Women in opioid maintenance treatment in Iran: Background characteristics and history of substance use and risk behaviors

Background: Most studies on addiction in Iran have focused on the men and less attention has been given to women. This study was conducted to survey the epidemiology of substance use in women under opioid maintenance treatment (OMT) in addiction treatment centers. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the year 2015. Demographic characteristic such as age, marital status, addiction initiation age, duration of use, history of high-risk behaviors, and lifetime history of suicide attempt, injection drug use, incarceration, and unsafe sex were recorded by psychologists through interviews with patients. Results: The mean age of patients was 44.31 ± 14.83 years. The most abused drugs among participants were opium and opium sap (shireh) with 1179 cases (92.70%), followed by heroin and crack with 75 cases (5.90%). Only 4.08% of the women under OMT had a history of injection drug use. Conclusion: It seems that the demographic characteristics and history of risky behaviors in women undergoing OMT in Iran are different from studies conducted in other countries.     

Modelling and evaluating the risk of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in selected areas of Kerman Province,south of Iran

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) remains a public health problem in the world, particularly in tropical and sub‐tropical countries. This study aimed to determine the hotspots of CL in Kerman Province of Iran and model their potential for the establishment of new disease foci. All documents related to studies conducted in Kerman Province on CL published between 1978 and 2017 were retrieved and categorized. Spatial distributions of the vector, reservoir and human infection of CL were mapped. MaxEnt ecological model was used to predict the environmental suitability of the vector and reservoir(s) of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL). The most hazardous sites with the potential for the establishment of new disease foci were determined for field operations. Statistics of new cases of CL was obtained from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) of the ministry of health for the period 2011–2016. A total of 6,056 cases of CL were recorded, while we found a decreasing pattern in the incidence of CL from 46.48 per 100,000 inhabitants to 22.97. The best ecological niches for Phlebotomus papatasi are located in the central, western, northwest and southwest regions of the province. Also, environmental suitability for the reservoirs was highest in the central, southern and southwestern regions. The model predicted the gerbils can be present in some foci of anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL). However, this result should be confirmed through a precise field study, and if validated, plans should be made to prevent the emergence of new foci of ZCL in the risk areas.     

Pre-training Catechin gavage prevents memory impairment induced by intracerebroventricular streptozotocin in rats

Objective:

To evaluate the effects of Catechin (CAT) on memory acquisition and retrieval in the animal model of sporadic alzheimer’s disease (sAD) induced by intracerebroventricular (icv) injection of streptozotocin (STZ) in passive avoidance memory test.

Methods:

Thirty adult rats were divided into 5 experimental groups (n=6). Animals were treated by icv saline/STZ (3 mg/kg) injection at day one and 3 after cannulation. The STZ+CAT group received 40 mg/kg CAT by daily gavages for 10 days, after icv STZ treatment and before training. The step-through latency (STL) and time spent in the dark compartment (TDC) were evaluated to examine the memory acquisition and retrieval. All tests were performed in Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran, from April to December 2013.

Results:

The STZ treatment significantly decreased STL and increased the number of entries to the dark compartment on the training day. It also increased TDC, on day one and 7 after training. Pre-training gavage of CAT reversed the STL significantly (p=0.027). The CAT treatment also decreased the TDC in both early and late retrieval, in respect to STZ group.

Conclusion:

This data suggests that CAT as an antioxidant could improve both memory acquisition and retrieval in the animal model of sAD.According to reports in 2012, there are more than 35 million people living with dementia worldwide.1 Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which is characterized by amyloid (Aβ) plaque accumulation, is the most common forms of dementia, and results in memory loss and cognitive impairment.2 The pathological features of AD include Aβ peptide misfolding that form neurotic plaques on the neurons and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles composed of hyperphosphorylated tau protein.3 There are many reports indicating elevated oxidative stress in the brain of patients with mild cognitive impairment or AD.4 Oxidative stress may be the first feature in the brain of AD patients,5,6 which appears even before Aβ deposition.7,8 Transgenic mice bearing a mutant amyloid precursor protein (APP) similarly showed oxidative stress before Aβ deposition.9 The Aβ plaque formation is suggested to be an effort by the cell to protect itself against oxidative stress.10 The Aβ metabolism increases reactive oxygen species (ROS) and decreases adenosine triphosphate production in mitochondria.11 The secretion, oligomerization, and aggregation of Aβ is the result of its ROS sequestering activity and leads to destruction of cellular integrity.12 Other consequences of cellular oxidative damage include cell cycle aberration and tau hyperphosphorylation, leading to the formation of neurofibrillary tangles.13Polyphenolic flavonoids are neuroprotective against oxidative stress14 and possess potent radical scavenging15 and anti-inflammatory activities.16 Catechin (CAT) protects cultured mesencephalic neurons against 6-hydroxydopamine treatment,17 and also prevents primary hippocampal neurons from Aβ toxicity.18 Epicatechin gallate and epigallocatechin gallate was found to increase the activity of oxygen radical species-metabolizing enzymes, superoxide dismutase and catalase, in mouse striatum.19 The CAT is also capable of inhibiting lipid peroxidation induced by iron ascorbate in brain mitochondrial membranes.20 Evidence suggests that damages caused by Aβ can be undermined by antioxidants such as vitamin E21 or polyphenols.22 There are reports that CAT is more effective than vitamin E and C for the destruction of free radicals.15 So these antioxidants could be the major candidates for the prevention and treatment of AD. In this study, we evaluated the effects of CAT as a potent antioxidant on memory acquisition in the animal model of sporadic AD (sAD) induced by intracerebroventricular (icv) injection of streptozotocin (STZ) in passive avoidance memory test.     

Ligation of human Fc receptor like‐2 by monoclonal antibodies down‐regulates B‐cell receptor‐mediated signalling

B‐cell antigen receptor (BCR) signalling and its regulation through negative and positive regulators are critical for balancing B‐cell response and function. Human Fc receptor like‐2 (FCRL2), a member of the newly identified FCRL family, could influence B‐cell signalling due to possession of both immunoreceptor tyrosine‐based activation and inhibitory motifs (ITAM and ITIM). Since the natural ligand of FCRL2 has not been identified, we generated FCRL2‐specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and employed them to investigate the influence of FCRL2 stimulation on BCR signalling in an FCRL2‐expressing B‐cell line. Two anti‐FCRL2 mAb‐producing hybridoma clones (5A7‐E7 and 3D8‐G8) were selected. None of the mAbs displayed any cross‐reactivity with the other members of the FCRL family including recombinant FCRL1, ‐3, ‐4 and ‐5, as tested by FACS and ELISA techniques. Engagement of the FCRL2 by these mAbs resulted in significant inhibition of BCR signalling mediators such as calcium mobilization and phosphorylation of the mitogen‐activated protein kinases Erk, p38 and Jnk. These findings indicate that the FCRL2 ITIM motifs are functional and the anti‐FCRL2 mAbs may mimic the natural ligand of FCRL2 by induction of inhibitory signals in B cells.     

Evaluation of the Cytotoxic Effect of Hydroxypyridinone Derivatives on HCT116 and SW480 Colon Cancer Cell Lines

Pharmaceutical Chemistry Journal - According to the literature, iron chelators have been used to inhibit tumor cell proliferation. Hydroxypyridinones, due to easy derivatization and high affinity...     

Nature Inspired Computing: An Overview and Some Future Directions

This paper presents an overview of significant advances made in the emerging field of nature-inspired computing (NIC) with a focus on the physics- and biology-based approaches and algorithms. A parallel development in the past two decades has been the emergence of the field of computational intelligence (CI) consisting primarily of the three fields of neural networks, evolutionary computing and fuzzy logic. It is observed that NIC and CI intersect. The authors advocate and foresee more cross-fertilisation of the two emerging fields.     

Protective effects of Ziziphora tenuior extract against chlorpyrifos induced liver and lung toxicity in rat: Mechanistic approaches in subchronic study

Chlorpyrifos (CPF) is one of the most widely used organophosphorus, which has spurred renewed interest. This study was conducted to investigate the protective effect of ziziphora tenuior extract against CPF‐induced liver and lung toxicity. This study conducted 8‐week rat sub‐chronic toxicity study and then the effect of ziziphora tenuior extract in 3 different doses (40, 80, 160 mg/kg) was determined. We administrated maximum tolerated dose of CPF (6.75 mg/kg) by gavage for 8 weeks (5 times in week) to male rats. Rats were sacrificed 24 h after last dose and the biochemical analysis, which confirms involvement of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of CPF toxicity in liver including increased in lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyl content, and ROS formation, glutathione depletion, decreased of antioxidant effect via frap oxidation and cytochrome c expulsion. In addition, pathological lesions confirm the dysfunction of the organs (liver and lung). In addition, using of ziziphora extract as an antioxidant is resulted in amelioration of oxidative stress marker in liver and lung damage. In conclusion, the current study revealed that CPF toxicity is related to oxidative stress and induction of cell death signaling and cotreatment with ziziphora extract is recommended in the routine therapy for the protection against CPF induced liver and lung tissue damage.     

Delayed response after repeated <Superscript>177</Superscript>Lu-PSMA-617 radioligand therapy in patients with metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer

Purpose

Radioligand therapy (RLT) using Lutetium-177 labeled PSMA-617 (Lu-PSMA) ligand is a new therapeutic option for salvage therapy in heavily pretreated patients with metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer. The aim of this retrospective study was to analyze response in patients receiving 3 cycles of Lu-PSMA.

Methods

Seventy-one patients (median age: 72 years; range 44–87) received 3 cycles of RLT with Lu-PSMA (mean administered activity: 6.016 ± 0.543 GBq) every 8 weeks. Response was evaluated using serum PSA levels and a PSA decline ≥50% was considered as biochemical response. Additionally, any PSA decline after the first cycle was evaluated for further therapy effects after the second and third cycle.

Results

A total of 213 cycles were performed in 71 patients. Data for response and adverse events were available for all patients. A PSA decline ≥50% and some PSA decline occurred in 56% and 66% of the patients. Of 30 patients with a PSA response after the first cycle, 28 remained responders and 12/41 of non-responders responded to further therapy cycles.

Conclusion

RLT with Lu-177-PSMA-617 shows respectable response rates. In this retrospective analysis, a relevant number of patients showed a delayed response, even if they did not respond to the first cycle of the therapy.