Chemical Properties, Bioavailability Of Yellowfin Tuna Bone And Its Potential Application As Calcium Source In Bakery Products

Yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacores, Bonnaterre, 1788) belongs to the family scombridae and is the largest species of fish that is significantly used in canning process in Malaysia. In this study, yellowfin tuna wastes as a considerable part of tuna canning factories were taken as raw materials and were processed to recover tuna frame (TF) and were then exposed to the alkaline treatment to extract of tuna bone powder (TBP) as a potential calcium source. The amount of the TF recovered from tuna wastes was 53.75% and the amount of TBP extracted from TF was 59.79%. The general appearance of TBP was in a form of fine particle size powder, white color and without any undesirable fishy odor, which makes it into the appropriate source of calcium for the purposes of development of calcium supplement or enrichment of food products. At phase 1, the results of the proximate composition of TF and TBP showed that the major part of the proximate composition in TF and TBP was ash content, which was 53.43% and 77.97%, respectively. The results of mineral composition represented that calcium with 24.56% and 38.16% was the most abundant element in TF and TBP, respectively. The second significant element in TF and TBP was phosphorus with 14.58% and 23.31%, respectively. The measurement of the ratio of Ca:P is important in TBP as calcium source and in this study, the amount of the ratio was 1.64

Comparison of the effectiveness of the electronic portfolio and online discussion forum methods in teaching professional belonging and ethical behaviors to nursing students: a randomized controlled trial

Background Nursing is a profession that has had many ethical aspects and understanding professional belonging and ethics as a deep and complex process is one of the basic concepts in this field. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of training professional belonging and ethical behaviors in two methods: electronic portfolio and online discussion forum in nursing students. Methods This study is a single-blinded randomized-controlled trial (RCT) with two parallel intervention groups and a third control group. The sample size was 90 selected by block randomization method. The educational contents of professional belonging and ethical behaviors were presented to the participants in two ways: electronic portfolio and online discussion forum. Demographic information form, professional belonging questionnaire, and ethical behaviors questionnaire were applied to collect data. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 24 software. Respectively mean, standard deviation and repeated measured, analysis of variance tests was used in descriptive and analytic statistic. (P value < 0.05). Results Comparison of the mean score of professional belonging and ethical behavior in the three stages of pretest, immediately after the test and four weeks after the test in all three groups was significant (P < 0.001). The control group had a higher mean score of professional belonging immediately after the test (108.18 ± 48.9) compared to the other two groups. Also, the online discussion forum group had a higher mean score on ethical behavior in four weeks after the test (104.2 ± 0.8) compared to the other two groups. Conclusion Training based on two methods of the electronic portfolio and online discussion forum increases and enhances the level of ethical behaviors in students. Therefore, the implementation of such methods of training can be useful in improving, promoting, and learning ethical behaviors in nursing students. On the other hand, training based on the two methods had a negative impact on professional belonging. Therefore, it is suggested that future studies be conducted with a greater focus on areas of professional belonging. Trial registration This research has been registered in Iranian Clinical Trial Registration Center (IRCT) with registration number "IRCT20180612040063N1" and registration date "16/07/2018"

The protective effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Ephedra pachyclada leaves on ovarian damage induced by cyclophosphamide in rat: An experimental study

Background: Cyclophosphamide (CP) is an anticancer drug that acts as an alkylation agent after metabolism in the liver. CP has toxic effects on the body’s cells, especially the reproductive system’s function, and causes infertility. Moreover, medicinal plants have few side effects and are psychologically acceptable to patients. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the impact of Ephedra pachyclada hydroalcoholic extract (EPHE) on ovarian tissue and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in rats treated with CP. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 48 adult female Wistar rats (180-200 gr, 9-10 wk) were randomly assigned to 6 experimental groups (n = 8/each): (a) control; (b) sham; (c) CP; (d) CP+250 mg/kg EPHE; (e) CP+500 mg/kg EPHE; (f) CP+1000 mg/kg EPHE. On the 29th day of the experiment, serum was collected; serum concentration of the luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, estrogen, progesterone, and antioxidant activity were measured. The number of ovarian follicles were also counted. Results: In the CP groups, serum concentrations of follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone significantly increased, and estrogen and progesterone significantly decreased (p ≤ 0.05). EPHE significantly compensated for the complications caused by CP and 1000 mg/kg had the greatest effect. Antioxidant reduction by CP was significantly enhanced by EPHE, especially at higher doses (p ≤ 0.05). The number of primordial, primary, secondary, and Graafian follicles showed a significant decrease in CP groups and EPHE groups showed a significant increase compared to the CP. EPHE showed that the concentration of 1000 mg/kg was more effective than other doses (p ≤ 0.05). Conclusion: In addition to proving the effect of EPHE on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, our investigation showed antioxidant properties, which can be an effective factor in CP-treated rats. Key words: Ephedra, Cyclophosphamide, Ovary, Follicles, Hydroalcoholic extract

Development and validation of ‘caring ability of family caregivers of patients with cancer scale (CAFCPCS)’

Aim: Family caregivers have limited abilities that make them vulnerable to the care needs of patients. Therefore, it seems necessary to evaluate their caring ability. The aim of this study was to design an instrument for assessing the caring ability of family caregivers of cancer patients. Methods: This was a sequential exploratory mixed-method study, carried out in two qualitative and quantitative phases. The concept of caring ability and its dimensions were explained using conventional content analysis in the qualitative phase. The research participants included 41 family caregivers of cancer patients and professional caregivers who were selected using purposeful sampling method until reaching data saturation. The scale items were designed using the results of the qualitative phase of the study, as well as the review of relevant literature. In the quantitative phase, the scale was validated using content and face validity, construct validity, as well as internal consistency and stability. Results: The primary item pool was prepared in 108 items. Content validity was determined using CVR with a cut-off point (0.62), CVI with a cut-off point (0.8) and kappa coefficient (κ) (>0.75). The validity of 72 items was confirmed. Then, the overlapping items were merged and eventually the 45-item scale entered the face validity stage and five items with an impact factor < 1.5 were omitted. Results of KMO = 0.904 and Bartlett = 6184.012 (p < 0.001) justified the need for factor analysis. Scree plot indicates five factors with eigenvalues above 1 and 67.7% of the total variance, including ‘Effective role play, Fatigue and Surrender, Trust, Uncertainty, and Caring ignorance’. Reliability of the 31-item instrument indicated a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.93 and ICC of 0.94. Conclusions: Caring abilities scale (CAI) of family caregivers of patients with cancer is a valid and reliable instrument that can assess caregivers' caring ability

The Effect of Nanoformulation of Amoxicillin on its Antibacterial Activity Against Common Bacterial Strains Involved in Hospital-Acquired Infections

Abstract Background: Nanotechnology offers a great chance to treat drug-resistant microbial infections. The purpose of this study was to synthesize amoxicillin-encapsulated polymeric nanoparticles and compare the antibacterial activity of this nanoformulation with pure amoxicillin. Materials and Methods: Amoxicillin-encapsulated polymeric nanoparticles were prepared using chitosan as a polymer and alginate as cross linking agent. The obtained nanoparticles were characterized by Fourier transform infrared, dynamic light scattering and scanning electron microscopy. The antibacterial effects of the nanoparticles were evaluated using broth microdilution and well diffusion methods against some common bacterial strains involved in hospital-acquired infections. Results: The drug-encapsulated nanoparticles were found to be spherical in shape with average size of 96 nm. These nanoparticles had a significant antibacterial effect on all tested bacteria, except for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. They also displayed stronger antibacterial activity than the nanocarrier alone or free antibiotic. The highest mean zones of growth inhibition (23.7 mm) for methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus and the smallest zone (12.5 mm) for the resistant species of this bacterium were determined. MIC of the nanoformulation against these two strains was respectively determined at 1.5 and 48 µg/ml and for Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa at 6.6 and 256 µg/ml. Conclusion: The results suggest that amoxicillin encapsulation in polymer nanoparticles has the potential to increase its antibacterial activity against bacteria causing nosocomial infections

Comparison of Antimicrobial Activity of Chitosan Nanoparticles Loaded with Amoxicillin with Free Amoxicillin against Some Gram Positive and Gram Negative Bacteria

Background and Objectives: Antibiotic resistance has prepared the way for substituting new therapeutic methods. Studies have indicated that nanoformulated antimicrobial agents have better therapeutic effects. In this study, the antimicrobial activity of chitosan nanoparticles loaded with amoxicillin (ACNs), was assessed in comparison with free amoxicillin against&nbsp;some&nbsp;Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. &nbsp; Methods: In this experimental study, the nanoparticles were prepared using the ionotropic gelation technique. The resulting nanoparticles were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The antibacterial activity of amoxicillin and nanoparticles against standard and clinical strains of methicillin-susceptible and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Enterococcus faecalis, was investigated by determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), and inhibition zone diameters. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA with Tukeyʼs post hoc test. &nbsp; Results: The size of chitosan nanoparticles (CNs) and ACNs was 88 and 106 nm, respectively. ACNs showed higher antibacterial activity compared to amoxicillin and CNs without drug as determined by the&nbsp;smaller&nbsp;MIC (0.375mg/ml)&nbsp;and MBC (2 mg/ml) values and larger zones of inhibition (28mm). The highest and the lowest sensitivity to nanoparticles, were observed for Enterococcus feacalis and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, respectively.&nbsp; &nbsp; Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the nanoformulation of amoxicillin may be an appropriate strategy to increase its therapeutic effects. However, precise clinical studies are required for its confirmation

Apelin receptor antagonist boosts dendritic cell vaccine efficacy in controlling angiogenic, metastatic and apoptotic-related factors in 4T1 breast tumor-bearing mice

Apelin/APJ axis plays a critical role in cancer progression, thus its targeting inhibits tumor growth. However, blocking of Apelin/APJ axis in combination with immunotherapeutic approaches may be more effective. This study aimed to investigate the effects of APJ antagonist ML221 in combination with a DC vaccine on angiogenic, metastatic and apoptotic-related factors in a breast cancer (BC) model. Four groups of female BALB/c mice with 4T1-induced BC were treated with PBS, APJ antagonist ML221, DC vaccine, and ML221 + DC vaccine. After completion of the treatment, the mice were sacrificed and the serum levels of IL-9 and IL-35 as well as the mRNA expression of angiogenesis (including VEGF, FGF-2, and TGF-beta), metastasis (including MMP-2, MMP-9, CXCR4) and apoptosis-related markers (Bcl-2, Bax, Caspase-3) in tumor tissues were determined using ELISA and real-time PCR, respectively. Angiogenesis was also evaluated by co-immunostaining of tumor tissues with CD31 and DAPI. Primary tumor metastasis to the liver was analyzed using hematoxylin-eosin staining. The efficiency of combination therapy with ML221 + DC vaccine was remarkably higher than single therapies in preventing liver metastasis compared to the control group. In comparison with the control group, combination therapy could significantly reduce the expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, CXCR4, VEGF, FGF-2, and TGF-beta in tumor tissues (P 0.05). It also decreased the serum level of IL-9 and IL-35 compared with the control group (P 0.0001). Moreover, vascular density and vessel diameter were significantly reduced in the combination therapy group compared with the control group (P 0.0001). Overall, our findings demonstrate that combination therapy using a blocker of the apelin/APJ axis and DC vaccine can be considered a promising therapeutic program in cancers. [GRAPHICS] .This study was financially supported by a Grant (No. 97408) from Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran.Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran [97408

Combination Therapy with Platelet-Rich Plasma and Epidermal Neural Crest Stem Cells Increases Treatment Efficacy in Vascular Dementia

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and treatment mechanism of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and neural crest-derived epidermal stem cells (ESCs) in their administration alone and combination in vascular dementia (VaD) model by two-vessel occlusion (2VO). Methods. Sixty-six rats were divided into six groups: the control, sham, 2VO + vehicle, 2VO + PRP, 2VO + ESC, and 2VO + ESC + PRP. The treated groups received 1 million cells on days 4, 14, and 21 with or without 500 µl PRP (twice a week) after 2VO. The memory performance and anxiety were evaluated by behavioral tests including open field, passive avoidance, and Morris water maze. The basal-synaptic transmission (BST) and long-term potentiation (LTP) were assessed through field-potential recordings of the CA1. The mRNA expression levels of IGF-1, TGF-β1, PSD-95, and GSk-3β were measured in the rat hippocampus by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results. The results demonstrated impaired learning, memory, and synaptic plasticity in the 2VO rats, along with a significant decrease in the expression of IGF-1, TGF-β1, PSD-95, and upregulation of GSK-3β. Treatment with ESC alone and ESC + PRP showed similar improvements in spatial memory and LTP induction, with associated upregulation of PSD-95 and downregulation of GSK-3β. However, only the ESC + PRP group showed recovery in BST. Furthermore, combination therapy was more effective than PRP monotherapy for LTP and memory. Conclusions. The transplantation of ESC showed better effects than PRP alone, and combination therapy increased the treatment efficacy with the recovery of BST. This finding may be a clue for the combination therapy of ESC and PRP for VaD

Biomedical applications of PLGA nanoparticles in nanomedicine: advances in drug delivery systems and cancer therapy

Introduction: During the last decades, the ever-increasing proportion of patients with cancer has been led to serious concerns worldwide. Therefore, the development and use of novel pharmaceuticals, like nanoparticles (NPs)-based drug delivery systems (DDSs), can be potentially effective in cancer therapy. Area covered: Poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) NPs, as a kind of bioavailable, biocompatible, and biodegradable polymers, have approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for some biomedical and pharmaceutical applications. PLGA is comprised of lactic acid (LA) and glycolic acid (GA) and their ratio could be controlled during various syntheses and preparation approaches. LA/GA ratio determines the stability and degradation time of PLGA; lower content of GA results in fast degradation. There are several approaches for preparing PLGA NPs that can affect their various aspects, such as size, solubility, stability, drug loading, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics, and so on. Expert opinion: These NPs have indicated the controlled and sustained drug release in the cancer site and can use in passive and active (via surface modification) DDSs. This review aims to provide an overview of PLGA NPs, their preparation approach and physicochemical aspects, drug release mechanism and the cellular fate, DDSs for efficient cancer therapy, and status in the pharmaceutical industry and nanomedicine