siRNA Therapeutics: Future Promise for Neurodegenerative Diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases (ND), as a group of central nervous system (CNS) disorders, are among the most prominent medical problems of the 21st century. They are often associated with considerable disability, motor dysfunction and dementia and are more common in the aged population. ND imposes a psychologic, economic and social burden on the patients and their families. Currently, there is no effective treatment for ND. Since many ND result from the gain of function of a mutant allele, small interference RNA (siRNA) can be a potential therapeutic agent for ND management. Based on the RNA interference (RNAi) approach, siRNA is a powerful tool for modulating gene expression through gene silencing. However, there are some obstacles in the clinical application of siRNA, including unfavorable immune response, off-target effects, instability of naked siRNA, nuclease susceptibility and a need to develop a suitable delivery system. Since there are some issues related to siRNA delivery routes, in this review, we focus on the application of siRNA in the management of ND treatment from 2000 to 2020

Background, limitations, and future perspectives in food grade microemulsions and nanoemulsions

The interest towards microemulsions and nanoemulsions, the colloidal systems utilized to encapsulate bioactive compounds, is constantly increasing in food industries. Major characteristics of microemulsions and nanoemulsions should be assessed to better differentiate these two systems. Limitations and restrictions being imposed on the development of food-grade microemulsions and nanoemulsions should be addressed to improve their significant role in the food and beverage industry. Food studies should consider practical issues more thoroughly and apply effective inexpensive measures to minimize surfactant losses and improve surfactant recovery to bridge the gap between laboratory experiments and industrial processes.The DSI [Department of Science and Innovation] and National Research Foundation (NRF) Centre of Excellence in Food Security.https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/lfri20hj2023Consumer ScienceFood ScienceSDG-02:Zero Hunge

Development of hemp seed oil nanoemulsions loaded with ascorbyl palmitate : effect of operational parameters, emulsifiers, and wall materials

DATA AVAILABILITY : Data will be made available on request.The perceived health properties of hemp seed oil, as one of the few plant-based sources of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids with an ideal ratio of 1:3, suggest its incorporation in food-grade emulsions to improve its water solubility and oxidative stability. The current research's main aim was nanoemulsification of hemp seed oil using the oil-in-water emulsification method followed by ultrasonication. The entrapment efficiency of the nanoemulsions for antioxidant ascorbyl palmitate and its impact on oxidative stability of the oil was also evaluated. Gum arabic: maltodextrin in 75:25 ratio could result in nanoemulsion with entrapment efficiency of 97.10 % for ascorbyl palmitate and radical scavenging activity of oil-soluble bioactives of 92.13 %. Moreover, incorporation of ascorbyl palmitate could effectively retard the oxidation, specifically in nanoemulsions containing gum Arabic. The optimum formulation of nanoemulsion having an average droplet size of 293 nm can be applied as an ideal vegetarian source of omega-3 fatty acids.The DSI (Department of Science and Innovation) and NRF (National Research Foundation) Centre of Excellence in Food Security.http://www.elsevier.com/locate/foodchemhj2023Consumer ScienceFood ScienceSDG-02:Zero Hunge

3-(2-Eth­oxy­phen­yl)-1-(3-nitro­phen­yl)triaz-1-ene

The title compound, C14H14N4O3, exhibits a trans geometry about the N=N double bond in the triazene unit. The mol­ecule is approximately planar (r.m.s. deviation = 0.044 Å for all non-H atoms). An intra­molecular N—H⋯O hydrogen bond occurs. In the crystal, C—H⋯N hydrogen bonds lead to the formation of dimers which are, in turn, connected to each other by C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming infinite chains of R 2 2(8) graph-set motif

Developing Persian Quick Speech in Noise With Words Containing High Frequency Phonemes: Determining its Validity and Equivalency

Background and Aims The quick speech in noise (Q-SIN) test shows how difficult it is to perceive speech in noise by determining signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) loss. The lists with high-frequency words have a better ability to identify SNR loss which have been created in Persian. Although a Persian version of Q-SIN with emphasis on high frequency is available، but there is no Q-SIN lists with high-frequency words; therefore,this study aims to develop new lists and the lists with high-frequency words for Q-SIN test and determine their equivalency in normal-hearing people which was condcuted in Tehran University of Medical Sciences.Methods The sentences were first developed. Then, their content validity and face validity were determined. In this regard، 36 sentences were used to make new Q-SIN lists and 36 sentences were used to make Q-SIN lists with high-frequency words. Based on the Q-SIN test development criteria، six regular lists (lists 1-6) and six lists with high-frequency words (lists 7-12) were tested on 46 people (23 males and 23 females) aged 18-35 with normal hearingResults The content validity index for new and high-frequency words lists were 0. 74 and 0. 736، respectively. The equivalency test results showed that among the first 6 lists، the lists no. 1, 2, 3, and 4 were equal. Among the six lists with high-frequency words, the lists no. 7, 8, 10, 11 were equal. There was no gender differences between six regular lists and high-frequency lists (P>0.05). Conclusion The Q-SIN word lists with equivalency can be used for normal-hearing people in clinical practice

Investigating possible effects of aryl hydrocarbon receptor G1661A polymorphism on asthma severity in adults

311-319Aryl hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor with an important role in lung health. The association of AhR polymorphisms with asthma severity has not been yet investigated. We analyzed the association of G1661A, the most prevalent polymorphism of AhR, with the asthma stages in a population-based study including 555 asthmatics (Intermittent: 93, Mild: 240, Moderate: 158, and Severe: 64). The SNP was genotyped using allele-specific PCR. Obtained data were analyzed using the Generalized-Ordered Logit Estimates. Genotypes GA (OR: 0.53, CI: 0.32-0.90, P=0.019) and AA (OR: 0.22, CI: 0.06-0.76, P=0.017) were associated with decreased risk of Severe, Moderate, Mild vs. Intermittent stage; and Severe, Moderate, vs. Mild, Intermittent stages respectively. However, Genotype GA (OR: 1.90, CI: 1.05-3.44, P=0.033), dominant model GA+AA (OR: 2.04, CI: 1.17-3.57, P=0.012), and allele A (OR: 1.68, CI: 1.06-2.66, P=0.027) were associated with increased risk of Severe stage vs. Moderate, Mild, Intermittent stages. Also, male sex and higher age were associated with an increased odds ratio for severe asthma. Furthermore, significant associations with asthma stages were found for the interactions of the SNP and sex, smoking, and alcohol consumption. In conclusion, we revealed that the mutant allele of AhR-G1661A may interact with independent variables and act as a protective factor against lower stages of asthma but it may increase the risk of severe asthma

Identifying Intertextual Relations in Salinger’s Story “Franny and Zooey”, Mehrjui’s “Hamoon” and Kierkegaard’s “Fear and Trembling”

This article aims at studying intertextuality in three different texts. These texts are: 1) Kierkegaard’s “Fear and Trembling” 2) Salinger’s “Franny and Zooey” and 3) Mehrjui’s “Hamoon”. To this end, Genette’s (1997) concepts and ideas have been adapted. The main concepts are intertextuality and its three types: obvious intertextuality, concealed intertextuality and implicit intertextuality. Based on these concepts and how Genette defines them, it is shown that intertextuality in these texts is implicit rather than obvious or concealed

The Comparative Effect of Visual vs. Auditory Input Enhancement on Learning Non-Congruent Phrasal Verbs by Iranian EFL Learners

Vocabulary is one of the essential components of language and learning phrasal verbs as part of vocabulary is quite challenging for foreign language learners. The present study aimed at investigating the effects of visual and auditory input enhancement on learning non-congruent phrasal verbs. The participants of the study were 90 intermediate English language learners who were divided into two experimental and one control groups. The first experimental group received visual input enhancement and the second experimental group auditory input enhancement, and the control group no enhanced material. All three groups were tested on their knowledge of non-congruent phrasal verbs before and after the treatment, using a non-congruent phrasal verb test developed by the researcher. The results of the data analyses indicated that both visual and auditory input enhancement were effective in learning non-congruent phrasal verbs by Iranian EFL learners, and that both groups outperformed the control group in their achievement

Prevalence of Sleep Disturbance and Potential Associated Factors among Medical Students from Mashhad, Iran

Study Objectives. A very limited number of studies have evaluated the prevalence of sleep problems, and related factors, in Iranian medical students. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of sleep disturbance and potential associated factors among medical students of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. Methods. In this cross-sectional study, 315 medical students chosen by stratified random sampling participated in the academic year 2018-2019. The Pittsburgh Instrument and DASS-21 questionnaire were used to evaluate sleep quality and anxiety, depression, and stress, respectively. Also, demographic, educational, and socioeconomic information was collected. SPSS 16 software was used for data analysis. Results. Out of 300 students who completed the questionnaires, 165 (55%) were male, with a mean age of 21.94±2.28 years old. The prevalence of poor sleep quality was 51.3%. We did not find significant associations among age, sex, and poor sleep quality. Concurrent psychological symptoms such as stress, depression, and anxiety were significantly associated with sleep disorders. After adjusting variables in the multivariable regression model, depression (OR=2.81, 95% CI: 1.35-5.87; p=0.006) and the number of hours spent on using smartphones in 24 hours (OR=1.13, 95% CI: 1.02-1.25; p=0.01) were significantly associated with poor sleep quality among medical students. Conclusion. The prevalence of poor sleep quality among medical students was high, and we found that increased use of smartphones during the day and depression were associated with sleep disorders

The effects of breast milk odor on the physiological and behavioral responses caused by venipuncture pain in term infants: A clinical trial study

BACKGROUND: Pain management is very important for infants who are unable to express it verbally. Pain control is one of the nursing actions and part of their duties. This study attempted to determine the effects of breast milk odor on the physiological and behavioral responses caused by venipuncture pain in full-term infants at an educational hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This randomized clinical trial study was carried out on 3–5 days' term and healthy babies with a gestational age of 34 weeks and later in the 9-Day Hospital of Torbet Heydariyeh, Iran, 2021. The sample size, taking into account the possibility of a 10% dropout of samples included 20 babies for each group and a total of 40 babies were selected by convenience sampling. To collect data, a checklist of demographic characteristics, a registration form for physiological responses, and the modified behavioral pain scale were used. RESULTS: The results of this study showed that breast milk odor has a positive effect on behavioral responses (P 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: According to the results, olfactory stimulation with breast milk during venous blood sampling showed positive effects on physiological responses and pain reduction in infants. Therefore, it is recommended to use soothing stimuli such as the smell of breast milk during painful procedures in babies