Thallium Intoxication in Relation to Drug Abuse and Cigarette Smoking in Iran

Thallium (Tl) is a highly toxic heavy metal with atomic number 81. It is a soft, bluish-white or gray water-insoluble metal but the salt forms are colorless, tasteless, and odorless. Tl is readily absorbed via ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact. Any amount of Tl in the body is abnormal. The clinical manifestation of thallotoxicosis has a wide spectrum but painful ascending peripheral neuropathy, gastrointestinal, and dermatologic manifestations are major characteristics in Tl toxicity. Tl intoxication has been identified in drug abuse and cigarette smoking leading to various signs and symptoms. Substance abuse and cigarette smoke are a major public health hazard across the world

Examining Metabolic Profiles in Opioid-Dependent Patient

Background: Drug abuse is a social burden and a public health disorder. Previous evidencesuggested numerous illicit substances (e.g., opioids, amphetamines, cocaine, & cannabis)affect immune system functions, oxidative stress mechanisms, inflammatory cytokines, andreactive oxygen species production.This study aimed to determine the extent of these metabolic parameters in opioid-dependentpatients. We also compared these patients with a healthy control group.Methods: This study was conducted in Amirie Clinic, Kashan, Iran. Plasma and serumsamples from 50 illicit opioid users (study group) and 50 non-opioid users (control group)were studied. Metabolic levels for MDA, NO, TAC, GSH, Insulin, HOMA-IR, and hs-CRPwere assessed in both research groups (N=100).Results: There was a significant difference in the status of MDA (P=0.003), NO (P=0.01), TAC(P=0.003), GSH (P=0.001), insulin (P=0.04), HOMA-IR (P=0.02), and hs-CRP (P=0.001)between the study and control groups. Furthermore, there was a significant correlation amongthe duration of illicit opioid use and MDA concentrations (r=-0.424, P=0.002), as well as TAClevels (r=0.314, P=0.02).Conclusion: The study results suggested metabolic profiles were impaired in the study group,compared to the controls

The Effects of Quetiapine on Craving and Withdrawal Symptoms in Methamphetamine Abuse: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Background: Patients with Methamphetamine Abuse (MA) are susceptible to many complications like craving, and withdrawal symptoms. These trials were designed to evaluate the effect of quetiapine administration on craving and withdrawal symptoms in MA abuse.Methods: This trial was conducted on 60 people with MA abuse to receive either 100 mg quetiapine (n=30), or placebo (n=30) every day for 2 months. The Desire for Drug Questionnaire (DDQ) and Amphetamine Withdrawal Questionnaire (AWQ) scores were evaluated at baseline and after 2 months’ intervention. For data analysis, t test, and the Chi-square test were applied in SPSS v. 18.Results: Quetiapine significantly decreased DDQ (P=0.002) and AWQ symptoms (P=0.001) compared to the placebo. Furthermore, there was a significant difference among groups in terms of the frequency of negative urine tests (P<0.001).Conclusion: This trial showed that administration of quetiapine supplements for 2 months in individuals with MA abuse had beneficial effects on craving and withdrawal syndrome

Nicotine Dependence Severity and Revised Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory: Assessing the Mediating Role of Risky Decision Making Using Path Analysis

Background: Gray’s revised Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (r-RST) is a neuropsychologicalexplanation of personality that has been broadly used in substance use disorders. Although theBehavioral Approach System (BAS) is strongly related to nicotine dependence, findings inBehavioral Inhibition System (BIS) are controversial and there is little information about therole of the Fight/Flight/Freeze System (FFFS) in nicotine dependence. The purpose of thepresent study was to evaluate the mediating role of Risky Decision Making (RDM) in thisrelationship to clarify the controversy and fill the gap.Methods: The final sample of this correlation study comprised of 347 university students (age,Mean±SD 23.2±6.7) who completed two self-report measures, including the Fagerstrom TestFor Nicotine Dependence (FTND), Jackson-5 questionnaire of r-RST, and a computerizedIowa Gambling Task (IGT) to measure RDM. Pearson correlation and a path analysisframework were used to determine the simple, direct, and indirect effects of r-RST systems onnicotine dependence severity through RDM.Results: Using Amos, path analyses demonstrated significant direct and indirect effects ofBAS and FFFS/BIS on tobacco use. Also, the relationship between BAS/FFFS/BIS andtobacco use was shown to be mediated by RDM.Conclusion: It was demonstrated that the relationship among BAS /FFFS/BIS and tobaccouse can be partly explained using maladaptive RDM strategies, suggesting that decreasingreliance on decision-making in risky situations, while increasing the use of decision-makingskills educations in risky situations, and increasing the use of alternative sensation and funseeking by smoking and emotion regulation and mindfulness-based therapie

Exploring the Therapeutic Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Sleep Quality Among Patients Under Methadone Maintenance Treatment

Background: Patients under Methadone Maintenance Therapy (MMT) are susceptible to several problems, including sleep disturbances and risk of relapse. The present study aimed to assess the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on sleep quality of addicts under MMT.Methods: This clinical trial was conducted on 27 male patients who underwent maintenance methadone therapy in MMT clinics of Mashhad City, Iran. They were divided into the experimental and sham groups. The experimental group received seven 20-min sessions of tDCS every other day. In the sham group, the electrical current was delivered for a few seconds, but the electrodes were remained to the end of the session. Sleep quality was measured at baseline, during, and after the intervention by Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The obtained data were analyzed by descriptive statistics such as mean and standard deviation and inferential statistics, such as t test, Chi-square, Mann Whitney, and Fischer exact test in SPSS v. 25.Results: The difference between the two groups after tDCS in sleep duration was significant (P=0.04). In the experimental group, the total score of sleep had a reducing trend (P<0.000), while in the sham group, the overall score in 3 phases of evaluation had no significant change (P=0.19). However, the rate of inappropriate sleep quality was not significant between the two groups after the intervention (P=0.12).Conclusion: This trial demonstrated the positive effect of tDCS on sleep quality in patients under MMT programs. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings

COVID-19 coinfection with Mucormycosis

Objectives: We will try to present cases of coinfection with COVID‑19 and mucormycosis in Kashan to increase the awareness of health‑care providers and reduce the number of forgotten and neglected cases.Methods: This is a descriptive cross‑sectional study that patients infected with COVID‑19 become vulnerable to a variety of opportunistic diseases. There are several studies of COVID‑19 and mucormycosis, but an effort has been made to provide a collection of cases in Kashan (the center of Iran) to reduce morbidity and mortality by increasing the awareness of health‑care providers.Results: A total of 31 patients with mucormycosis following COVID‑19 including 18 males and 13 females were included in the study. All reverse transcriptase‑polymerase chain reaction patients were positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome‑coronavirus‑2. Twenty had a history of diabetes, eight had a history of hypertension, and three had no record of any underlying disease. The maxillary sinuses were the most common site of involvement. The maximum length of hospital stay was 52 dayss.Conclusion: Patients with COVID‑19 vulnerable to comorbidities, any facial involvement, or severe glucocorticoid and antibiotic treatment should be closely examined and monitored at the first encounter and during hospitalization for any signs of mucormycosis and start standard care and antifungal treatment as soon as possible

Experiencing neonatal maternal separation increased pain sensitivity in adult male mice: Involvement of oxytocinergic system

Early-life stress adversely affects the development of the brain, and alters a variety of behaviors such as pain in later life. In present study, we investigated how early-life stress (maternal separation or MS) can affect the nociceptive response later in life. We particularly focused on the role of oxytocin (OT) in regulating nociception in previously exposed (MS during early postnatal development) mice that were subjected to acute stress (restraint stress or RS). Further, we evaluated whether such modulation of pain sensation in MS mice are regulated by shared mechanisms of the OTergic and opioidergic systems. To do this, we assessed the underlying systems mediating the nociceptive response by administrating different antagonists (for both opioid and OTergic systems) under the different experimental conditions (control vs MS, and control plus RS vs MS plus RS). Our results showed that MS increased pain sensitivity in both tail-flick and hot-plate tests while after administration of OT (1 μg/μl/mouse, i.c.v) pain threshold was increased. Atosiban, an OT antagonist (10 μg/μl/mouse, i.c.v) abolished the effects of OT. While acute RS increased the pain threshold in control (and not MS) mice, treating MS mice with OT normalized the pain response to RS. This latter effect was reversed by atosiban and/or naltrexone, an opioid antagonist (0.5 μg/μl/mouse, i.c.v) suggesting that OT enhances the effect of endogenous opioids. OTergic system is involved in mediating the nociception under acute stress in mice subjected to early-life stress and OTergic and opioidergic systems interact to modulate pain sensitivity in MS mic

The Effect of Fine needle aspiration on Detecting Malignancy in Thyroid Nodule

The prevalence of thyroid nodules is 4-7% in adults. Although less than 5% of nodules in adults are malignant, most nodules are non-neoplastic or benign. Fine needle aspiration (FNA) is a diagnostic technique for evaluation of non-toxic nodules, which has been widely accepted. Its primary objective is the patient triage in order to identify those who need surgery and aid in the decision of the appropriate surgical procedures

Effect of mobile phone radiation on pentylenetetrazole-induced seizure threshold in mice

Objective(s): Scientific interest in potential mobile phone impact on human brain and performance has significantly increased in recent years. The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of mobile phone radiation on seizure threshold in mice. Materials and methods:BALB/c male mice were randomly divided into three groups: control, acute, and chronic mobile phone radiation for 30, 60, and 90 min with frequency 900 to 950 MHz and pulse of 217 Hz. The chronic group received 30 days of radiation, while the acute group received only once. The intravenous infusion of pentylenetetrazole (5 mg/ml) was used to induce seizure signs. Results:  Although acute mobile radiation did not change seizure threshold, chronic radiation decreased the clonic and tonic seizure thresholds significantly. Conclusion: Our data suggests that thecontinued and prolonged contact with the mobile phone radiation might increase the risk of seizure attacks and should be limited

The effect of vitamin E and aspirin on the uterine artery blood flow in women with recurrent abortion: A single-blind randomized controlled trial

Background: Recurrent spontaneous abortion has high incidence rate. The etiology is unknown in 30-40%. However high uterine artery resistance is accounted as one of the recurrent abortion reasons. Objective: The objective of the current study was to determine the impacts of vitamin E and aspirin on the uterine artery blood flow in women having recurrent abortions due to impaired uterine blood flow. Materials and Methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 99 women having uterine pulsatility index (PI) more than 2.5 and the history of more than two times abortions. The candidates were categorized into three groups; receiving aspirin, only vitamin E, and aspirin+vitamin E. After 2 months, uterine PIs were compared with each other. Results: All drug regimens caused an enhancement in uterine perfusion with a significant decline in uterine artery PI value. The women receiving vitamin E in accompanied with aspirin had the least mean PI of the uterine artery (p<0.001). The total average PI score of the right and left uterine arteries in groups receiving vitamin E in accompanied with aspirin was lower than the two counterparts significantly (p<0.001). Conclusion: Vitamin E, aspirin and especially their combination are effective in improving uterine artery blood flow in women with recurrent abortion due to impaired uterine blood flow. More well-designed studies are needed to find out whether the enhancement of uterine perfusion may lead to a better pregnancy outcome