Sensitivity or resistance to steroid therapy in children with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome is not associated with polymorphism of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)

It's about years that the relation between renin angiotensin aldosterone system (RAS) and involving enzymes such as angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) with nephrotic syndrome is under the focus of researchers and also there are a lot of meta-analyses. However there were few studies investigated the relation of ACE polymorphism and sensitivity or resistance to steroid therapy in children. So we intend to do that. In the current study the sample size was 40 children. Among them, 22 patients were sensitive and 18 patients were resistant to steroid therapy. The samples were collected from Ali-Asghar pediatric hospital in Tehran, Iran. We used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the genotyping. After that, we used Chi-squared test for statistical analysis. The statistical analysis showed no significant correlation between ACE polymorphism and sensitivity or resistance to steroid therapy (P = 0.77). Although the frequency of DD genotype was higher in the resistant group, but this difference was not statistically significant. Finally we found that although based on previous studies, D allele and DD genotype are more frequent in children with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome in comparison to healthy children, but the resistance or sensitivity to steroid therapy in children is not associated with ACE polymorphism. Further meta-analysis on the studies done on children is suggested. � 2016 Parisadat Ahmadi et al

Accuracy of Visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) for early detection of cervical dysplasia in Tehran, Iran

Objective: To evaluate the accuracy of visual inspection with 5 acetic acid (VIA) when used to detect cervical cancer and its precursors. Methods: The study population included women attended Family Planning and Gynecological Clinic in Bagher Abad Health Center and Mirza Koochak Khan Hospital for regular cervical screening tests. After obtaining informed consent from each woman, VIA was performed. One hundred with a positive VIA test and 100 women with a negative VIA test were randomly selected for this study. Cytology and colposcopy examination were performed for all 200 cases and cervical biopsies were conducted for those individuals showing abnormal colposcopic findings. Results: Nine cases in VIA-positive group and two cases in VIA-negative group had an abnormal cytology. Ninety five women in the VIA-positive group and 25 in the VIA-negative group had abnormal colposcopic findings. From biopsy examination, 67 (71) of cases in the VIA-positive group and 3 (12) cases in the VIA-negative group had a final diagnosis of dysplasia. Among biopsied samples, only 7 cases of VIA-positive group showed abnormal result and the remaining were normal. Based on these results, VIA test sensitivity and specificity were 95.7 and 44.0 respectively, while they were 10 and 92 for cytology tests. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that although VIA is a sensitive screening test for detection of cervical dysplasia, it can not be used by itself. Applying VIA along with Pap smears helps to detect a higher number of cases with cancer precursor lesions

Adsorption of Multi-block and Random Copolymer on a Solid Surface: Critical Behavior and Phase Diagram

The adsorption of a single multi-block $AB$-copolymer on a solid planar substrate is investigated by means of computer simulations and scaling analysis. It is shown that the problem can be mapped onto an effective homopolymer adsorption problem. In particular we discuss how the critical adsorption energy and the fraction of adsorbed monomers depend on the block length $M$ of sticking monomers $A$, and on the total length $N$ of the polymer chains. Also the adsorption of the random copolymers is considered and found to be well described within the framework of the annealed approximation. For a better test of our theoretical prediction, two different Monte Carlo (MC) simulation methods were employed: a) off-lattice dynamic bead-spring model, based on the standard Metropolis algorithm (MA), and b) coarse-grained lattice model using the Pruned-enriched Rosenbluth method (PERM) which enables tests for very long chains. The findings of both methods are fully consistent and in good agreement with theoretical predictions.Comment: 27 pages, 12 figure

Hidden lesions: a case of burnt remains.

One of the many challenging cases that forensic pathologists, anthropologists, and forensic imaging experts have to face are burnt human remains. Perpetrators frequently attempt to hide/destroy evidence and make the body unidentifiable by exposing it to fire. We present a case of a partially burnt body found in an apartment after an explosion. First, multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) images and the following autopsy revealed several lesions on the cranium. Forensic anthropologists were involved in order to specify the aetiology of the lesions observed on the cranium. Through an interdisciplinary approach bringing together MDCT scans, 3D surface scans, and anthropological analysis, it was possible to answer the questions raised during the autopsy. Analyses demonstrated that there were signs of blunt force trauma on the cranium vault that the perpetrator likely attempted to hide by exposing the body to fire. This case demonstrates the importance of close collaboration between forensic anthropologists, imaging experts, and forensic pathologists. This multidisciplinary approach allows for a better, more complete reconstitution of forensic cases. The analyses of burnt human remains are one of the many challenging tasks that forensic pathologists and anthropologists have to face.We present an occurrence of a partially burnt body after an explosion and forensic anthropologists were asked whether the nature of the lesions observed on the cranium could be further specified.Anthropological analyses of the skull were consistent with the radiological and autopsy report. It was possible to reconstruct the various lesions on the dry bone.The case demonstrates the importance of an interdisciplinary approach and the close collaboration between forensic anthropologists, imaging experts, and forensic pathologists

An Improved UFLS Scheme based on Estimated Minimum Frequency and Power Deficit

In the event of a power system disturbance, it is important that the decision to implement under frequency load shedding is based on both the minimum frequency and the magnitude of the disturbance. In this paper, we propose the use of higher order polynomial curve fitting to estimate the minimum frequency. If the prediction shows that the minimum frequency threshold will be violated, the magnitude of the total disturbance is estimated using the swing equation. In addition, the minimum amount of load that must be shed to restore the frequency just above the minimum value can also be directly calculated. Simulations are carried out for the considered Taiwan power system and the results prove the efficiency of the proposed technique

Cargo scheduling decision support for offshore oil and gas production: a case study

Woodside Energy Ltd (Woodside), Australia’s largest independent oil and gas company, operates multiple oil and gas facilities off the coast of Western Australia. These facilities require regular cargo shipments from supply vessels based in Karratha, Western Australia. In this paper, we describe a decision support model for scheduling the cargo shipments to minimize travel cost and trip duration, subject to various operational restrictions including vessel capacities, cargo demands at the facilities, time windows at the facilities, and base opening times. The model is a type of non-standard vehicle routing problem involving multiple supply vessels—a primary supply vessel that visits every facility during a round trip taking at most 1 week, and other supply vessels that are used on an ad hoc basis when the primary vessel cannot meet all cargo demands. We validate the model via test simulations using real data provided by Woodside

Radius and chirality dependent conformation of polymer molecule at nanotube interface

Temperature dependent conformations of linear polymer molecules adsorbed at carbon nanotube (CNT) interfaces are investigated through molecule dynamics simulations. Model polyethylene (PE) molecules are shown to have selective conformations on CNT surface, controlled by atomic structures of CNT lattice and geometric coiling energy. PE molecules form entropy driven assembly domains, and their preferred wrapping angles around large radius CNT (40, 40) reflect the molecule configurations with energy minimums on a graphite plane. While PE molecules prefer wrapping on small radius armchair CNT (5, 5) predominantly at low temperatures, their configurations are shifted to larger wrapping angle ones on a similar radius zigzag CNT (10, 0). A nematic transformation around 280 K is identified through Landau-deGennes theory, with molecule aligning along tube axis in extended conformationsComment: 19 pages, 7 figure2, submitted to journa

Evaluation of service quality from patients' viewpoint

Background: Measuring patients' perception from health service quality as an important element in the assessment of service quality has attracted much attention in recent years. Therefore, this study was conducted to find out how the patients evaluated service quality of clinics at teaching hospitals affiliated with Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Tehran in 2017 and 400 patients were randomly selected from four hospitals. Data were collected using a questionnaire, the validity and reliability of which were confirmed in previous study. In order to analyze the data, T-test, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation coefficient were calculated using SPSS 23. Results: The results indicated that among eight dimensions of health service quality, the patients were more satisfied with physician consultation, services costs and admission process. The highest and lowest mean scores were related to physician consultation (Mean = 4.17), and waiting time (Mean = 2.64), in that order. The total mean score of service quality was 3.73 (± 0.51) out of 5. Outpatient services were assessed as good, moderate and weak by 57.5, 40 and 2.5 of the patients, respectively. There was a significant relationship between the positive perception of service quality and reason for admission, source of recommendation, gender, education level, health status, and waiting time in the clinics (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The majority of the patients had a positive experience with visiting clinics and perceived service provision as good. In fact, patients' perceptions of physician consultation, provision of information to patients and the environment of delivering services, are the most important determinants of service quality in clinics. © 2019 The Author(s)

Antiviral activity of silymarin against chikungunya virus

Citation: Lani, R., Hassandarvish, P., Chiam, C. W., Moghaddam, E., Chu, J. J. H., Rausalu, K., . . . Zandi, K. (2015). Antiviral activity of silymarin against chikungunya virus. Scientific Reports, 5, 10. doi:10.1038/srep11421The mosquito-borne chikungunya virus (CHIKV) causes chikungunya fever, with clinical presentations such as severe back and small joint pain, and debilitating arthritis associated with crippling pains that persist for weeks and even years. Although there are several studies to evaluate the efficacy of drugs against CHIKV, the treatment for chikungunya fever is mainly symptom-based and no effective licensed vaccine or antiviral are available. Here, we investigated the antiviral activity of three types of flavonoids against CHIKV in vitro replication. Three compounds: silymarin, quercetin and kaempferol were evaluated for their in vitro antiviral activities against CHIKV using a CHIKV replicon cell line and clinical isolate of CHIKV of Central/East African genotype. A cytopathic effect inhibition assay was used to determine their activities on CHIKV viral replication and quantitative reverse transcription PCR was used to calculate virus yield. Antiviral activity of effective compound was further investigated by evaluation of CHIKV protein expression using western blotting for CHIKV nsP1, nsP3, and E2E1 proteins. Briefly, silymarin exhibited significant antiviral activity against CHIKV, reducing both CHIKV replication efficiency and down-regulating production of viral proteins involved in replication. This study may have important consequence for broaden the chance of getting the effective antiviral for CHIKV infection