIM analysis was considered to exploring of bond critical point of Al…Cl
Exosomal miRNA‐21‐5p and miRNA‐21‐3p as key biomarkers of myocardial infarction
No full textObjective: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a debilitating condition that can lead to myocardial infarction (MI). Exosomal miRNAs (exo-miRNA) can be diagnostic biomarkers for detecting MI. Here, we conduct a study to evaluate the efficacy of exo-miRNA-21-5p/3p for early detection of MI. Methods: A total of 135 CAD patients and 150 healthy subjects participated in this study. Additionally, we randomly divided 26 male Wistar rats (12 weeks old) into two groups: control and induced MI. Angiographic images were used to identify patients and healthy individuals of all genders. In the following, serum exosomes were obtained, and exo-miRNA-21-5p/3p was measured by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Results: We observed an upregulation of exo-miRNA-21-5p/3p in CAD patient and MI-induced animal groups compared to controls. Analysis of the ROC curves defined 82% and 88% of the participants' exo-miRNA-21-5p and exo-miRNA-21-3p diagnostic power, respectively, which in the animal model was 92 and 82. Conclusion: This study revealed that the mean expression levels of exo-miRNA-21-5p/3p were significantly increased in CAD patients and animal models of induced MI. Also, these results are associated with the atherogenic lipid profile of CAD patients, which may play an important role in the progression of the disease. Therefore, they can be considered as novel biomarker