Effect of ethanolic extract of Safflower on naloxone-induced morphine withdrawal signs in mice

Background and aims: Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) from Asteraceae family has different biological activities including analgesic, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic and neuroprotective effects. This study designed to evaluate its effect on naloxone -induced morphine withdrawal signs. Methods: In this experimental study, male NMRI mice (25-30 g) were randomly divided into 5 groups of 8: control groups received morphine and normal saline (10 ml/kg) and other groups received fluoxetine (20mg/kg) and different doses of ethanolic extract of Safflower (100, 200 and 400mg/kg). Morphine dependency was induced by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of increasing doses (50-75 mg/kg) of morphine. Withdrawal signs were elicited by naloxone (5 mg/kg, i.p.) and number of jumpings and also presence of climbing, writing, wet dog shakes, teeth chattering, diarrhea, grooming and rearing during a 30 min period. The data were expressed with one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey test and Mann-Whitney U test for comparison of checked signs data and they were analyzed with SPSS 19 software. Results: The ethanolic extract at all doses (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg, i.p., P<0.001) and fluoxetine (20 mg/kg, i.p., P<0.01) significantly inhibited the number of jumps. Additionally, all doses of extract reduced the grooming and writing (P<0.05). Only 200 and 400 mg/kg of extract reduced the other checked signs including climbing, rearing and teeth chattering. All doses of extract couldn’t reduce wet dog shake and diarrhea significantly (P>0.05). Fluoxetine significantly inhibited the other signs except wet dog shakes and diarrhea. Conclusion: These findings indicated that Safflower extract has therapeutic potential in management of opiate withdrawal signs and this is comparable to the effect of fluoxetine. However, further studies need for clarify their exact mechanism of action

Comparison anti-giardia activity of Satureja hortensis alcoholic extract and metronidazole in vitro

Background and aims: Giardiasis is known as intestinal infection and created by the flagellate protozoan Giardia lamblia. Some studies showed that phenolic components, present in plant extracts and essential oils, have anti-Giardia activity. The current study was performed to compare anti-Giardia activity of Satureja hortensis (SH) alcoholic extract and metronidazole in vitro. Methods: In this Laboratory-experimental study, it was separated cysts from the feces by Bingham procedure with minor modification. The numbers of cysts were calculated with Hemusytumetr and the purified cysts of Giardia lamblia (500 µl) were exposed with 500 µl of extract at concentrations of 10, 100 and 200 mg/ml and 125 mg/kg of metronidazole for 30, 60 and 120 min. The numbers of dead and live cysts was enumerated with a microscope. Results: Findings in the currnt studyshowed an increase in anti-Giardia activity of extract at high concentrations with increasing time. SH, at 100 mg/ml killed 53 in 30 min, 68 in 60 min and 78 in 120 min. Also, the extract killed by 62 in 30 min, about 88 in 60 minutes and 92 in 120 minutes. The drug had similar effects in 60 and 120 minutes, but it killed 83 in 30 minutes. Conclusion: SH alcoholic extract showed anti-Giardia activity at high rates and more time. Thus, SH extract at 200 mg may be suitable alternative for Metronidazole, without side effects. However, anti-Giardia activity of SH needs to more attentions, especially clinical investigations

Epidemiological characteristics of human brucellosis in Shahin Dezh, Western Azarbaijan, Iran, 2008-2012

Background: Brucellosis is still one of the most challenging issues for health and the economy in many developing countries such as Iran. Objectives: This study investigated the epidemiological features of brucellosis in Shahin Dezh, Western Azarbaijan province, North West of Iran. Patients and Methods: This study had across-sectional design and data was collected from private and public sectors over a five-year period (2008-2012). All cases were studied between years 2008 and 2012 in Shahin Dezh. Results: In total, 492 cases of brucellosis were reported. The prevalence of brucellosis decreased from 152 cases/100000 inhabitants in 2008 to 97 cases/100000 inhabitants at the beginning of 2012. About 52.3 of subjects were male, and most cases of brucellosis were aged 25-30 years. Eighty-one percent of subjects lived in rural areas. There was a statistically significant difference regarding contact with livestock between rural and urban areas (91.7 vs. 68.8) (P value <0.001). Raw milk was the most commonly consumed dairy product; consumed by 37 of cases. Finally, during winter and spring a high prevalence rate of brucellosis was reported. Conclusions: Comprehensive health-related interventions need to empower communities at risk, especially young men and young and adult women in the Shahin Dezh County. Health education is needed to raise awareness of people in the studied area. © 2015, Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center

The study of establishment of rainbow trout culture and hatchery farms on Zayanderood’s River region in Caharmahal and Bakhtiyari Province

The aim of this study was to find the best location for establishment of rainbow trout culture and hatcheries farms on Zayanderood’s river region in Charmahal and Bakhtiyari province. This survey carried out over ten station along Zayanderood’s river. The result of physical and chemical analysis showd that the annual average of air temperature varied from 9.5oC - 10oC where the pH annual average value were between 7.5 and 8.8. the dissolve oxygen concentration in stations except in rainbow trout farm effluent were above 10 mg/l. the other chemical , pollutant as well as pesticides levels were under the limiting concentration for rainbow trout culture and Hatcheries activity. The plankton survey showed that the Bacillurophyta were the dominant group of phytoplankton where protozoa constituted the most abundant group of zooplankton the Benthic organisms sensitive to pollutant in particular Epirus were dominant group in all stations. In regard to fishes presence in river, five species of Ciprinidae, one species from Balitoridae and one species from salmonidae families were identified. The capacity for development of rainbow trout culture for tow phase period in Zayanderood’s river region with respect to self purification potential (self purification potential were determined from the oxidation of the effluent of the only active trout farm of the river region), minimum of 10 L/s water requirement for production of trout in concrete canal and pond system and 1 L/S water need for production in semi circular closed system were estimated to be 5202 metric tons

The rank reversal problem in multi-criteria decision making : a literature review

Despite the importance of multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) techniques for constructing effective decision models, there are many criticisms due to the occurrence of a problem called rank reversal. Nevertheless, there is a lack of a systematic literature review on this important subject which involves different methods. This study reviews the pertinent literature on rank reversal, based on 130 related articles published from 1980 to 2015 in international journals, which were gathered and analyzed according to the following perspectives: multicriteria technique, year and journal in which the papers were published, co-authorship network, rank reversal types, and research goal. Thus our survey provides recommendations for future research, besides useful information and knowledge regarding rank reversal in the MCDM field

Mapping development and health effects of cooking with solid fuels in low-income and middle-income countries, 2000–18: a geospatial modelling study

Background: More than 3 billion people do not have access to clean energy and primarily use solid fuels to cook. Use of solid fuels generates household air pollution, which was associated with more than 2 million deaths in 2019. Although local patterns in cooking vary systematically, subnational trends in use of solid fuels have yet to be comprehensively analysed. We estimated the prevalence of solid-fuel use with high spatial resolution to explore subnational inequalities, assess local progress, and assess the effects on health in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) without universal access to clean fuels. Methods: We did a geospatial modelling study to map the prevalence of solid-fuel use for cooking at a 5 km × 5 km resolution in 98 LMICs based on 2·1 million household observations of the primary cooking fuel used from 663 population-based household surveys over the years 2000 to 2018. We use observed temporal patterns to forecast household air pollution in 2030 and to assess the probability of attaining the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target indicator for clean cooking. We aligned our estimates of household air pollution to geospatial estimates of ambient air pollution to establish the risk transition occurring in LMICs. Finally, we quantified the effect of residual primary solid-fuel use for cooking on child health by doing a counterfactual risk assessment to estimate the proportion of deaths from lower respiratory tract infections in children younger than 5 years that could be associated with household air pollution. Findings: Although primary reliance on solid-fuel use for cooking has declined globally, it remains widespread. 593 million people live in districts where the prevalence of solid-fuel use for cooking exceeds 95%. 66% of people in LMICs live in districts that are not on track to meet the SDG target for universal access to clean energy by 2030. Household air pollution continues to be a major contributor to particulate exposure in LMICs, and rising ambient air pollution is undermining potential gains from reductions in the prevalence of solid-fuel use for cooking in many countries. We estimated that, in 2018, 205 000 (95% uncertainty interval 147 000–257 000) children younger than 5 years died from lower respiratory tract infections that could be attributed to household air pollution. Interpretation: Efforts to accelerate the adoption of clean cooking fuels need to be substantially increased and recalibrated to account for subnational inequalities, because there are substantial opportunities to improve air quality and avert child mortality associated with household air pollution. Funding: Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation

Anemia prevalence in women of reproductive age in low- and middle-income countries between 2000 and 2018

Anemia is a globally widespread condition in women and is associated with reduced economic productivity and increased mortality worldwide. Here we map annual 2000–2018 geospatial estimates of anemia prevalence in women of reproductive age (15–49 years) across 82 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), stratify anemia by severity and aggregate results to policy-relevant administrative and national levels. Additionally, we provide subnational disparity analyses to provide a comprehensive overview of anemia prevalence inequalities within these countries and predict progress toward the World Health Organization’s Global Nutrition Target (WHO GNT) to reduce anemia by half by 2030. Our results demonstrate widespread moderate improvements in overall anemia prevalence but identify only three LMICs with a high probability of achieving the WHO GNT by 2030 at a national scale, and no LMIC is expected to achieve the target in all their subnational administrative units. Our maps show where large within-country disparities occur, as well as areas likely to fall short of the WHO GNT, offering precision public health tools so that adequate resource allocation and subsequent interventions can be targeted to the most vulnerable populations

Anemia prevalence in women of reproductive age in low- and middle-income countries between 2000 and 2018

Anemia is a globally widespread condition in women and is associated with reduced economic productivity and increased mortality worldwide. Here we map annual 2000–2018 geospatial estimates of anemia prevalence in women of reproductive age (15–49 years) across 82 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), stratify anemia by severity and aggregate results to policy-relevant administrative and national levels. Additionally, we provide subnational disparity analyses to provide a comprehensive overview of anemia prevalence inequalities within these countries and predict progress toward the World Health Organization’s Global Nutrition Target (WHO GNT) to reduce anemia by half by 2030. Our results demonstrate widespread moderate improvements in overall anemia prevalence but identify only three LMICs with a high probability of achieving the WHO GNT by 2030 at a national scale, and no LMIC is expected to achieve the target in all their subnational administrative units. Our maps show where large within-country disparities occur, as well as areas likely to fall short of the WHO GNT, offering precision public health tools so that adequate resource allocation and subsequent interventions can be targeted to the most vulnerable populations.Peer reviewe