Modeling the Trend Changes of Liver Cancer Mortality in the 6 WHO Regions

Background: There is little information about comparison of the mortality patterns in different regions. The current study aimed to assess the trend changes of liver cancer mortality in 6 WHO regions.Methods:The mortality rates of liver cancer in the 6 WHO regions during 1990 to 2017 were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease database. Growth mixture model was used to identify the latent patterns using a set of tools to handle both the within and between trajectory variations. All the modeling procedures were implemented in Mplus 7.4 software.Results:The mortality rate in Africa showed a slow decreasing trend throughout the observation period, but a slow increase was observed in the Eastern Mediterranean region, European region, region of the Americas, and South-East Asia region. The slope of the rise in liver cancer mortality rate for Western Pacific region was 3-4 times higher than the other regions. 2-pattern growth mixture model was estimated as the best model. The Western Pacific region with annual increase of 0.20 in the liver cancer mortality rate was in the first pattern and the other 5 regions including Africa region, Eastern Mediterranean region, European region, region of the Americas, and South-East Asia region with annual increase of 0.05 in liver cancer mortality rate belonged to the second pattern.Conclusion:Observed pattern in the Western Pacific region is not favorable. Taking into account a set of urgent prevention actions to control mortality rate of liver cancer in this region seems necessary.     

Expression analysis of mTOR-associated lncRNAs in multiple sclerosis

Metabolic Brain Disease - mTOR has been shown to be involved in the regulation of immune responses and differentiation of immune cells. This protein is a candidate molecule for unraveling the...     

A Multi‐Structural Model for Prediction of Effective Gas Permeability in Mixed‐Matrix Membranes

A new model for prediction of the effective permeability of gases in mixed matrix membranes (MMMs), considering the effects of particle shape and the interfacial layer, is presented. The proposed model treats core filler particles and interfacial shell layers as complex particles. Moreover, the Bruggman mathematical procedure is used to improve the accuracy of the presented model for high concentrations of fillers in MMMs. Also, an appropriate uniform criterion is established to make efficient use of the new model for various experimental data to avoid the need for curve‐fitting procedures. Finally, the proposed model is examined for several sets of experimental data.

     

Displacement of the Hip Center of Rotation After Arthroplasty of Crowe III and IV Dysplasia: A Radiological and Biomechanical Study

To study the direction and biomechanical consequences of hip center of rotation (HCOR) migration in Crowe type III and VI hips after total hip arthroplasty, post-operative radiographs and CT scans of several unilaterally affected hips were evaluated. Using a three-dimensional model of the human hip, the HCOR was moved in all directions, and joint reaction force (JRF) and abductor muscle force (AMF) were calculated for single-leg stance configuration. Comparing to the normal side, HCOR had displaced medially and inferiorly by an average of 23.4% and 20.8%, respectively, of the normal femoral head diameter. Significant decreases in JRF (13%) and AMF (46.13%) were observed in a presumptive case with that amount of displacement. Isolated inferior displacement had a small, increasing effect on these forces. In Crowe type III and IV hips, the HCOR migrates inferiorly and medially after THA, resulting in a decrease in JRF, AMF, and abductor muscle contraction force.     

The influence of ethnicity on the characteristics of multiple sclerosis: A local population study between Persians and Arabs

Background

Based on previous studies, Iran is located in a low risk area in terms of multiple sclerosis (MS). The objective of this study was to determine and compare the incidence, prevalence and demographic characteristics of MS in two ethnic groups of Persian and Arab over the period spanning 2009 in the Khuzestan province, in the Southwest of Iran.

Methods

A cross-sectional case register study was conducted between January and August 2009. All cases in the region whom were referred to the MS society in the city of Ahwaz were participants in the study. The population data from the Iranian Bureau of Statistics were used to calculate the population at risk based on the 1996 and 2006 census data.

Results

A total of 696 patients were identified according to the McDonald criteria during the last 12 years of which 569 patients were Persian. In 2009 the total prevalence and incidence rates of MS were 16.28 and 2.20 per 100,000 individuals. Based on these values, the female to male ratios were 3.11. The Persians manifested more sensory signs and symptoms (40.2%) but motor deficits (19.1%) and cerebellar findings (18.2%) were seen as being more manifest in Arab individuals. The main difference was observed in the progressive types of MS in which 24.7% of the Arab patients showed progressive type symptoms as compared to 15.9% of the cases in the Persian population.

Conclusion

According to this study the authors conclude that the prevalence and incidence of MS were higher in Persians; however progressive forms of MS with motor and cerebellar signs are more frequent in the Arab ethnic group.     

Electrodegradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid herbicide from aqueous solution using three-dimensional electrode reactor with G/β-PbO2 anode: Taguchi optimization and degradation mechanism determination

This study aimed to investigate the electro-degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) from aqueous solution using two and three-dimensional electrode (2D and 3D) reactors with graphite(G)/β-PbO₂ anode. To increase the degradation efficiency, affecting parameters on the electro-degradation process were investigated and optimized by adopting the Taguchi design of experiments approach. The structure, morphology and electrochemical properties of the electrodes were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), linear sweep voltammetry and cyclic voltammograms. The controllable factors, i.e., electrolysis time, 2,4-D initial concentration, solution pH and current density (j) were optimized. Under optimum conditions, the 2,4-D degradation efficiency was 75.6% using 2D and 93.5% using 3D electrode processes. The percentage contribution of each controllable factor was also determined. The pH of the solution was identified as the most influential factor, and its percentage contribution value was up to 39.9% and 40.4% for 2D and 3D electrode processes, respectively. Considering the parameters of the kinetics, it was found that the degradation of 2,4-D and removal of COD using the G/β-PbO₂ electrode obey the pseudo-first order kinetics. In addition, the mineralization pathway of 2,4-D at G/β-PbO₂ electrode was proposed. The results also demonstrated that the 3D electrode process with G/β-PbO₂ anode can be considered as a useful method for degradation and mineralization of 2,4-D herbicides from aqueous solution.

Optimization of process parameters using the Taguchi method, electrochemical degradation and electrochemical degradation mechanism of 2,4-D herbicide using 2D and 3D reactors with G/β-PbO₂ anode were investigated.     

Characterization of six novel mutations in CYBA: the gene causing autosomal recessive chronic granulomatous disease

One of the rarest forms of chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is caused by mutations in CYBA, which encodes the p22-phox subunit of the phagocyte NADPH oxidase, leading to defective intracellular killing. This study investigated eight patients (six males and two females) from seven consanguineous, unrelated families with clinical CGD, positive family history and p22-phox deficiency. Mutation analysis of CYBA showed six different novel mutations: deletion of exons 3, 4 and 5; a missense mutation in exon 6 (c.373G>A); a splice site mutation in intron 5 (c.369+1G>A); a frameshift in exon 6 (c.385delGAGC); a frameshift in exon 3 (c.174delG); and a frameshift in exon 4 (c.223delC).