Predicting microRNAs as Anti-viral Agents in SARS-CoV-2 Infection Based on the Bioinformatics Approach: A Systematic Review

Purpose: The beginning of 2020, the World health organization (WHO) declared severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) as responsible for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. Previous studies showed that microRNAs (miRNAs) are able to inhibit pathogenesis of DNA or RNA viruses by binding the genome. The purpose of the current study is an overview of the anti-viral role of cellular miRNAs against the COVID-19 infection. Methods: Our search was limited to all published original papers in the English language from 2019 to 2021 using several databases including PubMed, Google scholar, Scopus, and Science Direct. A manual search of references for included articled was also performed. Among 66 electronically searched citations, 17 papers met the inclusion criteria. Results: The presence of miRNAs during the COVID-19 infection, reported by several studies, predicts the possibility of using miRNAs as potential tools to eradicate the SARS-CoV-2 infection. In some studies, miRNAs have presented as a tool for targeting SARS-CoV-2 encoded genes which are essential in viral biogenesis, entrance, replication, and infection. Conclusion: The comparison of miRNA between SARS-CoV-2 with other human coronaviruses will help the better understanding of distinct clinical characteristics of them

The effect of topical olive oil on prevention of bedsore in intensive care units patients

Background: Bedsores are injuries to skin and underlying tissues caused by prolonged pressure. Although, some methods like frequently changing position and using particular tools are used for preventing and caring of pressure ulcers, their prevention would still be as a vital urgency. Olive oil is an herbal product with potential preventive effects to prevent bedsores because of its numerous medical properties. The major aim of this study was to determine whether topical olive oil can prevent the risk of developing bedsores in I.C.U. patients.  Methods: This clinical trial was accomplished in 2014 with 60 patients who were selected by simple random sampling method into intervention and control groups. During three weeks, the control group had received routine skin care, while the intervention group had received topical Olive oil in addition to the routine care. Statistical analysis, including Chi-square, T-test and Fisher’s tests, were performed with SPSS version 20 software.  Results: The intervention group had contained 19 male and 11 female, with an average age of 60.46 ± 18.06 and the control group had contained 20 male, 10 female, with an average age of 50.96 ± 21.38. Five patients (16%) who received routine care plus topical olive oil had developed bedsore after an average of 18.73 ± 5.36 days and twelve patients (40%) who received routine care only had developed bedsore after an average of 15.46 ± 7.40 days. The risks of developing bedsores between two groups were statistically significant (P=0.03).  Conclusions: Our study has revealed potential effects of topical olive oil to prevent bedsores in I.C.U. patients.

Evaluation of the Clinical and Laboratory Status of Pregnant Women with COVID-19

AbstractIntroduction: The prevalence of the COVID-19 virus has been very high, so that in a short period of time, due to its contagiousness, it has infected a large number of people around the world. Pregnant women are more sensitive to infectious diseases than the general population and are especially at risk of respiratory diseases and severe pneumonia. Considering the importance of mother and fetus management, assessment and management of pregnant women infected with COVID-19, the present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the clinical and laboratory status of pregnant women infected with SARS‐CoV‐2 referring to Imam Hassan and Bentolhoda hospital in Bojnurd.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, pregnant women with COVID-19 referred to Imam Hassan and Bentolhoda Hospital in Bojnurd between March 2020 and the beginning of Desember 2021 were studied. In order to collect information, an information form containing demographic and obstetric characteristics, evaluation of symptoms (fever, cough, abdominal pain, bloody secretions, rupture of fetal membranes in term pregnancy, chest tightness, asthma, fatigue, loss of appetite, headache, nausea and vomiting), laboratory status and outcomes pregnancy and childbirth was used. Statistical analysis was done with SPSS 24 software.Results: The age range of the studied women was 15-48 years and the average gestational age was 26.21±9.4 weeks. The type of delivery in 46.2% was normal vaginal delivery, 53.8% was cesarean section. LBW, admission to NICU, need for resuscitation, meconium-stained AF were 5.71%, 4.76%, 3.80%, 0.95%, respectively. The average number of referrals to the hospital due to COVID-19 in the studied women was 1.6 ± 1.1 times, the average number of days in the hospital was 5.1 ± 3.1 days, and the average number of days in the intensive care unit was 4.08±2.1 days. The most common clinical symptoms in the studied women were related to cough (76.19), dyspnea (72.38), fever (56.19), and myalgia (33.33).Conclusions: Based on the results obtained from this study, clinical symptoms and laboratory results in pregnant women with COVID-19 are similar to infected adults. Common symptoms of COVID-19 disease in pregnant women included fever, cough, and myalgia

Association of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae with female infertility: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) are commonly diagnosed sexually transmitted infections that have been associated with serious reproductive health outcomes for women. The association of CT and NG infection with female fertility is not completely established yet. This review aimed to determine the association of CT and NG with female infertility. Methods This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted according to the PRISMA statement. We searched a range of electronic databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Scopus, from Sept 25, 2017 until February 1, 2021. From the 851 studies screened, 552 that failed to meet our eligibility criteria were excluded. Subsequently, we removed 290 studies for not having a possible correlation of CT and NG infections with female infertility. Nine studies comprising 1827 infertile patients met our inclusion criteria. Two investigators independently extracted a range of data. All analyses were performed using STATA (version 13.1, Stata Corp, College Station, TX, USA). Results CT infection potentiates female infertility, as 76.47% of the included studies found a positive correlation between them. However, due to the limited number of reported data, we were not able to compare NG infection prevalence in fertile and non-fertile patients. Overall prevalences of CT and NG infections among infertile patients were 12 % and 3%, respectively, while CT infection prevalence among the fertile group was 7%. Conclusion The prevalences of CT and NG infections were high in infertile women. Screening and treatment of C. trachomatis and gonococcal infections during infertility treatment might increase the pregnancy rate

Correlation Between Health Literacy and Self-efficacy of the Elderly

Background Health literacy is the capacity of a person to obtain, process, and understand basic health information for appropriate health decision making. Self-efficacy is the assurance that is felt about a particular activity which maintains and promotes effective health behaviors. Objective The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relationship between health literacy and self-efficacy in the elderly people. Methods This descriptive-correlational study with cross-sectional design was conducted on 144 elderly living in Ramsar city in 2018 who were selected using a random cluster sampling method. Data collection tools were a demographic form, Self Rated Abilities for Health Practices Scale, and Health Literacy for Iranian Adults completed by the researcher after obtaining informed consent from the participants. Data were analyzed in SPSS v.16 software using correlation test, independent t-test, chi-square test, and Fisher’s exact test. Findings Most of participants were female (59%), married (86.8%), housekeeper (52.8%) and high school dropouts (35.4%), and moderate financial status (61.8%) with a mean age of 68.75±2.12 years. Pearson correlation test results showed a significant relationship between health literacy and self-efficacy of the elderly (P=0.0001). Conclusion Considering the role of health literacy in increasing the self-efficacy of the elderly, healthcare system policymakers need to pay attention to the issue of health literacy in health system planning

Probabilistic Optimization of Networked Multi-Carrier Microgrids to Enhance Resilience Leveraging Demand Response Programs

Microgrids have emerged as a practical solution to improve the power system resilience against unpredicted failures and power outages. Microgrids offer substantial benefits for customers through the local supply of domestic demands as well as reducing curtailment during possible disruptions. Furthermore, the interdependency of natural gas and power networks is a key factor in energy systems’ resilience during critical hours. This paper suggests a probabilistic optimization of networked multi-carrier microgrids (NMCMG), addressing the uncertainties associated with thermal and electrical demands, renewable power generation, and the electricity market. The approach aims to minimize the NMCMG costs associated with the operation, maintenance, CO2e emission, startup and shutdown cost of units, incentive and penalty payments, as well as load curtailment during unpredicted failures. Moreover, two types of demand response programs (DRPs), including time-based and incentive-based DRPs, are addressed. The DRPs unlock the flexibility potentials of domestic demands to compensate for the power shortage during critical hours. The heat-power dual dependency characteristic of combined heat and power systems as a substantial technology in microgrids is considered in the model. The simulation results confirm that the suggested NMCMG not only integrates the flexibility potentials into the microgrids but also enhances the resilience of the energy systems

Enabling demand response for optimal deployment of multi-carrier microgrids incorporating incentives

Customer multi-carrier microgrid deployments' techno-economic viability and assists investors in deciding whether or not to invest in multi-carrier microgrid installations equipped with smart demand-side technologies are inspected here. The solution of the proposed model determines the optimal mix and size of distributed energy resources, and identifies the ideal participation rate of potential responsive customers within the multi-carrier microgrid. The objective of the proposed model is to minimize the overall deployment cost comprising the investment and replacement of distributed energy resources, demand-side smart measurement and informing appliances, loan payoff, operation, maintenance, peak demand charge, energy demand shifting reward or penalty, emission, and unserved energy while ensuring the desired levels of reliability and online reserve. The model also considers incentive policies to encourage customers to install demand-side smart technologies to participate in demand response programs actively. The planning problem is formulated by mixed-integer programming. The proposed model is applied to an industrial zone as an aggregate load. Numerical simulations exhibit the model's efficacy and scrutinize in-depth, the effect of a variety of factors on multi-carrier microgrid planning results, including the extents of the capital investment fund and loan in addition to demand response enabling technology cost