Incidence of pressure ulcers in intensive care units and direct costs of treatment: Evidence from Iran

Background and objective

Pressure ulcer (PU) is one of the important and frequent complications of hospitalization, associated with high treatment costs. The present study was conducted to determine the incidence of PU and its direct treatment costs for patients in intensive care unit (ICU) in Iran.

The major peanut allergen,Ara h 2, functions as a trypsin inhibitor,and roasting enhances this function

BACKGROUND: The widespread use of peanut products, the severity of the symptoms, and its persistence in afflicted individuals has made peanut allergy a major health concern in western countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada. In a previous study, the authors showed that the allergenic properties of peanut proteins are enhanced as a result of thermal processing. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether any specific functions are associated with the major peanut allergen, Ara h 2, and whether the functionality of this protein is influenced by processing. An assay was developed and used to assess structure/function changes in Ara h 2 induced by roasting and the effect of these alterations on the allergenic properties of this major peanut allergen. METHODS: A protein domain homology search was used to determine possible functions for Ara h 2. One of the putative functions (protease inhibition) was tested by means of appropriate enzyme assays and protein gel electrophoresis. Circular dichroism was used to compare the structural properties of Ara h 2 purified from raw and roasted peanuts. RESULTS: Ara h 2 purified from peanuts is homologous to and functions as a trypsin inhibitor. Roasting caused a 3.6-fold increase in trypsin inhibitory activity. Functional and structural comparison of the Ara h 2 purified from roasted peanuts to native and reduced Ara h 2 from raw peanuts revealed that the roasted Ara h 2 mimics the behavior of native Ara h 2 in a partially reduced form. CONCLUSIONS: The data indicate that thermal processing might play an important role in enhancing the allergenic properties of peanuts. Not only has it previously been shown to affect the structural and allergic properties of peanut proteins but also, for the first time, the functional characteristics of an allergen. These structural and functional alterations are likely to influence the allergenicity of peanuts.     

Is there relationship between serum uric acid levels and lower urinary tract symptoms,prostate volume,and PSA in men without cancer? A prospective population-based study

There are conflicting results about uric acid (UA) effect on the prostate. We investigated the relationship between UA and PSA, free PSA, prostate volume and international prostate symptoms score (IPSS) in benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). This study was conducted in BPH men without cancer who were referred for annual health workup (N = 910) from 2017 to 2020. The mean ages were 67.28 ± 9.2 years. UA was positively related to IPSS and PSA (r = 0.210, p = .023 and r = 0.156, p = .041 respectively) and also negatively related to free/total PSA ratio (r = −0.332, p = .01) but not related to prostate volume (r = 0.036, p = .696). After adjustment for age, BMI and prostate volume, there were significant relationships between hyperuricaemia and PSA, free/total PSA ratio, and IPSS (95% CI: 0.254–1.645, OR = 0.647, p = .039; 95% CI: 0.076–0.899, OR = 0.270, p = .033 and 95% CI: 1.011–3.386, OR = 1.851, p = .038 respectively). These results should be considered during the general assessment of the patients with BPH. The findings raise the possible hypothesis of relationship between serum UA with IPSS and PSA which should be investigated by future studies.     

Women’s Self-Care in the Reproductive Age: An Essential Agenda

Archives of Sexual Behavior -     

Role of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan signaling in regulating neuroinflammation following spinal cord injury

正Spinal cord injury(SCI)elicits a robust inflammatory response that is a hallmark of the secondary injury mechanisms.Neuroinflammation is orchestrated initially by the response of resident astrocytes and microglia to injury,which subsequently facilitates the recruitment of peripheral     

Human microvasculature-on-a chip: anti-neovasculogenic effect of nintedanib in vitro

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is characterized by a progressive scarring and stiffening of the peripheral lung tissue that decreases lung function. Over the course of the disease, the lung microvasculature undergoes extensive remodeling. There is increased angiogenesis around fibrotic foci and an absence of microvessels within the foci. To elucidate how the anti-fibrotic drug nintedanib acts on vascular remodeling, we used an in vitro model of perfusable microvessels made with primary endothelial cells and primary lung fibroblasts in a microfluidic chip. The microvasculature model allowed us to study the impact of nintedanib on permeability, vascularized area, and cell–cell interactions. The anti-vasculogenic impact of nintedanib was visible at the minimal concentrations of 10 nM, showing a significant increase in vessel permeability. Furthermore, nintedanib decreased microvessel density, diameter, and influenced fibroblast organization around endothelial microvessels. These results show that nintedanib acts on the endothelial network formation and endothelial–perivascular interactions. Advanced in vitro microvasculature models may thus serve to pinpoint the mechanistic effect of anti-fibrotic drugs on the microvascular remodeling in 3D and refine findings from animal studies.     

Nursing profession in Iran: An overview of opportunities and challenges

Aim:  Iran's health-care system has witnessed profound changes in the last decades. Despite its progress, the system has currently faced many challenges in one of the important subsystems, nursing. The present review article aimed to present an overview of the opportunities and challenges of the Iranian nursing system, based on recent literature.
Methods:  A broad search of the English and Persian-language literature was carried out, incorporating both electronic and manual components from 1999 to 2009. The results of the investigations among the searched literature are summarized.
Results:  The major challenges are nursing shortages, job dissatisfaction, poor social position of nurses, the gap between theory and practice, lack of community-based nursing care, lack of an appropriate student recruiting system, and shortages in the nursing educational curriculums.
Conclusion:  The authors believe that media, political and public support play a pivotal role in improving the image of nursing in society, increasing motivation among Iranian nurses, and promoting the sociocultural climate and the welfare of nurses, which will result in higher levels of quality of care as well as greater patient satisfaction.     

Histopathologic Findings of Pneumatocele in a Patient with Hyper-IgE syndrome, compatible with cystic adenomatoid malformation

Hyper-immunoglobulin E syndrome is a rare primary immunodeficiency disease characterized by recurrent abscess formation, respiratory tract infections and very high titers of serum IgE associated with peculiar face and skeletal features. We report a seven-year old girl presenting with persistent productive cough and history of chronic eczematoid facial lesions since infancy and two episodes of hospitalizations due to pneumonia and perianal abscess. Additionally, in physical examination finger tip clubbing, laxity of joints and crackles in both lungs were detected. Immunologic work up revealed markedly raised IgE level and eosinophilia. The patient was diagnosed as hyper IgE syndrome based on his clinical and laboratory findings. Chest X-ray revealed multiple large cystic lesions in left lung which were confirmed by spiral CT-scan. Pneumonectomy specimen examination showed cystic adenomatoid malformation, characterized by the presence of various cysts lined by epithelium in different sizes. There are few reports of cystic adenomatoid malformation in children. To our best known, this is the first report of cystic adenomatoid malformation in a child with hyper IgE syndrome. Early diagnosis and surgical therapy are helpful in prevention of repeated infections in these patients.     

Using big data to retrospectively validate the COMPASS-CAT risk assessment model: considerations on methodology

Journal of Thrombosis and Thrombolysis - External validation is a prerequisite in order for a prediction model to be introduced into clinical practice. Nonetheless, methodologically intact external...     

Using specific synthetic peptide (p176) derived AgB 8/1-kDa accompanied by modified patient’s sera: A novel hypothesis to follow-up of Cystic echinococcosis after surgery

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is caused by the larval stage of the tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus. Until now, CE does not have an effective follow-up after surgery. To date, CE follow-up is conducted based on either antibody or antigen detection assays by double antibody sandwich ELISA. Unlike antigen detection, antibodies to imply exposure to an Echinococcus infection while their titration could remain for a longer period (1–10 years) after surgery. Likewise, antibody respond may be related to the location of a mature hydatid cyst. Antigen detection shows presence of CE infection, it is extremely important and necessary in follow-up of CE after surgery. The circulating antigen (CAg) titration decrease faster than circulating antibody (during 1–3 weeks) after operation. Location of hydatid cyst in detecting antigen is affected less than antibody also. Regarding this subject, antigen detection has several limitations that lead to be used less in CE follow-up. Although, AgB 8/1-kDa subunit is considered as a principle and immunogenic CAg but sensitivity of CAg detection compared to with antibody has variable range, between 33% and 85% which owing to formation of circulating immune complexes (CICs) in result of antigen – antibody complex. The another problem is non using specific CAg (AgB 8/1-kDa subunit) for production of specific paratopes (rabbit hyper immune antiserum) against AgB 8/1-kDa which is used as capture (primary) antibody in double antibody sandwich ELISA assay. The designation of synthetic peptides from conserved regions of AgB 8/1-kDa can help to this problem. These regions (motifs) should be selected for allelic, dominant, immunogenic and conserved without any genetic variation. The first part of this hypothesis suggests which patient’s sera should be treated with acidic buffers such as boric acid, acetic acid, glycine/HCl, polyethylene glycol (PEG) or combination of each of them accompanied by boiling patient’s sera which causes breaking Ag-Ab complexes and in result of releasing AgB 8/1. These modifications are effective to releasing CAg from CIC. To date, the synthetic peptides have been widely used in CE serodiagnosis based on circulating antibody detection only. In second part of this hypothesis suggests the using synthetic peptide of p176 derived AgB 8/1-kDa subunit containing conserved specific epitopes for preparation of specific paratopes (rabbit hyper immune antiserum) based on CAg detection. So, there is no need any native antigens for preparation of non-specific rabbit hyper immune antiserum. These novel improvements can help to decrease the cross-reactivity with other parasitic diseases (specificity). Increasing antigen detection could make a chance in sensitivity of patient’s sera and in result of the best and suitable tool for CE follow-up.