The role of microRNAs in the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is one of the major health problems and the second cause of cancer mortality in men over 40 years age in developed countries. Due to the incomplete screening methods for sensivity and spesificity detection prostate cancer, alternative methods with more specificity than are desired. With recent advances in molecular technology, numerous biomarkers have been suggested for the screening of prostate cancer with greater accuracy. MicroRNAs are oligonucleotides with 18-24 length that have key roles in post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression as well as other cellular process (apoptosis, cell proliferation, differentiation and angiogenesis). Many studies have demonstrated changing of the expression levels of microRNAs in prostate cancer patients. Therefore, they can be implemented for the development of prognostic or diagnostic biomarkers. Owing to microRNAs can target molecular signaling pathways and genes involved in prostate cancer, they may also be applicable for therapeutic purposes. In this review article, we explain the roles of microRNAs in different cancer pathways and specifically the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer. Keywords: Prostate Cancer, MicroRNAs, Biomarker

Simulation and optimization of HEMTs

We have developed a simulation system for nanoscale high-electron mobility transistors, in which the self-consistent solution of Poisson and Schr\"odinger equations is obtained with the finite element method. We solve the exact set of nonlinear differential equations to obtain electron wave function, electric potential distribution, electron density, Fermi surface energy and current density distribution in the whole body of the device. For more precision, local dependence of carrier mobility on the electric field distribution is considered. We furthermore compare the simulation to a recent experimental measurement and observe perfect agreement. We also propose a graded channel design to improve the transconductance and thereby the threshold frequency of the device.Comment: 8 pages, 19 figure

Application of Pneumatic Flow Injection-Tandem Spectrometer System for Chromium Speciation

In this approach, a pneumatic flow injection-tandem spectrometer system, without a delivery pump, has been developed to study chromium speciation. In this system, suction force of pneumatic nebulizer of a flame atomic absorption spectrometer has been used for solution delivery through the manifold. Cr(VI) and total Cr concentrations were determined using UV-Vis and FAAS spectrometers, respectively. The Cr(III) was determined by difference. The calibration curves were linear up to 10 μg mL−1 and 20 μg mL−1 for Cr(VI) and total Cr with detection limit of 0.12 μg mL−1 and 0.07 μg mL−1 for Cr(VI) and Cr(III), respectively. The midrange precision and accuracy are less than 1.98% and ± 2.50% for two species, respectively, at a sampling rate of 100 h−1. This system was applied for the determination of the chromium species in spiked and natural waters as well as industrial waters

Evaluation of the changes in the expression levels of miR-141 and SHP gene in prostate cancer specimens

Introduction: Primary screening tests currently used for prostate cancer (PCa), don’t have sufficient sensitivity and specificity. Therefore, early diagnosis and management of treatment is one of the challenges faced by physicians. Today, more familiar with the signaling pathways involved in the pathogenesis of cancers, several molecules have been introduced as diagnostic biomarker or drug design. The androgen receptor is one of the most important pathways involved in the pathogenesis of PCa. The miR-141, as a member of the miR-200 family has a regulatory role by targeting the Small heterodimer partner (SHP , NR0B2) at the downstream of this molecular pathway. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate changes in the expression of miR-141 and SHP in tissue samples of PCa patients compared to benign prosttic hyperplasia (BPH) tissues. Method: In this study, changes in expression of miR-141 and SHP at the RNA level were performed using qRT-PCR technique on 68 prostate tissues containing, 26 localized PCa, 4 metastatic PCa, 30 BPH and 8 tumor-adjacent normal tissues. Also, the analysis of the results was investigated using REST software. Changes in SHP expression at protein level were investigated in 20 Paraffin-embedded tissue blocks containing 10 PCa and 10 BPH using immunohistochemistry (IHC). Results: The findings of this study showed that miR-141 increased in metastatic samples compared with localized samples (P <0.001, 31.17-fold change). Tumor samples showed a lower expression level of SHP compared with BPH tissues at mRNA and protein level (p = 0.014, 4.7 fold change) and (p = 0.02, 1.8 fold change), respectively. Conclusion: According to our results, it can be concluded that miR-141 plays a role in the pathogenesis of PCa through the androgen receptor signaling pathway and the SHP regulation. Also, miR-141 has a high potential for diagnosis of PCa as a prognostic biomarker. Keywords: Prostate cancer, SHP gene, miR-141, Biomarke

Post-crash management of road traffic injury victims in Iran. Stakeholders' views on current barriers and potential facilitators

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Road traffic injuries are a major public health problem, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Post-crash management can play a significant role in minimizing crash consequences and saving lives. Iran has one of the highest mortality rates from road traffic injuries in the world. The present study attempts to fill the knowledge gap and explores stakeholders' perceptions of barriers to – and facilitators of – effective post-crash management in Iranian regions.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Thirty-six semi-structured interviews were conducted with medical services personnel, police officers, members of Red Crescent, firefighters, public-health professionals, road administrators; some road users and traffic injury victims. A qualitative approach using grounded theory method was employed to analyze the material gathered.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The core variable was identified as "poor quality of post crash management". Barriers to effective post-crash management were identified as: involvement of laypeople; lack of coordination; inadequate pre-hospital services; shortcomings in infrastructure. Suggestions for laypeople included: 1) a public education campaign in first aid, the role of the emergency services, cooperation of the public at the crash site, and 2) target-group training for professional drivers, police officers and volunteers involved at the crash scene. An integrated trauma system and infrastructure improvement also is crucial to be considered for effective post-crash management.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>To sum up, it seems that the involvement of laypeople could be a key factor in making post-crash management more effective. But system improvements are also crucial, including the integration of the trauma system and its development in terms of human resources (staffing and training) and physical resources as well as the infrastructure development.</p

Factors influencing pre-hospital care time intervals in Iran: a qualitative study

Abstract: Background: Pre-hospital time management provides better access to victims of road traffic crashes (RTCs) and can help minimize preventable deaths, injuries and disabilities. While most studies have been focused on measuring various time intervals in the pre-hospital phase, to our best knowledge there is no study exploring the barriers and facilitators that affects these various intervals qualitatively. The present study aimed to explore factors affecting various time intervals relating to road traffic incidents in the pre-hospital phase and provides suggestions for improvements in Iran. Methods: The study was conducted during 2013-2014 at both the national and local level in Iran. Overall, 18 face-to-face interviews with emergency medical services (EMS) personnel were used for data collection. Qualitative content analysis was employed to analyze the data. Results: The most important barriers in relation to pre-hospital intervals were related to the manner of cooperation by members of the public with the EMS and their involvement at the crash scene, as well as to pre-hospital system factors, including the number and location of EMS facilities, type and number of ambulances and manpower. These factors usually affect how rapidly the EMS can arrive at the scene of the crash and how quickly victims can be transferred to hospital. These two categories have six main themes: notification interval; activation interval; response interval; on-scene interval; transport interval; and delivery interval. Conclusions: Despite more focus on physical resources, cooperation from members of the public needs to be taken in account in order to achieve better pre-hospital management of the various intervals, possibly through the use of public education campaigns

Medical image registration using unsupervised deep neural network: A scoping literature review

In medicine, image registration is vital in image-guided interventions and other clinical applications. However, it is a difficult subject to be addressed which by the advent of machine learning, there have been considerable progress in algorithmic performance has recently been achieved for medical image registration in this area. The implementation of deep neural networks provides an opportunity for some medical applications such as conducting image registration in less time with high accuracy, playing a key role in countering tumors during the operation. The current study presents a comprehensive scoping review on the state-of-the-art literature of medical image registration studies based on unsupervised deep neural networks is conducted, encompassing all the related studies published in this field to this date. Here, we have tried to summarize the latest developments and applications of unsupervised deep learning-based registration methods in the medical field. Fundamental and main concepts, techniques, statistical analysis from different viewpoints, novelties, and future directions are elaborately discussed and conveyed in the current comprehensive scoping review. Besides, this review hopes to help those active readers, who are riveted by this field, achieve deep insight into this exciting field