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Barriers to Leaving a Relationship From the Perspective of Married Abused Iranian Women: Secondary Analysis of the Interviews With Abused Women
No full textViolence has a heavy impact on the physical and mental health of women in developed and developing countries; however, most of the violence victims would suffer in silence and never leave their relationship. The aim of the present study was to identify the barriers to leaving a relationship from the perspective of married abused Iranian women. The present study was a secondary analysis of the interviews conducted in a primary study. The primary study that was conducted using the grounded theory approach has assessed the coping process with domestic violence in 24 married abused Iranian women. These women were selected from local parks, health centers, and universities of Tehran city using a purposive sampling method. Qualitative secondary analysis of the interviews was conducted, in accordance with the goal of this study, using content analysis. Four categories emerged through the analysis of the data including “fear,” “lack of resources,” “beliefs and attitudes,” and “dependence” and the common theme between these categories was “deterrents to leaving an abusive relationship.” Results indicated that contextual factors such as fear, lack of resources, attitudes and beliefs, and dependence were the reason for not leaving a relationship. Interventions for enriching women’s resources (improving the condition of education and employment, and improvement of the formal and informal support systems), education about domestic violence and its management methods, and modification of the existing attitudes and beliefs in this regard could keep abused women from experiencing more violence
Efficiency of Zeolite Coated with Zero-Valent Iron Nanoparticles for Removal of Humic Acid from Aqueous Solutions
No full textThe most important effect of natural organic materials in water is reacting with disinfectants and creating disinfectant by-products that are mostly carcinogenic. The aim of this study was to determine the optimum conditions for removal of humic acid (HA) by zeolite coated with nZVI nanoparticles (Zeolite/nZVI) from aqueous solutions. In this study, after synthesis of zeolite/nZVI, its structure and morphology were examined using FTIR, BET, XRF, and FESEM techniques. The effects of HA concentration, composite content, pH, and reaction time were evaluated. The experimental data were analyzed by Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm and pseudo-first-order and second-order kinetic models. Finally, the thermodynamic parameters of enthalpy (ΔΗ°), entropy (ΔS°), and Gibbs free energy (ΔG°) were calculated. The results of the analyses confirmed the accuracy of the composite structure. Its specific surface area by using BET method was 203.43 m2/g. The HA removal efficiency was obtained at 92.98% in optimum conditions of 50 mg/L concentration, 2 g/L composite dose, pH = 3, and reaction time of 60 min. The results of the isotherm and kinetic study showed that the HA adsorption process follows the Langmuir isotherm (R2 = 0.9707) and pseudo-second-order kinetic. The maximum adsorption capacity of the composite was determined at 23.36 mg/g by Langmuir model. Thermodynamic parameters indicate that the adsorption of HA endothermic and the reaction cannot be done spontaneously. Zeolite/nZVI composite had good removal efficiency after five times of recycling. The present study showed that zeolite/nZVI can be used as an effective adsorbent for removal of HA from aqueous solutions
High porous electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone)/gelatin/MgO scaffolds preseeded with endometrial stem cells promote tissue regeneration in full-thickness skin wounds: An in vivo study
No full textIn the current study, electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone)-gelatin (PCL-Gel) fibrous scaffolds containing magnesium oxide (MgO) particles and preseeded with human endometrial stem cells (hEnSCs) were developed to use as wound care material in skin tissue engineering applications. Electrospun fibers were fabricated using PCL-Gel (1:1 [wt/wt]) with different concentrations of MgO particles (1, 2, and 4 wt%). The fibrous scaffolds were evaluated regarding their microstructure, mechanical properties, surface wettability, and in vitro and in vivo performances. The full-thickness excisional wound model was used to evaluate the in vivo wound healing ability of the fabricated scaffolds. Our findings confirmed that the wounds covered with PCL-Gel fibrous scaffolds containing 2 wt% MgO and preseeded with hEnSCs have nearly 79% wound closure ability while sterile gauze showed 11% of wound size reduction. Our results can be employed for biomaterials aimed at the healing of full-thickness skin wounds
Silencing adenosine A2a receptor enhances dendritic cell-based cancer immunotherapy
No full textOverexpression of adenosine in the tumor region leads to suppression of various immune cells, particularly T cells through ligation with adenosine 2a receptor (A2aR). In this study, we intended to increase the efficacy of tumor lysate-loaded DC vaccine by silencing the expression of A2aR on T cells through the application of A2aR-specific siRNA-loaded PEG-chitosan-lactate (PCL) nanoparticles (NPs) in the 4T1 breast tumor-bearing mice. Combination therapy by DC vaccine and siRNA-loaded NPs markedly induced tumor regression and increased survival time of mice. These ameliorative effects were partly via downregulation of immunosuppressive cells, increased function of cytotoxic T lymphocytes, and induction of immune-stimulatory cytokines. Moreover, combination therapy could markedly suppress angiogenesis and metastasis processes. These results imply the efficacy of novel combination therapy for the treatment of breast cancer by using A2aR siRNA-loaded NPs and DC vaccine which can be translated into the initial phase of clinical trials in the near future
Organochlorine pesticides contamination in agricultural soils of southern Iran
No full textThere is limited information about pesticide contamination in Iran's agricultural land, particularly in plains producing exportable fruits. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the concentration of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) including hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), heptachlor, dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT), chlordane (CHL), and their isomers compounds in agricultural soils of southern Iran. A total of 28 topsoil samples were collected from agricultural lands of Dalaki and Shabankare areas, Bushehr, Iran. In Dalaki area, the mean value of ΣHCH (α, β, γ, δ), ΣDDT (o,p-DDE, o,p-DDD, o,p-DDT, p,p-DDE, p,p-DDD, p,p-DDT, and DDT), and ΣCHL (Trans-chlordane, Cis-chlordane, Heptachlor-exo-epoxide, and Heptachlor) was found to be 0.411 ng/g (dry weight, dw), 4.37 ng/g dw, and 2.04 ng/g dw, respectively. In Shabankare area the mean value of ΣHCH, ΣDDT, and ΣCHL was measured to be 1.38 ng/g dw, 11.99 ng/g dw, and 1.62 ng/g dw, respectively. The concentration trend of pesticides in both areas was as follows: DDT > CHL > HCH. Source identification indicated recent usage of HCH and DDT in the studied areas. Obtaining a cis-chlordane/trans-chlordane ratio greater than one in Shabankare farmlands showed that chlordane was not used recently. The health risk assessment showed that children and adults groups in both areas are exposed to negligible cancer risk. More serious attempts are necessary to reduce usage of OCPs during the agricultural process and the protection of soil and human health in the studied areas
Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical isolates in Bushehr province, Iran
No full textThe growing spread of carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (CPK) poses a worldwide threat due to the swift spread of mobile genetic elements containing carbapenemase genes, limited options for treatment, and high mortality rates. The aim of this study was to detect and characterize CPK using phenotypic and genotypic methods. A total of 151 K. pneumoniae clinical isolates were collected from hospitals in Bushehr province. The modified carbapenem inactivation method (mCIM), EDTA-modified carbapenem inactivation method (eCIM), and OXA-48 disk test were used for phenotypic confirmation of carbapenemase production. The resistance genes, including blaKPC, blaNDM, blaOXA-48, blaIMP, blaVIM, and blaGES, were detected by PCR, followed by sequencing. Antimicrobial susceptibilities revealed colistin as the most effective of all tested antimicrobial agents. Totally 12 (7.94%) CPK were identified. PCR results indicated that blaNDM-1 and blaOXA-48 genes accounted for 11(91.6%) and 4 (33.3%) of carbapenemase-producing isolates, respectively. It is notable that the coexistence of blaNDM and blaOXA-48 genes was seen in 3 (25%) isolates. Given coexistence situations, our results highlighted that the priority of eCIM was the recognition of metallo-β-lactamases, and OXA-48 disk test revealed high specificity to recognize blaOXA-48 gene. Therefore, there is no single phenotypic test considered to be suitable for all situations, and indeed to distinguish diverse types of carbapenemase, the genotypic method is by far the best and most precise. Our findings underscore the emergence of K. pneumoniae coharboring blaNDM-1 and blaOXA-48 and emphasize the need for thorough observation and precautions
Fertility and infertility implications in rheumatoid arthritis; state of the art
No full textBackground: A bulk of investigations imply that women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) deliver fewer children in comparison to healthy women. Purpose: This review article attempts to clarify the involvement of infertility-related issues in both RA men and women. Moreover, the effect of RA disease on the fertility quality and quantity will be discussed. Results: Declined fertility rate in RA women seems to stem from modified inflammatory settings, advanced maternal age, limited sexual activity, and adverse effects of drugs on ovarian function. Women with RA may have smaller families and seem to be slower to conceive relative to their peer women. The chance of gestation in RA women may drop due to suppressed sexual function through pain and fatigue. In addition, treatment of RA women with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may prevent ovulation and therefore hinder the conception. Conclusions: A complex interaction between RA disease and fertility related issues is present. Despite an increase rate of infertility in RA females or males, the mechanisms involved in this outcome is still unknown. Plausible causes of the decreased fertility rate in RA patients might be due to inflammatory cytokines, suppressed sexual activity, drug treatments, mother age, personal choice, or a combination of these elements
Expression analysis of gamma globin gene switching associated micro RNAs, flowing BCL11A gene inhibition
No full textBackground/aim: MicroRNAs are small, single-stranded RNA molecules that are targeting between 10% and 30% of the human genome, also a gene that binds to several miRNAs. By connecting them to targets gene, the silencing occurs after the translation. Materials and methods: The aim of this study was to investigate changes in the expression of miRNAs before and after inhibiting the gamma-beta gene switch by siRNA against the BCL11A gene. MiR- 15a, miR- 16, miR-486-3p, miR- 23a and miR-27a, important miRs in switching gamma to beta gene, were investigated. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated by Ficoll-Paque. They were cultured in the IMDM medium containing supplementary materials for differentiation to erythroid series for a period of 28 days and stored in a 37-degree incubator containing 5% CO2. Every 2–3 days, identification of the cells was done. On the 21st day, cells were introduced by insertion of siRNA against BCL11A. Results: The expression of miR- 15a in the cultured cells gradually increased from the first day to the eighteenth day and decreased on 21 day. Expression pattern of miR- 16 was increased on the 8th day and decreased on the 22th day. MiR-23a decreased on day 8, increased on day 21, and remained unchanged on days 18 and 22. miR-27a increased the expression on day 8, decreased on day 21, and remained unchanged on days 18 and 22. Expression of miR-486-3p increased on the 8th, 18th and 21th days; also, on the 22thday, there was a decrease in expression of miR-486-3p. Conclusion: Our data showed that changes in the expression of miRNAs were significant. The results of this study suggest that inhibition of the gamma gene switch to beta, keeps hemoglobin F high, therefore, this could lead to improved symptoms in patients with hemoglobinopathy
Density functional theory studies on the antioxidant mechanism and electronic properties of some bioactive marine meroterpenoids: Sargahydroquionic acid and sargachromanol
Get PDFCertain meroterpenoids isolated from brown alga of the genus Sargassum are known to be antioxidant agents. Herein, density functional theory has been performed to analyze the preferred antioxidant mechanism of the two reactive antioxidant compounds derived from the Sargassum genus, that is, Sargahydroquinoic acid and Sargachromanol and some of their derivatives. Their global reactivity descriptors have been calculated to reveal their reactivity as an antioxidant. Molecule 1 is the most reactive antioxidant according to calculated descriptors. The results of molecule 1 are comparable to that of Trolox, suggesting their similar activity. The calculated descriptors are closely matched with experimental pieces of evidence. It has been found that hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) is more favored in gas media. Also, the effect of solvent polarity on the antioxidant activity has been explored for molecule 1. The results disclose that the polarity of the solvent increases the contribution of two other mechanisms, that is, single-electron transfer, followed by proton transfer and sequential proton loss electron transfer
Factors associated with mortality in COVID-19 patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis
No full textBackground Understanding the factors associated with disease severity and mortality in Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is imperative to effectively triage patients. We performed a systematic review to determine the demographic, clinical, laboratory and radiological factors associated with severity and mortality in COVID-19. Methods We searched PubMed, Embase and WHO database for English language articles from inception until May 8, 2020. We included Observational studies with direct comparison of clinical characteristics between a) patients who died and those who survived or b) patients with severe disease and those without severe disease. Data extraction and quality assessment were performed by two authors independently. Results Among 15680 articles from the literature search, 109 articles were included in the analysis. The risk of mortality was higher in patients with increasing age, male gender (RR 1.45, 95% CI 1.23–1.71), dyspnea (RR 2.55, 95%CI 1.88–2.46), diabetes (RR 1.59, 95%CI 1.41–1.78), hypertension (RR 1.90, 95%CI 1.69–2.15). Congestive heart failure (OR 4.76, 95%CI 1.34–16.97), hilar lymphadenopathy (OR 8.34, 95%CI 2.57–27.08), bilateral lung involvement (OR 4.86, 95%CI 3.19–7.39) and reticular pattern (OR 5.54, 95%CI 1.24–24.67) were associated with severe disease. Clinically relevant cut-offs for leukocytosis(>10.0 x109/L), lymphopenia(100mg/L), LDH(>250U/L) and D-dimer(>1mg/L) had higher odds of severe disease and greater risk of mortality. Conclusion Knowledge of the factors associated of disease severity and mortality identified in our study may assist in clinical decision-making and critical-care resource allocation for patients with COVID-19