Topical Moltkia coerulea hydroethanolic extract accelerates the repairof excision wound in a rat model

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of a hydroethanolic extract of Moltkia coerulea ointment (MCO) on the healing of excision wound in a rat model. Methods: Circular surgical full thickness excision wound, with 314 mm2 size, was induced in the anterior-dorsal side of each rat. Three different doses of MCO (1%, 3% and 6%) were administrated. On Day 3, 7, 14 and 21, the tissue was sampled and immune cells, fibroblasts and fibrocytes distribution per one mm2 of wound area, collagen density and re-epithelialization were analyzed. Moreover, the total flavnoid, phenols and anti-oxidant potential of the MCO were evaluated. Ultimately, the percentage of wound contraction in different groups was compared with each other. Results: Hydroethanolic extract of MCO significantly (p<0.05) increased wound contraction percentage. The animals in medium and high dose MCO-treated groups exhibited remarkably (p<0.05) higher fibroblast and fibrocyte distribution and significantly (p<0.05) lower immune cells infiltration. On Day 7 after injury, MCO up-regulated neovascularization in a dose-dependent way. Conclusion: Our data showed that MCO shortened the inflammation phase by provoking the fibroblast proliferation. Moreover, MCO promoted the healing process by up-regulating the angiogenesis and provoking the structural cells proliferation as well as increasing the collagen synthesis, cross-linking, and deposition.     

Cerebral state index versus Glasgow coma scale as a predictor for in-hospital mortality in brain-injured patients

Objective：To compare the value of Glasgow coma scale （GCS） and cerebral state index （CSI）on predicting hospital discharge status of acute braininjured patients.Methods：In 60 brain-injured patients who did not receive sedatives,GCS and CSI were measured daily during the first 10 days of hospitalization.The outcome of prognostic cut-off points was calculated by GCS and CSI using receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve regarding the time of admission and third day of hospitalization.Sensitivity,specificity and other predictive values for both indices were calculated.Results：Of the 60 assessed patients,14 patients had mild,13 patients had moderate and 33 patients had severe injuries.During the course of the study,17 patients （28.3％） deteriorated in their situation and died.The mean GCS and CSI in patients who deceased during hospitalization was significantly lower than those who were discharged from the hospital.GCS＜4.5 and CSI＜64.5 at the time of admission was associated with higher mortality risk in traumatic brain injury patients and GCS was more sensitive than CSI to predict in-hospital death in these patients.For the first day of hospitalization,the area under ROC curve was 0.947 for GCS and 0.732 for CSI.Conclusion：GCS score at ICU admission is a good predictor of in-hospital mortality.GCS＜4.5 and CSI＜64.5 at the time of admission is associated with higher mortality risk in traumatic brain injury patients and GCS is more sensitive than CSI in predicting death in these patients.     

Temperament Determination for Melatonin: A Bridge from Iranian Traditional to Modern Sleep Medicine

History acknowledged Ibn Sina, or Avicenna, the author of the highly skilled textbook of medicine “Al-Qanun Fi Al-Tibb” or “The Canon of Medicine", as one of the greatest physicians in medicine. According to this medical textbook, the explanation of the existence of a cold temperament for sleep was that during sleep hours, people tended to have a movement of the nature of the body toward the inside, which caused the body to become cold during sleep. Temperament determination for molecules, including drugs, has proved several applications. The present study tried to demonstrate that the multitasking melatonin molecule, as a sleep related hormone, had a cold temperament. The consideration of this temperament for melatonin had the potential to connect and integrate Iranian traditional medicine to current medicine, and also opened new frontiers for the physiopathology of modern sleep medicine, based on traditional medicine.     

Electronic,optical and thermoelectric properties of Fe2ZrP compound determined via first-principles calculations

In this study, based on the density functional theory and semi-classical Boltzmann transport theory, we investigated the structural, thermoelectric, optical and phononic properties of the Fe₂ZrP compound. The results of the electronic band structure analysis indicate that Fe₂ZrP is an indirect band gap semiconductor in the spin-down state with the band gap of 0.48 eV. Thermoelectric properties in the temperature range of 300–800 K were calculated. Fe₂ZrP exhibits the high Seebeck coefficient of 512 μV K⁻¹ at room temperature along with the huge power factor of 19.21 × 10¹¹ W m⁻¹ K⁻² s⁻¹ at 800 K, suggesting Fe₂ZrP as a potential thermoelectric material. The Seebeck coefficient decreased with an increase in temperature, and the highest value was obtained for p-type doped Fe₂ZrP when the optimum carrier concentration was 0.22 × 10²³ cm⁻³; the n-type doped Fe₂ZrP had high electrical conductivity than the p-type doped Fe₂ZrP. Thermal conductivity increased with an increase in chemical potential. Optical calculations illustrated that there was a threshold in the imaginary dielectric function for the spin-down channel. Spin-dependent optical calculations showed that the intraband contributions affected only the spin-up optical spectra due to the free-electron effects. Generally, the results confirmed that the intraband contribution had the main role in the optical spectra in the low energy infra-red and visible ranges of light. We also presented the phononic properties and found that these materials were dynamically stable.

In this study, based on the density functional theory and semi-classical Boltzmann transport theory, we investigated the structural, thermoelectric, optical and phononic properties of the Fe₂ZrP compound.     

New 99mTc(CO)3‐radiolabeled arylpiperazine pharmacophore as potent 5HT1A serotonin receptor radiotracer: Docking studies,chemical synthesis,radiolabeling, and biological evaluation

In spite of previous efforts, there is lack of a radiotracer for imaging the 5HT_1A receptor density in human brain, which is involved in several neurological brain disorders. The aim of this study was to prepare a new derivative of 1‐(2‐methoxyphenyl)piperazine (MPP) as a main chemical structure of 5HT_1A receptor antagonist with 3‐carbon linker and radiolabeled by [^99mTc][Tc(CO)₃(H₂O)₃]⁺ precursor. Docking studies before chemical synthesis showed similar fashion of interaction for both WAY100635 (potent 5HT_1A receptor antagonist) and new designed ligand, despite of addition of ^99mTc(CO)₃ group in the structure of new ligand. MPP‐(CH₂)₃‐N₃ was synthesized via three efficient and reliable chemical synthesis steps (more than 80% yield) then radiolabeled by addition of 2‐ethynylpyridine and [^99mTc][Tc(CO)₃(H₂O)₃]⁺ precursor in one pot procedure (more than 95% radiochemical efficiency) through click chemistry method. After incubation, radiotracer was found stable in vitro up to 2 hours. Binding assays showed about 33% specific binding of radiotracer to the 5HT_1A receptors. Brain biodistribution studies indicated (0.26 ± 0.05)% ID/g hippocampus uptake at 30 minutes post injection, which its specificity was verified through blocking studies. These results suggested that new designed radioligand might serve as a potent SPECT imaging agent to estimate status of 5HT_1A receptors.     

First National Report on Aminotransaminases’ Percentiles in Children of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA): the CASPIAN-III Study

Background

By the current global obesogenic environment, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is becoming an important health problem in the pediatric age group.

Objectives

This study aimed to determine the first age-and gender-specific percentiles and upper limit normal limit (ULN) of alanine aminotransaminase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransaminase (AST) among a nationally-representative sample of children and adolescents in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The second objective was to determine the linear association of obesity indexes and age with serum ALT and AST levels.

Patients and Methods

This nationwide study was conducted among a representative sample of 4078 students aged 10-18 years, who were selected by multistage random cluster sampling from 27 provinces of Iran. ALT and AST were measured on fresh sera. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated as an index of generalized obesity, and waist- to- height ratio (WHtR) as an index of abdominal obesity. The age- and gender-specific percentiles of ALT and AST were constructed, and the 95th percentile of each enzyme was considered as the ULN. Gender-specific linear regression analysis was employed to examine the association of BMI or WHtR with the levels of ALT and AST.

Results

Data of ALT and AST were available for 4078 (2038 girls) and 4150 (2061 girls),respectively. Participants had a mean (SD) age of 14.71 (2.41).The ULN of ALT for boys, girls,and the total individuals were 36.00; 38.00; and, 37.00 U/L, respectively. In both genders, ALT and AST had linear association with age. The association with BMI was significant for ALT in both genders and for AST only in boys, the association of ALT with WHtR was significant in both genders; the corresponding figures were not significant for AST.

Conclusions

The findings of the current study confirmed the current ULN value of 40 U/L commonly used for the pediatric age group. The linear association of indexes for generalized and abdominal obesity with ALT underscores the importance of timely prevention and control of childhood obesity.