Metal concentrations in selected tissues and main prey species of the annulated sea snake (Hydrophis cyanocinctus) in the Hara Protected Area, northeastern coast of the Persian Gulf, Iran.

This study is the first detailed ecotoxicological study of the annulated sea snake, Hydrophis cyanocinctus. Concentrations of lead, cadmium, nickel and vanadium were evaluated in muscle, liver, kidney, skin and blood of the annulated sea snake (H. cyanocinctus) and in the whole bodies of its main prey species (Periophthalmus waltoni and Boleophthalmus dussumieri) in the Hara Protected Area, the Persian Gulf. The mean concentrations of lead and vanadium were highest in the kidney, which identified the kidney as a target organ for metals in sea snakes as it is in other reptilian groups. Mean concentrations of cadmium and nickel were highest in the liver and skin, respectively. Mean cadmium concentrations were significantly higher in the liver compared to prey species, which indicated that prey items may be a source of cadmium for the annulated sea snake in the study area. Data presented here may be considered as a baseline for further ecotoxicological studies in sea snakes

Preparation and Skin Permeation Study of N, N- Diethyl- meta-Toluamide Semi Solid Formulations

N,N-Diethyl meta Toluamide (DEET) is an insect repellent agent that contrary to its benefits, if is used in formulations with high skin permeation, will produce side effects of different severity. This study attempted to achieve a semi-solid DEET containing formulation with good appearance, sufficient spreadity, suitable viscosity for tube and jar filling, compatible pH with skin, reasonable stability, longer release time, and the less skin permeation. To obtain such a formulation, three types of DEET containing semi solids including gels (hydrophile), creams (emulsion) and ointments (lipophile), and their characteristics were compared with each other and with Off! Brand. Results showed that one of the prepared creams with the proper viscosity, stability, appearance and spreadity, had the least drug release in six hours and less skin permeation of DEET as compared with Off!. Hence the preparation was introduced as the optimal formulation

Evaluation of Prevalence and Quality of Root Resorption of Second Molar Adjacent the Impacted Third Molar in Cone-Beam Computed Tomograph

Impacted third molar reduces the bone level in the distal aspect of second molar, and sometimes it can lead to external root resorption of the adjacent second molar. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and quality of this resorption using cone-beam computed tomography scanning.Materials & Methods:In this descriptive study, CBCT images selected from 60 patients (including 107 maxillary & mandibular impacted third molars) were obtained from patients referring tomaxillofacial radiology department of dental faculty of Islamic Azad University of Isfahan (Khorasgan) in 2016. Under observation of oral radiologist, the images were examined (two times with one-week interval) in axial, coronal, and sagittal sections and recorded to diagnose external root resorption in CBCT. The data were analyzed via descriptive statistics including contingency tables and relative abundance.Results:The prevalence of external root resorption of second molar, adjacent to the third molar were43.25%. The most common type of third molar impaction were mesioangular third molars (41.1%) and in the next level were the vertical (28.1%), and distoangular (18.7) and then horizontal (12.1). The most common location of resorption in mandibular second molar teeth was in 1/3 of cervical (62.5%), and then 1/3 of apical (20.8%) and 1/3 of the middle (12.5%). Also one of teeth resorptions (4.2%) was between the 1/3 of apical and 1/3 of the middle. The most common site of resorption in maxillary second molar teeth was at 1/3 of the apical (68.45%), and then at the 1/3 of the middle (17.35%) and 1/3 of cervical (8.7%). With regards to the severity of resorption; 78.96% of resorptions were mild, 12.03% severe, and 9.03 were moderate.Conclusion:The prevalence of this type of resorption is almost high and the most common position of impacted third molars that resulted in this type of resorption are mesioangular and horizontal. Most common site of resorption in the maxilla was 1.3 of the apical and in the mandible was 1.3 of the cervical, which were often mild in resorption

Effect of probiotic administration in inflammatory responses of thermal burns

Objectives & Introduction It is possible to damage the natural intestinal barrier following severe burn injuries. Oral probiotics' positive effects on the innate immune system or intestinal epithelial layer are proven. This research aimed to evaluate the role of probiotics on plasma inflammatory changes and bacterial colonization in the burned wound after high-grade thermal trauma. Methods This double-blinded randomized controlled trial was conducted on 80 patients with a total body surface area of 20–70%. Patients were allocated to two groups based on four blocks randomization model. Intervention and control groups received daily LactoCare and placebo capsules for 14 consecutive days. Obtaining demographic data, burn and gastrointestinal symptoms were registered by filling out a questionnaire. Additionally, measuring plasma levels of highly sensitive C-reactive protein(hs-CRP), IgA, absolute neutrophilic, and lymphocytic count were performed cumulatively four times prior to and after the intervention. Results Considering eligible data, following the study period analysis showed significant mitigation of inflammatory status in probiotic receivers. The hs-CRP reduced following probiotic (21.38 ± 44.45) consumption compared with placebo (−36.36 ± 79.03) intake ( p < 0.001). Also, the plasma level of IgA significantly decreased in the intervention group (0.88 ± 0.65) than in the control group (0.79 ± 0.18) ( p < 0.001). Wound cultures showed no significant difference between groups, although the incidence rate of bacterial colonization was slightly lower after using probiotics ( p = 0.159). Regarding wound healing, data illustrated that probiotics could accelerate wound healing after 14 days of regular consumption ( p < 0.001). Conclusion Probiotics have advantages for the mitigation of inflammation and wound healing following severe thermal burn injuries. Trends toward Improvement Immune system by increasing IgA level and lymphocytic count and possible Reduction of wound area with exogenous probiotic administration in patients with burns suggest that further investigation in larger sample size is necessary to corroborate our initial, promising findings

The influence of socioeconomic factors on deceased organ donation in Iran

Background : There is a large gap between the number of patients on organ waiting lists and the number of available organs for donation. This study investigated the socioeconomic factors in Iran that influenced decisions for organ donation among the families of brain-dead donors. Methods : This retrospective cross-sectional study was performed among the families of 333 organ donors in Iran. Two trained researchers interviewed family members about the donor’s age, sex, cause of brain death, education level, marital status, number of children, history of addiction, the financial status of the donor’s family, and reasons for which they considered refusing organ donation. Results : The mean age of the donors was 37.23±16.59 years. During 2017–2019, significant differences were found according to income (P<0.001), marital status (P<0.001), sex (P=0.04), and occupation (P=0.04). More than half of the organ donors were of low socioeconomic status, and nearly half were the sole income earners of large families. Trauma was the most common cause of death (44.6%). The most common reasons for which the families considered refusing organ donation were unfamiliarity with the concept of brain death, denial, and the expectation of a miracle. Conclusions: The donor’s socioeconomic status and availability of social services, such as insurance coverage, psychological services, and mourning therapy courses, play an important role in organ donation. Adequate support for the deceased’s family after organ donation is imperative

Introducing a new auto edge detection technique capable of revealing cervical root resorption in CBCT scans with pronounced metallic artifacts

Abstract Cervical resorption is a serious threat to the longevity of the teeth. In this study, the Canny edge-detection algorithm was applied on CBCT images to compare the accuracy of original and Canny views for diagnosing cervical resorption in endodontically treated teeth. Intracanal metallic posts were inserted in 60 extracted teeth being randomly divided into three groups: control, 0.5 mm, and 1 mm cervical resorption. CBCT scans of the teeth were presented to three observers in both original and Canny formats with the accuracy being determined by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. The DeLong test was used for paired comparisons with the significance level set at 0.05. The highest accuracy belonged to Canny images in 1 mm resorption, followed by Canny images in 0.5 mm resorption, original images in 1 mm resorption, and original images in 0.5 mm resorption, respectively. The Canny images were significantly more accurate in the diagnosis of 0.5 mm (p < 0.001) and 1 mm (p = 0.009) resorption. Application of the Canny edge-detection algorithm could be suggested as a new technique for facilitating the diagnosis of cervical resorption in teeth that are negatively affected by metallic artifacts

Biomimetic amniotic/silicone-based bilayer membrane for corneal tissue engineering

Amniotic membrane (AM) is an effective and widely used dressing in ocular injuries to reconstruct the cornea. Due to its low mechanical strength, high biodegradation rate, and difficult handling, its usage in medical interventions remains challenging. In this study, decellularized AM was covered with an ultrathin layer of Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) through a spinning method, which in turn resulted in an ultrathin (less than 80 µm in thickness) bilayer corneal wound dressing membrane with improved mechanical behavior and transparency. The biomechanical, biological, and antibacterial properties of the bilayer membranes were measured both in vitro and in vivo. The optimized microsized membrane was applied on a corneal defect wound created in a rabbit model to evaluate the corneal healing. The results demonstrated a significant decrease in degradation rate, improved mechanical properties, and AM/PDMS transparency compared with AM. The corneal transparency improved until 21 days post-surgery in AM/PDMS group. Histological evaluations revealed that AM/PDMS had better epithelial delaminated cell morphology. The results of the RT-PCR showed a significant increase in MMP9, a significant decrease in Col1A1, TGF-β1, TNF-α and IL-6 in both AM and AM/PDMS compared with control wounds. This study suggessts AM/PDMS membrane as an excellent corneal wound dressing