44 research outputs found

    Economic Sanctions and Protection of Fundamental Human Rights: A Review of the ICJ\u27s Ruling on Alleged Violations of the Iran-U.S. Treaty of Amity

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    This article studies the unilateral regime of sanctions and their impact on two fundamental human rights: the right to food and the right to health. This article argues that international tribunals will set the level of obligation required to protect these human rights by observing the empirical correlation between economic sanctions and the deterioration of these rights in target states. By reviewing the elements that contribute to the strength of punitive economic measures, this article shows how sanctions have a greater impact on a population. This article concludes that the more powerful the economic sanctions, the higher the level of obligation of the imposing state will be to ensure that the sanctioned state’s population’s fundamental rights are protected

    Primary cutaneous CD4-positive small/medium-sized pleomorphic T-cell lymphoma following heart transplantation

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    Post-transplantation cutaneous lymphoproliferative diseases (PTCLD) are rare, with 29 cases have so far been reported in the literature—only 4 cases underwent cardiac transplantation. Herein, we report on, to the best of our knowledge, the first case in the English literature of primary cutaneous CD4-positive small/medium-sized pleomorphic T-cell lymphoma in a cardiac transplant recipient

    Titration of the Iranian white spot virus isolate, on crayfish Astacus leptodactylus and Penaeus semisulcatus

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    White Spot Virus (WSV) is currently the most serious viral pathogen of shrimp worldwide; it causes mortality up to 100% within 7-10 days in commercial shrimp farms. Infected Indian white shrimp Fenneropenaeus indicus samples were collected from Guatr shrimp site in Sistan and Baluchestan province in south of Iran and WSV infection was confirmed by Nested PCR. WSV was isolated from infected shrimp samples by centrifugation and filtration and multiplied in crayfish by intramuscular inoculation, the isolated virus was called WSV/IRN/1/2010. In order to determine the dilution resulting in 90-100% mortality in Penaeus semiculcatus, diluted virus stock in steps from 10^0 till 10^5 times in sterile PBS was injected intramuscularly to 14 shrimps in each group. Also the virus stock was diluted in steps from 1/2 till 1/32 times in sterile PBS and injected intramuscularly in Astacus leptodactylus crayfish. Therefore the LD50 of live virus stock in Astacus leptodactylus and Penaeus semiculcatus crayfish were calculated by the Karber method 10^3.29 /ml and 10^5.35 /ml, respectively

    Autophagy in cancers including brain tumors: role of MicroRNAs

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    Autophagy has a crucial role in many cancers, including brain tumors. Several types of endogenous molecules (e.g. microRNAs, AKT, PTEN, p53, EGFR, and NF1) can modulate the process of autophagy. Recently miRNAs (small non-coding RNAs) have been found to play a vital role in the regulation of different cellular and molecular processes, such as autophagy. Deregulation of these molecules is associated with the development and progression of different pathological conditions, including brain tumors. It was found that miRNAs are epigenetic regulators, which influence the level of proteins coded by the targeted mRNAs with any modification of the genetic sequences. It has been revealed that various miRNAs (e.g., miR-7-1-3p, miR-340, miR-17, miR-30a, miR-224-3p, and miR-93), as epigenetic regulators, can modulate autophagy pathways within brain tumors. A deeper understanding of the underlying molecular targets of miRNAs, and their function in autophagy pathways could contribute to the development of new treatment methods for patients with brain tumors. In this review, we summarize the various miRNAs, which are involved in regulating autophagy in brain tumors. Moreover, we highlight the role of miRNAs in autophagy-related pathways in different cancers. Video abstract

    Immunophenotypic characterization of the leukemic B-cells from Iranian patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia: Association between CD38 expression and disease progression

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    Background: Patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) have heterogeneous clinical courses, thus several biological parameters need to be added to the current clinical staging systems to predict disease outcome. Recent immunophenotypic studies performed mainly in Western populations have demonstrated the prognostic value of CD38 and ZAP-70 expression in B-CLL. Objectives: To investigate the expression pattern of a variety of membrane antigens on leukemic cells from Iranian patients with CLL and to find out if there are any differences in the expression of these markers between indolent and progressive groups. Methods: In the present study, peripheral blood samples from 87 Iranian patients with B-CLL were analysed by flow cytometry. Results: In all cases, the neoplastic cells displayed B-CLL phenotype (CD5 +/CD19+/sIg+). The vast majority of the cases expressed CD23, but failed to stain for CD3 or CD14. The leukemic cells of most patients expressed CD27 (84/87, 95.4) and CD45RO (74/87, 83.9) molecules, suggesting a memory B-cell phenotype. Comparison between the indolent (n=42) and progressive (n=37) patients revealed significantly higher frequency and intensity of CD38 expression in progressive group (40.5) compared to indolent (11.9) patients (p<0.05). None of the other membrane antigens were differentially expressed in these two groups of patients. Conclusion: Our results obtained in an Asian ethnic population confirm and extend previous findings obtained from Western populations regarding the association of CD38 expression and disease progression in B-CLL

    A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled investigation of BCc1 nanomedicine effect on survival and quality of life in metastatic and non-metastatic gastric cancer patients

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    Background: Currently, the main goal of cancer research is to increase longevity of patients suffering malignant cancers. The promising results of BCc1 in vitro and vivo experiments made us look into the effect of BCc1 nanomedicine on patients with cancer in a clinical trial. Methods: The present investigation was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel, and multicenter study in which 123 patients (30-to-85-year-old men and women) with metastatic and non-metastatic gastric cancer, in two separate groups of BCc1 nanomedicine or placebo, were selected using a permuted block randomization method. For metastatic and non-metastatic patients, a daily dose of 3000 and 1500 mg was prescribed, respectively. Overall survival (OS) as the primary endpoint and quality of life (measured using QLQ-STO22) and adverse effects as the secondary endpoints were studied. Results: In metastatic patients, the median OS was significantly higher in BCc1 nanomedicine (174 days 95% confidence interval (CI) 82.37-265.62) than in placebo (62 days 95% CI 0-153.42); hazard ratio (HR): 0.5 95% CI 0.25-0.98; p = 0.046. In non-metastatic patients, the median OS was significantly higher in BCc1 nanomedicine (529 days 95% CI 393.245-664.75) than in placebo (345 days 95% CI 134.85-555.14); HR: 0.324 95% CI 0.97-1.07; p = 0.066. The QLQ-STO22 assessment showed a mean difference improvement of 3.25 and 2.29 (p value > 0.05) in BCc1 nanomedicine and a mean difference deterioration of - 4.42 and - 3 (p-value < 0.05) in placebo with metastatic and non-metastatic patients, respectively. No adverse effects were observed. Conclusion: The findings of this trial has provided evidence for the potential capacity of BCc1 nanomedicine for treatment of cancer. Trial registration IRCTID, IRCT2017101935423N1. Registered on 19 October 2017, http://www.irct.ir/ IRCT2017101935423N1 © 2019 The Author(s)

    Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks, 1990-2015: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015

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    Background: The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2015 provides an up-to-date synthesis of the evidence for risk factor exposure and the attributable burden of disease. By providing national and subnational assessments spanning the past 25 years, this study can inform debates on the importance of addressing risks in context. Methods: We used the comparative risk assessment framework developed for previous iterations of the Global Burden of Disease Study to estimate attributable deaths, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), and trends in exposure by age group, sex, year, and geography for 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks from 1990 to 2015. This study included 388 risk-outcome pairs that met World Cancer Research Fund-defined criteria for convincing or probable evidence. We extracted relative risk and exposure estimates from randomised controlled trials, cohorts, pooled cohorts, household surveys, census data, satellite data, and other sources. We used statistical models to pool data, adjust for bias, and incorporate covariates. We developed a metric that allows comparisons of exposure across risk factors—the summary exposure value. Using the counterfactual scenario of theoretical minimum risk level, we estimated the portion of deaths and DALYs that could be attributed to a given risk. We decomposed trends in attributable burden into contributions from population growth, population age structure, risk exposure, and risk-deleted cause-specific DALY rates. We characterised risk exposure in relation to a Socio-demographic Index (SDI). Findings: Between 1990 and 2015, global exposure to unsafe sanitation, household air pollution, childhood underweight, childhood stunting, and smoking each decreased by more than 25%. Global exposure for several occupational risks, high body-mass index (BMI), and drug use increased by more than 25% over the same period. All risks jointly evaluated in 2015 accounted for 57·8% (95% CI 56·6–58·8) of global deaths and 41·2% (39·8–42·8) of DALYs. In 2015, the ten largest contributors to global DALYs among Level 3 risks were high systolic blood pressure (211·8 million [192·7 million to 231·1 million] global DALYs), smoking (148·6 million [134·2 million to 163·1 million]), high fasting plasma glucose (143·1 million [125·1 million to 163·5 million]), high BMI (120·1 million [83·8 million to 158·4 million]), childhood undernutrition (113·3 million [103·9 million to 123·4 million]), ambient particulate matter (103·1 million [90·8 million to 115·1 million]), high total cholesterol (88·7 million [74·6 million to 105·7 million]), household air pollution (85·6 million [66·7 million to 106·1 million]), alcohol use (85·0 million [77·2 million to 93·0 million]), and diets high in sodium (83·0 million [49·3 million to 127·5 million]). From 1990 to 2015, attributable DALYs declined for micronutrient deficiencies, childhood undernutrition, unsafe sanitation and water, and household air pollution; reductions in risk-deleted DALY rates rather than reductions in exposure drove these declines. Rising exposure contributed to notable increases in attributable DALYs from high BMI, high fasting plasma glucose, occupational carcinogens, and drug use. Environmental risks and childhood undernutrition declined steadily with SDI; low physical activity, high BMI, and high fasting plasma glucose increased with SDI. In 119 countries, metabolic risks, such as high BMI and fasting plasma glucose, contributed the most attributable DALYs in 2015. Regionally, smoking still ranked among the leading five risk factors for attributable DALYs in 109 countries; childhood underweight and unsafe sex remained primary drivers of early death and disability in much of sub-Saharan Africa. Interpretation: Declines in some key environmental risks have contributed to declines in critical infectious diseases. Some risks appear to be invariant to SDI. Increasing risks, including high BMI, high fasting plasma glucose, drug use, and some occupational exposures, contribute to rising burden from some conditions, but also provide opportunities for intervention. Some highly preventable risks, such as smoking, remain major causes of attributable DALYs, even as exposure is declining. Public policy makers need to pay attention to the risks that are increasingly major contributors to global burden. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

    Experimental progress in positronium laser physics

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    Case Report: Detection of SARS-CoV-2 From Cerebrospinal Fluid in a 34-Month-Old Child With Encephalitis

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    Novel coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2: SARS-CoV-2), which arose from Wuhan, China, has rapidly spread to other countries and developed into a pandemic. Although the respiratory manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 are well-documented, there is a considerable challenge regarding the direct and/or indirect infection in other organs. Several preliminary reports confirmed neurological manifestations in the SARS-CoV-2-infected patients. Here, we report the detection of SARS-CoV-2 from the nasopharyngeal swab and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in a 34-month-old child with encephalitis. This finding expands the spectrum of the neurological manifestations associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. © Copyright © 2021 Cheraghali, Tahamtan, Hosseini, Gharib, Moradi, Razavi Nikoo and Tabarraei
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